Yan Yu Fu (2022)

Fresh twists on old cliches.

At first glance, Autumn Ballad looks like just another light historical romance featuring a strong, independent heroine with 21st-century attitudes and aspirations. Yet with a chock full of fresh twists on old cliches, this manages to surprise and delight with an all too familiar tale of a lowly illegitimate daughter who finds love most unexpectedly on her quest for self-determination. This well-told story with an authentic voice is carried by Xu Zhengxi and Qiao Xin's heartfelt performances which make me invested in their characters before I even like them.

What I like most about Qiu Yan is that she is really not that nice or always that smart. Phew, what a welcome relief from the all too common suffocatingly flawless heroines. This is where notably Yu Zheng's recent, much higher budget projects fall way short by comparison despite big-name actresses. Trapped and exploited by her low birth status, Qiu Yan is the anti-Cinderella - her stepmother is her fairy godmother; she gives as good as she gets to her step-sisters and her mysterious prince leaves her a fan at the stroke of midnight. She tries for the best hand from the cards she is dealt and if she has to use a few people or step on toes along the way, so be it. She can be as harsh, selfish, and unforgiving as she is brave, capable, and loyal. She schemes, miscalculates, and makes mistakes with real consequences for herself and for others. I don't always like or agree with her but can understand her desperation and humanity.

Liang Yi is a pretty gray character which makes him my kind of male lead. Beneath his icy, civilized veneer he is a calculating, manipulative, ends-justify-the-means kind of guy with an agenda and he plays a long game. His path crosses with Qiu Yan repeatedly over the course of his investigations as head of the powerful Firewood Bureau. From the get-go, Liang Yi sees through Qiu Yan's machinations with contempt and tries to frustrate her designs on Qin Xuan. But he stops short of throwing her under the bus, perhaps in silent acknowledgment of his own utilitarian nature. When their interest align they agree to collaborate and are unflinchingly honest with each other about what's in it for them. In doing so, they also reveal the better sides of their nature and as they grow on each other, I fall for them. Qiu Yan is no damsel in distress in need of rescuing and Liang Yi can be as much cad as a knight in shining armor. They are kindred spirits and when they join forces, the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. It is inevitable that conflict and antagonism spark mutual awareness and passion. Their repartee is witty and the dialogue humorously highlights universal truths about human nature and the role of women in society. Is it too contemporary to be realistic? Probably but who cares?

This drama ought to be the gold standard for how realistic, believable relationships should be developed and portrayed. Xu Zhengxi really captures the essence of how Liang Yi's feelings for Qiu Yan evolve from dislike and distrust to grudging respect and consternation when it dawns upon him that he added to her burdens. His ironic, disbelieving expression as he comes to terms with his feelings for her kills me every time. This is by far the best-acted, anchor performance in the drama, elevated by the OTP's undeniable screen chemistry. While Qiao Xin stages a convincing, empathetic complimentary act, she falls short in her crying scenes.

The supporting characters are also mostly well-written and I particularly appreciate the balanced point of view with respect to the sibling rivalry between Qiu Min and Qiu Yan. Both Qiu Min and Qin Xuan are less thoughtfully written but despite their character flaws, they both get a pretty raw deal. The writers seem to know how to design layered and interesting characters but don't know how to finish their stories. Too many characters get outcomes (good and bad) that are underserved. There are so many gratuitous deaths I wonder whether they were running out of money.

Though far from a masterpiece of suspense and intrigue, the overarching conspiracy that loosely connects the cases moves at a fast pace and is quite well conceived and not just contrived to allow the couple to discover each other. It is a story that has enough momentum and characters with agency that the ending should write itself. Instead, with about 6 episodes to go, the writing inexplicably deviates into flashbacks, forced angst, melodrama, and excessive plot twists that culminate in a just barely satisfactory ending. If not for the sag towards the end, I would rate this production that shines in spite of its modest budget better than a very enjoyable 8/10.

