Flor (2024)

Vale cada minuto

10 + 10 em tudo...
Pensa comigo, é um drama com atores pouco conhecidos, em inicio de carreira, uma produtora corajosa, inicio de carreira também, um diretor de minidrama, e saiu esse drama raiz sensacional?!... não tem como não dar uma ótima avaliação... com cenas de lutas de deixar muito drama SS Plus + premiun (lol) com vergonha.
Isso aqui deu muita lição em produtores e roteiristas de dramas como o da Perola, por exemplo.
Um show perfeito quem ai também lembrou muito de Story of Kunning Palace, talvez o enredo de viagem no tempo com opostos que se atraem, ou talvez apenas o palácio que era o mesmo, mas eu me lembrei muito desse outro drama, deu até vontade de reassistir.

O artificio de viagem no tempo praticamente corrobora com finais felizes, poder reescrever, o receio era o veneno, né... porque o veneno estava solto esse ano na China e em suas histórias, mas como uma historia e fantasia deve ser... deu-se um jeitinho de final feliz...

Quem ai também ficou achando em vários momentos que o ML era filho rei?!... eu fiquei, mas, a história acabou seguindo o caminho de uma boa amizade entre o tio do ML e o rei, ficou legal também...

Para terminar, aplausos a esse roteiro, ele é inteligentíssimo em colocar a protagonista numa posição de articuladora e inteligente sem se perder em coisas modernas de mais para o período em que a história se passa.
É claro que é uma fantasia, mas certas fantasias colocam mulheres independentes e empoderadas de mais em um período que isso não existe… até mesmo para uma fantasia tem que ter coerência com o período em que se passa.
Adoro a cena dele ensinado ela a usar uma amar, baita lição para qualquer mulher dos tempos atuais... para mim toda mulher deveria saber usar uma arma de fogo. É a melhor forma de equilibrar forças em relação a homens maus e violentos. Melhor forma de sobreviver e se salvar em situações de perigo, risco e vulnerabilidade… bom isso é só um comentário a parte, mostrando que toda fantasia tem um que de real, e que sempre podemos tirar boas lições dos nossos doramas amados.

Simplesmente de o play e curta todas as intrigas palacianas possíveis e impossíveis de se colocar num drama, com um química ótima sem economia de beijo.

Xoxo,
deu uma ScreenWriter Amadora.

Leia Mais

BEST 2024 costume drama!

So Satisfying all the way through!!!!

Li Yun Rui & Meng Zi Yi Underrated for YEARS finally gets their big break!

Li Yun Rui - Always the supporting role. He was ML3 in Love like Galaxy. Supporting characters in many.
Meng Zi Yi - I always thought she looks goddess like and can act well enough for idol dramas, yet she never gets roles like Dilraba.
The pairing imo is fantastic. Both tall and beautiful, chemistry brewing.

The plot is NOTHING special as it's about 2nd chance in life trying to change fate. But unlike the ###s drams before, this is done right with a powerful 1st episode. On a cold snowy night, enters ML w/ silver hair saving the FL from a crashing carriage. Their eyes meet and the scene gives off that that same "A Familiar Stranger" vibe. (Same Director). Ep ends with them falling through the shattered glass into the abyss. Then time freezes as she slowly floats back up passing ML signals the reverse in timeline. The visuals are incredible, the best 1st episode ever! Can other directors just learn from this one?

The next 5 episodes ML/FL hardly have any interactions as they are building up the storyline. Ep 8 on the chemistry is on fire! Of course, if you are impatient and just want the leads face smooching then stick with your short dramas. This is a beautifully paced slow burn romance properly done (IMO) and I am loving every episode w/o skipping any scenes.

The not so perfect:
1. Blossom .... Y Y Y Y Blossom? Why can't they translate the title closer to the Chinese title?
2. ML, bad (General's) hair. umm his face is long, and you just up dewed another 3" of extra dry fake hair
3. Typical one-dimensional bad stepmother, bad uncle, bad dad, supporting actors but MOST of them had a glimpse of turnaround.
4. Insta fall from ep 1. ML/FL needed a bit more scenes ep 2-6.

For the first time 34 episodes felt so short.
All Top notch:
1. Director
2. Story telling
3. Visuals, creativity
4. CPs!
5. Casting
6. Characters. There are several characters switch between good and evil & the actors pulled it off!
7. Satisfying Ending. No botched up ending with quick killing of the entire cast. No ending ending. No Rushed Ending.

LOVE LOVE LOVE I shall rewatch whenever there's a C-drama dry spell. (This year was a long dry spell)

Leia Mais

When karma slaps back.

