So Much Potential...

It started really strong, and I loved the interaction between our leads. However, things got a little draggy in the middle, and it felt like everything just derailed during the last several episodes.

I love seeing supportive, trusting relationships, and boy did this drama nail it. Watching the ML and FL work together to face obstacles was so satisfying and heart-warming. Those were my favorite parts. I enjoyed the more mature character for ZLS, and YY was delectable as always.

But boy oh boy... the story... I can't believe I'm saying this, but this drama should've been longer. If you know me, you know I hate long dramas, but I repeat: this drama should've been longer. Or at least paced better. I noticed the pacing was quick in the beginning but didn't mind it much. The first time I was like hol' up was when a certain character went through something emotionally tragic and magically recovered within a few scenes. I initially shrugged it off cause fine whatever.

But as the episodes went on, similar things kept happening. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, I refuse to be shamed. However, a fool I am, so I kept watching all the way to very end hoping that maybe the problem would fix itself. "Welp," I said as I watched the story explode with a fiery crash in the distance. The uninspired army battle scenes, untimely time skips, unresolved/rushed plot points, and generally bizarre out of character behaviors transformed the ending into a surreal experience that left me wondering very intelligently, ".......what?"

Don't get me wrong y'all. I had a good time (like... who can resist YY with that ponytail hair?? certainly not me), but the last third of the drama had that "trying to clean up my college dorm before my parents arrive in 10 min so let's just shove all my dirty clothes under the bed and hope they don't notice" vibe.

My advice: watch for the YY and ZLS visuals/romance but turn off your brain for the story.

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A train that derailed but spilled some gems along the way

I am so conflicted writing this review. Overall I'd say the drama made a positive impression but felt unbalanced. So many things were done very well, but it often was at the expense of other important aspects.

The good:
- The message I got from this story was to find your own path to happiness and live with no regrets. I think the drama did a wonderful job conveying that. We all have the choice to shape our lives into what we want it to be. We just have to have the courage to take the reins.
- Character development and arcs of the female characters. Watching Yang Ying grow into her own shoes and take command of her life and watching Ru Yi find her own version of happiness outside the Empress's last words were probably the most satisfying and fleshed out parts of the story.
- A healthy relationship between the leads. This is peak romance. Find me a man like Ning Yuan Zhou.
- Music. It took a while to grow on me, but it was the lyrics that eventually made me cave in. Catch me singing "Half a Lifetime of Suffering" any time, any day.

The not so good:
- Everyone dies for no good reason. I'm not against people dying, but I have a bone to pick when it feels like the only reason they died was to serve as a plot device to make the story a tragedy. Most of their deaths felt so ridiculous and unnecessary. Maybe their sacrifice would've been more impactful if the pacing near the end was better, but a lot of it fell flat for me. Character deaths need to feel meaningful, significant, and impactful. Squeezing all their deaths into the last episodes undermined everything the story had built up to that point.
- Character development and arcs of Li Tong Guang and Qian Zhao. On one hand, I admire that these two mostly stayed exactly the same for most of the drama. On the other hand...... why??? There was so much potential here. Li Tong Guang could've grown out of his obsession for his master sooner (arguably if at all) and matured into a wonderful young man (and had a beautiful relationship with Yang Ying). Instead, he was this lost, stupid little lovesick puppy until the very end. Ugh. Also, Qian Zhao could've learned from his impulsiveness when he tried to kill Ru Yi and later not threaten Wu's king. It was hard to feel for his death when he tried to kill the king one minute and died protecting the king five minutes later. Like so many confusing signals here. I can kinda understand where the writers were going with him, but it wasn't presented well.
- The pacing. Things were generally fine in the beginning, but man did it go off the rails near the end. The first time they did a montage of the political events, I thought I'd accidentally clicked on a trailer for the next episode. It felt like a rushed info dump. And it happened at least three more times. I also feel like they could've spent more time with Yu Shi San/Chu Yue and Yang Ying/Li Tong Guang. Like I know we love the main leads, but the other couples need some attention too. It felt like the writers wanted the main couple's deaths to be as dramatic as possible, so they really beefed up their romantic scenes in both length and quantity. I never thought I'd complain about too many main couple romantic scenes, but here I am...
- That tacky map showing their travel route. Okay, I admit I'm nitpicking here, but tell me why they couldn't make a better map?? Even a cutesy one with bouncing horses pulling the carriage would've been better.

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This show had all the right ingredients, but the time constraint eventually crippled it.

After binging this show in 2 days, I am very much torn. Do I recommend watching it? Yes, definitely. However, because a lot of story needed to be crammed into 40 episodes, what could've been an exceptional show instead became only a good show. I want to note that I've never read the novel that this was adapted from, so I can't compare the two.