This is not a fairytale but that is what makes it so much fun. It is well worth watching for the fascinating and hilarious relationship dynamics alone.

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Fast Moving, Amazing Chemistry, Girl Empowering

The Autumn Ballad is an intriguing suspense romance story with strong male and female leads. Interestingly, the development of the story is almost distinctly divided into 3 sections: first section being both the main leads meeting and hating each other and yet they’re forced to work together to survive; the middle section being the main leads starting to warm up to and discover each other with many sweet moments together; the final section being they falling in love and fighting their adversaries hand in hand.

Qiu Yan (Qiao Xin) is not a conventional girl of her time. Having gone through a lot of hardship and heartaches growing up, she is strong, proactive and knows how to fend for herself without letting fate dictate her. During her mishaps, she meets Liang Yi (Jeremy Tsui) who is a ruthless cold hearted investigator. At first, Liang Yi thinks Qiu Yan a gold-digger, using her dirty schemes to land a big fish for marriage. After working with her to solve various criminal cases, Liang Yi changes his view of Qiu Yen and she begins to attract him. Mutually, Qiu Yan doesn’t like Liang Yi initially because she thinks he is cruel and heartless, but after working with him for a while, she realizes that’s just a façade he puts up to undermine others. Under that face is a kind and caring person who has helped her again and again. She begins to take an interest in him. Their interactions for the first 20 episodes or so really feel like a rom-com, with smearing and sarcasms against each other which is really fun to watch.

As they begin to develop feelings for each other, a few episodes are devoted to show their romance and this thrills many viewers. After episode 20 or so, it is an open fact that they are a couple without declaring their feelings to each other but each knows the other’s heart. They are almost inseparable solving mysteries and a huge conspiracy while saving each other’s life with their own. For many romance buffs, it is satisfying to see a couple that reads each other’s mind so well, and they give the viewers a lot of sweet moments; their chemistry rocks.

I didn’t quite like Jeremy Tsui when I first watched his work in Legend of the Phoenix. His pale face, sly smile had made me uncomfortable and I wasn’t even sure if he wasn’t an antagonist. But in this drama, I find his acting very believable with his minute expressions and overall charisma. I particularly love the scene when Qiu Yan tells him she’s the girl he has rescued years ago. His facial expression is priceless. Like many viewers, I am attracted and mesmerized by his magnetic deep voice, though some viewers criticize his unclear articulation in his dialogues. This is my first drama of Xiao Xin and I find her beautiful and natural. I really enjoy watching her especially when she starts her bickering with Liang Yi. Her look and emotions are adorable and convincing. The other characters are equally well executed by the cast.

My Verdict

I like this drama very much at the beginning for the first 20 episodes or so. Though I love their romance in the later episodes, somehow, the story starts to lose its appeal in the later episodes. There are still twists and turns, but no more surprises as things become predictable. Many unfathomable logic (such as how can one work closely with a person who has just killed the person who is like a brother to you?) starts to creep in. There are various such logic flaws throughout the drama – working with someone who has killed one’s loved ones. For the later episodes, Qiu Yan seems to be smarter than Liang Yi who has been a brilliant investigator in solving cases for years, and he is supposed to be the best who can see the bigger picture instantly before anyone else can. So it seems like a change in capabilities of the characters. As with the lazy writings of many Chinese historical dramas’ endings, this drama doesn’t escape the same fate. Quite a few of the prominent side characters perish unnecessarily. Though there are many plot twists which are unexpected, I find the final twist that causes the life of one of the characters rather needless. It leaves many questions marks on my mind.

Having said that, I have truly enjoyed this drama and its conspiring couple, both witty and share the same belief. These two love birds are like a pair of duets, always harmonizing each other. It is so good to watch this type of relationship. I also find Qiu Yan very inspiring as she doesn’t leave her life to her fate - she constantly reminds the viewers that.

This is a fine drama that I strongly recommend despite some of the flaws mentioned here.