Blossom (九重紫) stands out in a year where too many highly anticipated period costume dramas implode and self destruct pass the mid-point. This is short drama director Zheng Jingjie's debut long form drama where he once again compels with his brand of immersive storytelling. This drama avoids naming the dynasty as the narrative takes liberties with history and is quite critical of the emperor but it should be loosely set in mid-Ming dynasty, during the reign of the Chenghua emperor. The rebirth premise is straightforward and the business and palace conspiracy plot arcs while often done, are transformed by innovative takes on tired themes, a masterful build up in tension, suspense and relief and brisk pacing overall. There is nothing really that special about the plot or the acting, it is once again mostly about this director's captivating camera language and narrative panache that turned multiple low budget short dramas into memorable mini hits that punch above their production values. His foray into long form dramas should hopefully shake up the complacent and lazy storytelling characteristic of the well established long form directors.

Dou Zhao is the capable, long suffering wife of Wei Tingyu, the profligate Marquis of Jining. She chooses the cold and snowy night that vengeful butcher general Song Mo helps Prince Qing depose the crown prince and seize the throne, to dump her husband's sloppy ass. As she flees the capital, she is rescued by an injured Song Mo and they take refuge at the temple of a mysterious monk Yuantong. Cornered and betrayed, they fall into an abyss through time and space, inextricably bound through Yuantong's cryptic book of divination. Dou Zhao wakes up as if from a dream, as a young girl again, clutching the prophetic book like a lifeline. She is immediately thrust into one of the turning points in her life, where she painfully learns that forewarned is not necessarily forearmed. Nonetheless, she determinedly sets out to get it right this time around; to make herself financially independent and to avoid her past disastrous marriage. One of the story's strengths is that when karma slaps back, jeopardy is at play and Dou Zhao's book of riddles is far from a roadmap of the future. As the ripple effects of the changes she makes snowball, her world increasingly deviates from the past and the path ahead is murky and no less treacherous.

As for Song Mo, he has the hero halo and is the total package as far as physical appearances go but that is about it. As it turns out, his impressive muscles extend all the way up between his ears. This is an all bravado, all heart, kind of character that allows his rage and impulses to dictate his actions. As Ji Yong mockingly points out over and over again, he is a mantis with little insight or awareness even of who is moving the chess pieces around him and is easily manipulated into being someone else's pawn. His reckless, selfish and misguided quest for justice for one person, puts the wrong person on the throne and upsets the order of the universe, resulting in injustice for many people. So much so that 閻王/Yanwang the King of Hell himself must have rejected him and sent him back for a reboot. He does not get smarter, he is simply Dou Zhao's pawn the second time around and not the chess player. She is the inner voice of caution he does not possess that saves him time and again from his worst instincts. Dou Zhao's mature styling gives her gravitas as a business woman but it also makes her look visibly older than Song Mo. Leaving a few grey streaks in his hair may have negated this impression somewhat. Needless to say, even though I enjoyed the plot, I am lukewarm about this kind of CP and was not bowled over by their romance or chemistry. In fact, I find Dou Zhao has better chemistry with Ji Yong, who is her intellectual equal and her soul mate and confidante. But yeah, I get it, I'd probably also pick the hot general over the chess grandmaster. Being shallow is so much more fun!

The cast in this drama are all up and coming actors whose acting skills are still works in progress. Nonetheless, this director is accustomed to working with C-grade actors and adroitly papers over all their flaws with his brilliant visual narrative style. The best decision this production made was to invest in good voice actors that were able to give definition to all the roles that mattered. This is a case study for how in some cases, it is better not to rely on original voice. While I always like the storytelling approach of making certain supporting roles main characters of their own arcs, this was hit or miss in terms of execution. I enjoyed Wei Tingyu and Dou Ming's sub-plot best, but both characters did not get an ending they deserved. This was so that a tropey villain like Wei Xingyue got her own super unoriginal and overly melodramatic arc. It was a race to the bottom with the completely ridiculous and boring Song Han and Miao Ansu arc, which highlights the two most atrociously bad actors in the cast. There are more interesting character stories played by more charismatic actors including Chen Jia and Zhao Zhangru, Gu Yu and Wu Shan that they could be better explored. I really enjoyed Gu Yu and hope to see more of this very humorous and charming young actor Fu Weilun. Unlike Dou Zhao who has Ji Yong, Song Mo doesn't have a really good sidekick and Gu Yu could have been better utilised in this capacity. While there is no shortage of petty and not so original villain archetypes, this story lacks a really good villain with a compelling motive. The only ones that had real mastermind potential got whitewashed in the finale to deliver one twist too many.

Despite a few arcs that could have been better, a few missed opportunities, some sloppy logic and messy edits, the story finishes strongly at the plot climax and ends in a satisfying way. It is a very solid production that made the best of its limited resources. It got noticed and won well deserved praises not only because it is truly quite good but because so many other dramas with superior resources ended up bombing out so badly in 2024. As someone who was long ago bored with the romance genre, I enjoyed this enough to rate it 8.5/10.0

Leia Mais

A rare drama that starts and finishes strong, led by a smart power couple

“Blossom” is actually not on my radar until everyone starts raving about it as the last black horse of 2024. Therefore, I joined the hype as I heard it has the recipe for success: Good Plot + Good Romance. So, is it worth the hype? Mostly, yes. I might not be as in love with it as many others. Surprisingly, the romance is the minor let down.