The entire time I was watching, I felt like I got a rough sketch instead of a final draft. The weakest part of the entire show for me was how the relationships were first developed (both platonic and romantic). The story/writing doesn't do a good job of conveying and pacing how these bonds formed. It felt like one moment they're strangers and then the next they'd die for each other. Unfortunately, since the entire show centers around these bonds, it was difficult for me to fully invest myself into the story. Because of that, emotional moments were hit or miss. (A small peeve of mine was also the weird choice and timing of music that jarred me out of the story at least once per episode.)

That's not to say that I didn't like the show. The actors really do the best they can with what they were given, and some shining moments redeem the flaw I mentioned above. Like I said earlier, I'd definitely recommend giving the show a watch. It has all the elements that I love to see in wuxia, and despite its short length, the plot was surprisingly well paced. When I finished, I found myself missing the characters.

It's just a pity that more time wasn't given to really flesh out and test the early bonds between our main characters. I truly believe that this show would've been legendary if it had been given that breathing room.

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Breath of Fresh Air

I love me a drama with no unnecessary angst. Also, can I get a f*ck yea for realistic relationship progression? I'm so over the whole fall in love at first sight or for silly reasons schtick that you see in so many other dramas. I love how You Are My Glory simply shows a beautiful story of two adults falling in love, making and learning from mistakes, and maturing. No annoying, meddling second leads, no crazy makjang do or die situations.

It's so refreshing to see the FL and ML actually take the time to think and reflect on their relationship instead of spewing flowery promises at each other. I can't even think of the last time I actually FELT it when the leads say I love you to each other, but holy Jesus you can bet I felt it in this drama. I cried like a big baby, I was so touched.

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Trope-y, but with a lot of heart

The biggest thing I appreciated about this drama was how it showed there are no bad people in the world; there are only hurt people. The most meaningful takeaway for me was this: as long as you treat people with kindness, love, and sincerity, you will receive it in return. If this drama were only about that, I'd easily give it a 10. Ironically, I feel like it's the romance that dulls its shine.

Look, I don't mind trope-y tropes once in a while, but the ML just felt so wooden to me. All he does 90% of the time is give squinty, smoldering looks, brood, and fling insults. I know it's supposed to be his "personality", but the delivery didn't land for me either. However, I did love the couple's cute moments, and I think the ML did well for the more emotional bits.

Romance aside, I found the supporting cast endearing, and the hospital plotlines heart-warming and tear-jerking. There were also many funny bits that gave me a good laugh. I would've liked a more realistic romance, but at the core of this drama beats a strong heart full of love for humanity and I love it for that.

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So sweet~ Hurts my teeth~

What a delightful gem of a drama! The story is very well paced and rarely ever dragged. Even better, it's short and sweet at 22 episodes.

I love how the three couples get just the right amount of screen time. Their distinct romances, personalities, and plot lines were very interesting too. I've had dramas I loved marred by horrible secondary couples (looking at you, Under the Power), so having not one but two extra couples that only added to the drama?? Amazing. Also, this drama is FUNNY. I found myself cackling at max volume more times than I'd like to admit.

My only tiny gripe is with the ML's acting. I found myself pulled out of the moment at times because his emotional display felt off. Maybe it's not him and it was the directing or editing, but certain moments that were supposed to be romantic just didn't hit the right spot for me. I don't know, maybe I'll change my mind if I ever rewatch. Again, it's only a minor thing that doesn't change my overall satisfaction (especially when he's so DANG CUTE when he smiles).

I also appreciate how the drama was really poignant at times, showing us the realities of being in or out of a relationship. And as always, I love me a good angst-free drama. There were times where it went there a little, but it was all justified and quickly resolved in an (mostly) adult manner.

If you're looking for some hearty laughs, a feel-good cry, and the sweet taste of love, I would say give this drama a shot. I felt like I was saying goodbye to dear friends when I finished.

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Lovable leads & Amazing chemistry

This drama was almost perfect. The beginning was so fun, and it really drew me in. I love how Seven Tan portrayed Jin Xia in a way that was endearing instead of annoying. She brings us a FL with a truly unique personality I wish I saw more in dramas. And Lu Yi... *swoon* Allen Ren did such a good job here. He really brought the stern yet soft Lu Yi to life. The way Lu Yi looks at Jin Xia makes me wanna eat him up (iykyk ;) hehe). The middle of the drama was my favorite. It was full of such sweet fluff and angst that wasn't over the top. However, the last 10 episodes or so is where some of the magic was lost for me. It got a little trope-y and draggy. I stuck through purely out of loyalty to the main couple since the secondary couple(s) weren't anything to write home about.

Overall, I definitely recommend this drama. The hilarious moments, slow-burn romance, and flaming-hot eye contact are definitely worth the sluggish ending. Not to mention, the opening song is so hauntingly beautiful it makes my heart ache... in a good way.

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