BRAVO!

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The inherent feminism of being a shrewd woman!

Agatha Christie meets Jane Austen in this riveting historical romance-mystery. This show was a surprise favorite for me. A diamond in the rough, a show with seriously feminist aspirations and an unapologetic stance on its radical and rebellious views. And the pièce de resistance? It’s an originally written story that avoids 99% of cdrama cliché pitfalls!

If you’re still not convinced that this show is worth a watch here are some more reasons:
1. Pride and Prejudice meets Mrs. Marple!
2. A headstrong, intelligent, and flawed female lead who had a steady personality and an unbreakable spirit
3. An intelligent, nuanced, and flawed male lead who grows and develops through the story with not a single jealous cell in his body…like WOW!
4. An actual good second male lead? With freaking personality and flaws?! Who isn’t a sticky gum and doesn’t scheme against the leads and doesn’t think he knows best for the FL, thus undermining her personhood whilst acting like he’s soooo nice?!?!?! Like...what?! He’s mine now! I have adopted him! He’s my child now, no one hurt this baby! He’s too pure for Cdramaland.
5. A villain who is not an idiot or a caricature who keeps the mains on their toes and is in return kept on his toes by the leads!
6. A truly enjoyable ensemble with interesting stories, arcs, and journeys.
7. A meta-commentary on women’s lives in the olden days
8. Actually good mystery cases
9. One of the best romances I have seen in historical dramas in a while
10. Enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, with “there was only one bed”!
11. Nice parents?!?!?!?! (Is this even a cdrama at this point? Where am I right now?)
12. And more!

Summary: Qiu Yan is the concubine-born daughter of the second master of Qiu family. Everyone in her family dislikes her except for her legal mother who loves her beyond anything. When Qiu Yan was young, she and her biological mother and brother are caught by bandits but a young man saves Qiu Yan and gives her a fan that becomes the symbol of Qiu Yan’s yearning to become educated and step above her station in her deeply misogynistic and biased society. The story follows Qiu Yan as she uses her wits, knowledge, street-savviness, and intelligence to survive and make her way in life. And the ML is Liang Yi. He's pretty cool, too!

Plot: I loved this show and mainly because it was so well-written. The characters make sense, the plot makes sense. The themes are clear and the writer knew exactly how they meant to explore them. No scene is unnecessary. Each character and event had a purpose. The tone is a good mix of romantic, comedic, emotional, and thought-provoking. It hardly has the usual stereotype pitfalls of historical dramas. I have to mention that the show has a very modern tone and the female lead’s opinions are beyond her era and time but the show somehow makes it work. On top of it all, the stories that are explored were stuff I had never seen in any other show which made this very refreshing for me. What was interesting was that I could recognize the plot as mentioned backstories in other shows but I had never seen a show that actually explored the plot, head-on. As for the romance, I loved it! The growth of their feelings felt natural and the progression of their relationship was super satisfying. No unnecessary misunderstandings or overly complicated melodrama.

Acting: I was very impressed by the leads. They had such amazing chemistry. Jeremy Tsui has an amazing voice and since everyone is using their own voice, the performances feel that much more real and authentic. I liked the supporting cast too. Minus one or two cannon fodders, I think everyone did a good job conveying their character and working together.

Music and Production: Music was okay; nothing too impressive. The production didn’t look expensive and it did leave some things to be desired. The cinematography was simple, the clothes and makeup were passable. Overall, this is the section the show might fall short but many of my favorite historical dramas have average or below average productions so I didn’t mind.

Rewatch: Right! Forgot about this! I never rewatch shows but this is a fun show so I would say it's worth it? Idk, watch new shows, why rewatch?!

Negative: There is a slight hiccup in storytelling in the very last episode. I have deduced that the reason is that the show did too good a job at closing all loose ends and just ended up with 20 extra minutes with nothing else happening there so they had to pull a last-minute twist to fill up the time. I didn’t care much for the twist but it didn’t affect the plot at all so I don’t care. What matters is that we got a happy ending and after watching such a good mystery show for 23 episodes, it was easy to see how the ending worked in the context of the whole show. (like I don't want to spoil but you could tell that the twist was super temporary)

Overall: I was expecting something like Jun Jiu Ling or Sword and the Brocade when I started this show but was pleasantly surprised when it turned out the way that it did. I almost dropped this! But I couldn't stop thinking about the characters so I went back and I am very happy with my decision. It was a joy for me to watch this. I laughed in every episode, I cheered for the main cast of characters to triumph and I was heartbroken for them when they suffered. This was one of the best watches I’ve had and though the show may not be perfect, the happiness it brought me made me decide to give it a 10. Because at the end of the day, we watch shows for enjoyment and that is what they should provide. The Autumn Ballad did just that. Highly recommended.

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The best duo and the best chemistry

How I thought this would be another mediocre drama but I really enjoyed this.

Our female lead, Qin Yan… she really never gives up. my main reason to love this character is her spirit of never giving up and her tricks. I love how witty she is and the fact that her self confidence comes from all those books that she has read is something even better to see in a historical drama.

Qin Yan does gets help from the male lead very often but she still stands out differently because of her never-ending persistence. she believes men and women are equal and bravely fights for herself.

And what will happen when this witty girl meets someone wittier. Liang Yi is the powerful, rich and perfect typical male lead who is also cold but he is very righteous in heart. the way his aloof face brightens up with a smile in the later half is just the best part. I like how supporting he becomes and goes to great lengths just to protect her. Liang Yi is already my favorite character of the year.

It's so fun to see both of these bickering over and tricking each other until they fall for each other and together fight the wrong.

Acting — it's like cherry on the top. All those expressions, from Qiao Xin smiling mischievously like that after every plan to Jeremy Tsui being the combo of cold + caring. they really compliment their characters so well.

OSTs —
✼ Beautiful words to say – by Xu Wei
✼ Yi Jue – by Luan Yi Ze
✼ Wish – by Feng Jiaqi (Queena)
The songs were all so sweet and pleasant to ears.

Favorite dialogues —
✧ how nice it would be if we're this wisp of smoke and we can go anywhere we like with the wind
✧ Even if it's just a wisp of smoke it will go straight to the blue sky… we'll get options as long as we don't give up
✧ We're ordinary people. Ordinary people are not perfect.

To conclude, of course like any other drama, this must have it's own flaws but the essence of this drama is that it has the right amount of everything you can add and the viewers do not get bored. I enjoyed watching it and would definitely recommend "The Autumn Ballad."

✿ ~ will talk about how this drama lost it's one star in the comments section under spoiler tag…

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It's like a talented writer wrote the first 24 episodes and then some little kid without any knowledge of writing did the final episodes.It should have been the historical of the year with such a refreshing heroine, and I had been waiting for a Jeremy Tsui led drama since Dugu. But the last ten or so episodes were so bizarre with characters doing weird things you would never expect them to do. The most irritating of the villains, for me it was Qiu Min and Yuan Lang, just get what they wanted without any redemption whatsoever. Introducing unnecessary twists simply for the sake of it at the last thirty minutes just pushed it further into the pit of 7 or below.

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The chemistry of the main leads couldn't save the stupid writing

The drama at first was really great to watch. Especially the bickering of Liang Yi and Qiu Yan. Actually their chemistry is the main attraction of the drama followed by the deep voice is Jeremy. (Oh! I love this guy's voice) I am glad that they didn't dub his voice.

The drama mainly focuses on how one can outsmart the other by wit. There isn't much of stunned work like flying in the sky type fight scenes. I am glad that they made the fight scenes quite realistic. Even when the ML gets hurt he actually takes some time to recuperate. Not like the typical unrealistic ML who becomes fine the next second after getting stabbed. For this I give one point to the drama.

But still....

This drama couldn't get satisfactory score from me.

I really loved the character of Noble consort and Liang Yi's mother. They were fun to watch. Not like typical mother-in-law or queen characters. But in the end they had to spoil these two characters. They spoiled it in such a way that you can't even hate them nor love them. There will be just one question! Why? Why writer why? Why do you have to make them like this?

There are also some illogical things that just can't get away.
For example the actors they choose for the 6year younger version of Liang Yi and Qiu Yan was really young. Maybe they did that so that they won't recognize each other after 6years but still they could have shown that they met after 8 or 10 years, then the actors age could be believable.
Besides that, the culprit of the money counterfeit incident hold grudges against Liang Yi because he killed the culprit's father who was corrupted. This incident happened 3/4 years(I don't remember the year) before the money counterfeit incident. That time the culprit was a child. How come the culprit become an adult in just a few years?

Not to mention the unnecessary dragging!

The story of Qiu Yan's mother was not needed at all.
And the ending!!!
I mean why? Why did the writer had to add that unnecessary headache in the end?

The story went really well during the last few episodes. The political part was okay.
But still I hoped to see some fluffy romantic scene of Liang Yi and Qiu Yan.

At least their marriage! ?

But the writer had to add needless headache in the end just so they can drag the drama to 34 episodes.
If that was really necessary then you should have added their marriage scene, their sweet romance. I am sure no body would mind that. In fact I would love be to see that more.

If the story of both the MLs mothers could be erased then, at least 2 episodes could be easily minimized. And we viewers would have less headache.

In the end, I am not saying it's a bad drama. I definitely enjoyed watching it. It's just that it's not one of the best drama I have watched. If you are not a nitpicker about drama then you will love it too. Liang Yi and Qiu Yan are like a treat to watch together. But you can skip the last episode. Then everything will be fine.

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Unexpectedly addictive… Best chemistry 2022! Hooked from the 1st eps…

What I luv:
- The leads’ chemistry, like wow! From the bickering, n even for the funny scenes, their acting together is on point… their comedy parts together were the best for me… especially ML, his comedic’s expression & body language is just spotted on… n his stare… after this, i’m a fan, esp of his voice!
- The leads’s visuals… It always helps that they look good, but ML looks superb in his costume, FL looks best when she had her hair down&long, so pretty…
- The plot is really entertaining, i got hooked from the start n was waiting eagerly for the new eps every week , watching it ontime… that’s how intriguing this drama for me…
- I like the pace, almost no boring moments…
- The screenwriting is good, nothing cheesy…
- The romance part is good! It was slowburn, but the way they started from hating each other to getting know each other n finally totally understand&luv each other was done properly…
- The character development is good too… i hated ML at first, being so judgemental n seemed so heartless, especially to FL… but under that mask, in time he became likable n actually he is just mainly misunderstood… luv his character! FL stays true to her character i guess? As an independent courageous woman… however at some point for me this character is a bit too much… somehow being independent means u have to be selfish n leave someone u luv n luv u back just like that, bye2… with no hesitation n no sign of sadness… that part in the drama i found weird…
- The production is done properly… all aspects r good for me, especially for a supposedly low budget drama like this…
- I always this kinda genre, investigating stuff with some Palace’s chaos…

What’s unsatisfying:
- The last eps! It’s a typical C-drama, where last minute, after everything that went down, halfway thru the last eps, they had to give the last angst that led to separation instead of giving us the happy closures n some sweet moments…
- yes it’s a HE, but reuniting in the last scene with the leads looking at each other in a distance without a hug/kiss is just a bit disappointing… i know a wedding would be too much to ask, but this ending is just… ?
- Not a big fan of luv square… i know ML&FL only luv each other, however almost the first half becoz of a misunderstanding, FL was with SML (her ticket to escape her fate) n ML almost marry SFL (he thought SFL was the girl he rescued, but actually it was FL)… but yeah after the misunderstanding is clear, no more unnecessary drama between them…
- YuanLang the villain got away with everything n no punishment in anyway… somehow he ended up not being that evil anymore n climbed on top becoming a Minister…

Anyway, i still really luv it overall… so far my fave drama this year… so i highly recommend it… it’s almost angst free, at least till that last eps… but it’s a HE, so yeah… i hope the leads will get casted together again in a modern drama, will def watch that!

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FL who is way ahead of her times. Power Couple + Amazing Chemistry

Completed - 3/23/2022 - 8.25 rating

I believe many are attracted to "The Autumn Ballad" because of the two main characters. It's rare these days to have an original script and not any IP adaptation. I believe this drama was shot back in 2020 but isn't aired until early 2022. With an original script that's only a couple years old, it's really great to see scriptwriters spending time on strong and interesting characters, such as Liang Yi (ML) and Qiu Yan (FL). They are both flawed but interesting.

What I Enjoy:

1. Qiu Yan (FL) - It's not a surprise that I like Qiu Yan. It did take me a while to get used to the acting, but as a whole, Qiu Yan is a refreshing female lead. She is way ahead of her times. She sounds like a modern girl stuck in a historical drama. She wants gender equality, she wants to fight for injustices, she wants to have the freedom to do what her heart desires, and she doesn't give in to fate or traditions. On top of that, she's smart throughout the whole drama. How nice is it that we don't have a female lead who loses her intelligence after she falls in love? How nice is it that she actually helps devise plans to save people instead of the one being saved? There really isn't that many smart female leads out there. On top of my head, I can only think of Wei Ying Luo (Story of Yanxi Palace) and Jun Jiu Ling, who are smart from start to finish.

2. Liang Yi (ML) - We are seeing more and more grey male leads and I am loving it! Liang Yi is smart, ruthless, scheming, and evil. But he's also loving and caring and will do anything for his love. His best quality is that he supports Qiu Yan's dreams, knows when to let go and really wants what's best for her even if it hurts him deeply.

3. Actors' own voice - With a quick search, it seems like almost all actors/actresses are using their own voice, except for Kabby Hui who played Qiu Min since she's from Hong Kong. It's really rare to have a period/historical drama that is over not overdubbed. It really adds to all the emotional scenes and the audio enjoyment of the whole drama. I do think that Jeremy Tsui needs to better enunciate his words. If you are just reading subtitles, it might not matter. But if you want to learn Chinese along the way, I find that he mumbles a little. But I will take a little mumbling over dubbing any time of the day. Besides, his voice is so deep and sexy. LOL

4. Main Romance - Qiu Yan and Liang Yi have such great chemistry throughout the drama. This started from when they were enemies and bickered all the time in the first 1/3 of the drama. When this slow-burn romance continues to develop, I just can't wait for them to get together. I am usually a fan of slow-burn romances but for this drama, I actually want them to hurry up! That's how amazing their chemistry is. I want to see some cute and fluffy scenes between them because you know they will continue to bicker and their sweet scenes are not going to be the typical rom-com sweetness.


What I Don't Quite Enjoy or Feel Lukewarm:

1. Ending - I've read complaints about the final plot twist in the last episode. Without going into spoiler mode, I do agree that it's unnecessary. I see where FL is coming from, but there's no way in hell that ML will believe her. It's evident how smart ML is and how well he knows FL. Why bother?

2. Secondary Leads - I am not a big fan of Qin Xuan (2ML). Even though he is very nice and sweet, I find him quite boring and don't see any chemistry between him and FL. I just want him to go away. On the other hand, I've never liked Qiu Min (2FL) from start to finish. Even when she's timid and shy, she seems too manipulative to me. She would cry and then let FL do all the dirty work for her, so she won't end up being the bad person. I can't stand her obsession with Qin Xuan. I find her resentment dissolving way too easily in the final episode. Why do we always have evil 2FL who are jealous, backstabbing and manipulative?

3. Investigation Plot - I am lukewarm towards the different crime/investigative storylines in this drama. There isn't a whole lot of excitement because our leads are so smart that they see through everything. There was never a time when I was worried for them.

4. Fight scenes - I know this is not a wuxia drama but the fight scenes are mediocre.


Other Observations:
* There's way too much make up on Jeremy Tsui's face. He looks so white. If he is a little tanned, he would be so much more good-looking.
* I noticed this in "Novoland: The Castle in the Sky 2" as well that Jeremy Tsui seems to slouch a little. He is always looking down eve when he's not talking to someone, and his neck is slightly protruding forward? Am I being weird and imagining it all?
* I don't understand the sisterhood between Qiu Yan and Qiu Yan. Does Qiu Yan hate her elder sister or not? At times, she seems to resent and hate her, and then turn around she would be all sisterly.
* Acting is OK all around. No one is especially amazing, and no one sucks. Jeremy does have very expressive big eyes.

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If I were rating solely the main characters and their story & romance, this would be a 10. I haven’t seen Jeremy Tsui’s past dramas, but he plays the sharp and confident Liang Yi, to perfection. I’ve seen several of Qiao Xin’s dramas and I’m not a fan of her acting (especially when she has emotional scenes), but the writing and the chemistry make up for it here. Her character, Qiu Yan, is quick-witted and daring, doing whatever it takes to take control of her own fate, including lying and manipulating—but she does have a bottom line & is a caring person at heart. I loved both the bickering dynamic & the teamwork between Liang Yi and Qiu Yan, and the gradual development of their relationship from dislike to mutual admiration to love. It’s refreshing that they are direct with each other and there aren’t misunderstandings, things aren’t dragged out. This is a pairing where you 100% feel like they’re meant to be together and I would absolutely rewatch all their scenes together.

Besides the leads, I adored Song Jin and Liang Yi’s mother, and they both brought so much warmth and laughter to the show. The opening song is so good, but I don’t remember any other songs from the OST.

However, overall this drama isn’t a 10 for me for a few reasons. There’s investigating cases, cute romantic moments, a bitter rivalry, terrible family members, life-or-death stakes, and sometimes it felt a little uneven. (I recall a few episodes in the middle of the drama that I didn't quite care for.) I really disliked Qiu Min from beginning to end, and the resolution her character received at the end was jarring. I was also not a fan of the last half of the final episode and wished the writer(s) had went in a different direction, but I do give credit for including many references from previous episodes. It felt like there was attention paid to the details.

Still, I have a feeling this will end up in my favorite dramas of 2022 list! I had zero expectations when I started it (thought it'd be a filler drama lol) and ended up being delighted by the main characters.

Content warnings: episode 19, r*pe (scene begins at around the 33 minute mark) & a suicide attempt; episode 34, suicide

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A Pleasant Surprise

You want a good “hate to love” story? This is the drama for you. The romance between the main characters are well-earned,. You get to see them meet, bicker, argue, dislike, amuse, like, and love each other, in that exact order. The progression feels natural and the actors have great chemistry. The female lead is a breathe of fresh air, she’s definitely not the typical Mary Sue. She makes mistakes and a lot of her impulsive actions emphasizes her young age, but she’s very lovable and someone who you root for all the way. And the male lead? I got no words but I have words lol. Seriously, this man looks good in anything, costume, that is. The actor has such a sharp, unique face that is super intense and handsome. Charismatic, cold and ruthless yet soft-hearted. His character is very well-crafted in terms of mannerisms and nuances that the actor excels in, right down to body language, ie the hand folding mannerisms. A very well written male lead, looks and all. The chemistry between both characters are super fun to watch. The chemistry carries the show when the plot sometimes doesn’t. The plot is very fast paced, sometimes opening and closing a case too soon to then open a new plot, it will sometimes make your head spin. There’s major flaws with some of the plots and the secondary characters, but frankly I’m only invested in the main characters so it doesn’t matter too much to me. The love story pays off, the hate to love trope is well earned here, no cheap tricks or shortcuts. Overall, it’s a fun romantic drama, you get taken on an adventure, enjoy it for what it is.

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A show with great, wasted potential

This show has really good pacing and the female lead is strong, pretty, and intelligent. If you're looking for a strong female lead, she is it! And the interactions between the two main leads are hilarious as they love to hate each other.

It's fun wondering how they will end up together because the interactions between them are so caustic.

The show is awesome up until the last episode. WTF bad writing, directing, editing was this nonsense?!

It does have a happy ending, but the mess that happens in the last episode irritated me so bad, I couldn't even enjoy it. 7.5 rating.

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unexpectedly better than i expected

wasn't intending to start on this at first, but the online responses for the first 8 eps was great and hence i decided to give it a try. i had watched some past works of jeremy (legend of dugu) & qiao xin (ode to joy 1-3). i rmb really liking jeremy's villian role in legend of dugu ?? anyway, long story short i would say overall it's kinda an underdog drama. The productions isn't very extensive for this production, and it's also evident from the props and overall script and writing. So being able to gain some attention for it (and milking the popularity after) says alot.

STORY
As in many cdramas historical works, it always portray a female lead that's smart, or at least more opinionated, and then being bounded by familial responsibilities /gender discrimination kinda set up. and of course most of the times, there's gonna be male lead falling for this "different" kind of lady they have ever met.

I would say the overall gist is similar but also different. Qiu Yan here, as a concubine's daughter (similar to Legend of Minglan) we are expecting much difficulties, being female + unfavoured (since not Di). Despite that, its a refreshing twist that Qiu Yan is favored by her non-biological mum (aka the Di Mother) but despised by her own biological mother.. i think it's the first time i seen this in a cdrama female centric plot drama. Really touched her mum provided her with what she needs and allowed her to be expressive of her ideas. Unlike other female concubine daughter characters, Qiu Yan is very vocal, opinionated and has a goal of her own - to explore the world. Of course a series of things happened, from jinxing her husband to be to death, passing of Di Mother, downfall of Qiu manor, becoming an escapee, becoming an artisan to Liang Yi's concubine everntually etc.

So in all this there's also our male lead, Liang Yi i would say quite a typical male lead set up, cold, ruthless, capable with also family revenge agenda on his back. He meets a woman like no other aka Qiu Yan, and it doesn't help they become loggerheads and his best friend is in love with her. For political purposes he also proposes to marry QY's sister, Qiu Min. but alot the way through the various cases they somehow get entangled in together, LY grows a liking to her. He also belatedly finds out that they had a connection when they were young,

Overall it's a refreshin plot, but honestly, i am disappointed in the development of the second half of the story, which is the problem for many cdramas, especiall those with more episodes...i will just list some points/ loopholes i feel iffy about:

Characters:
- QY character: don't get me wrong, i like her in general, but in some instances i really didnt like her. Like especially how she treats her sister, QM. I mean her intentions were valid, but i still feel it was harsh...
- LY character: i would say it's typical, was hoping more development or story for him.
-QX charactrer: i would say he is the most pitiful one...
-QM: feel bad for her, but sometimes she just needs to tough up bcs she's annoying for me..

Plot
- the whole su yi wan subplot. like right til the end there was no clear up or explanation for this fake identity?
- song jin's death: he honestly didnt have to die??
- qiu min& qin xuan: so after QM saves QY from an arrow, he starts to accept her? idk but am i missing out something?
- truth behind liang yi's dad death: seriously the ending was liek too rushed wtf? like qiu yan lying that she killed her mum what not. i honestly felt that was so inconsistent with qiu yan's character lol... what noble idiocy is this... thats very out of her character LOL

I liked the show probably up to the halfway mark? but the whole story just drags out with not much development / sweet scenes actually. but given it being an original production, i would say it's not bad.

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