Despite its boring and cookie-cutter drama title, “Blossom” is a pretty well-acted and well-written mid-budget drama. It doesn’t feature top idol actors or big name actors. Instead, two supporting role veterans, Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui, are given the spotlight. I’m happy to say that they did not disappoint when given the opportunity. I just finished watching Li Yun Rui in his other main role in “Go Back Lover”, and I’m glad he’s given a much better script here (just sad that he's dubbed).

I enjoyed Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui’s scenes together in the first half of the drama (before their marriage). The drama started with a bang with exciting introductions of characters and a first episode that sucks you in. I enjoyed the first 10 episodes tremendously. Our main leads grew up to be upstanding individuals even though they had a rough and tragic childhood. They go from enemies-to-comrades-to-lovers in an organic and well-developed way. I enjoy how they try to outsmart each other and also work together.

Even though I do enjoy the mature romance, I was expecting more. It’s either because I had high expectations or I’m just not feeling the sizzling chemistry. Oh, I love the loving and longing looks ML has for FL. Li Yun Rui never disappoints in that regard. It’s just I was expecting sizzling hot chemistry. Instead, I was given a more mature, slow-burn and feeling of ‘content’, not enough cute scenes. All of this is good too, just not what i expected, thus, a minor disappointment. But our leads are the dream power couple. When they are together, no one is smarter than them. In fact, they can be viewed as too perfectly intelligent that you know nothing will go wrong, and they always have a plan B or plan C.

The pace of the middle episodes is a little slower after the initial excitement. This could be a breather or calm before the political storm. The family drama is nothing new and you’ve seen that in so many other historical dramas. I feel that the marriage subplots of who is going to marry who lasted too long. I got a little bored, especially when FL’s sister isn’t such an interesting character.

What comes as a personal surprise is how much I enjoy the political plot in the last 10 episodes. Because we saw what happened in the first episode, it kept me guessing what was going to happen in the end. Will the fate of all individuals be different? Is history going to repeat itself? How are the leads going to survive despite being the top enemies of everyone? I also get to see Ji Yong (Xia Zhi Guang) more in the latter episodes. He’s so mysterious and charismatic. Xia Zhi Guang has such screen presence and great subtle acting that I didn’t know I would miss him on my screen until he shows up again. I was also happy to see that ML’s brother is more than a one-dimensional character and like some of his conflicted scenes.

I would recommend “Blossom” as it’s a pretty well-rounded drama, and a rare one that starts and finishes strong. The acting is good, especially for the veteran supporting cast. There are some minor plotholes that I have to ignore with my rational brain, but not serious enough for me to call them out as a disappointment. I might be just a tad disappointed in the romance of the leads (surprisingly), but I still enjoy watching a mature, supportive, power couple with honest communication and no misunderstanding.


Completed: 12/24/2024 - Review #529

Leia Mais

IM GONNA BE VERY HONEST

General Setting: Happy Ending, low romance, high on politics

If you are looking for good execution, directing or romance then this is not for you. To be honest, the clips of the leads I saw on twitter made me excited to watch this. However, when I saw the actual scenes it was so disappointing. The first half of the drama is good although the pacing is messy and there are many mini plots which they try to end quickly. But still its interesting and you feel like watching more. Around eps 20 onwards it started going downhill with poor build-up and really bad introduction of plots. One main example is the story of song han. Just by watching the drama I could tell how much they had to cut out because really the progression was bad for his arc. One minute he is following songmo like a loyal brother 2 eps later suddenly he wants to kill songmo and has all the ambitions he never had. This is just one example.

The entire drama started with a time slip. This time slip was mentioned like maybe 2 times(?) in the entire drama. But i can understand cause the minute she stopped Songmo from his rebelling plans she couldn't really predict what happens anymore. BUT at least she should have like explained it to Songmo (she tried for like 5mins on their wedding night). So the entire "time travel" plot was dropped.

Romance....I didnt feel the chemistry at all....the chemistry the two had in ep 1 practically carried the whole show cause once they got married it felt like i was watching a 50year old married couple instead of a newly married couple. Honestly i blame this on the execution cause their kiss scenes were shot so bad all the random camera angles and cut scenes...their tension was much stronger when they weren't together lol .

I'm honestly not sure why people are rating this so high and claiming it to be the drama of the year...its really not..its a very normal drama i feel. First half good second half bad. The villains are mediocre only appear at the end, the battle was so underwhelming (they tried to make it emotional but...). Jiyong the character i thought will be her advisor and guardian for the time travel plot was a character with no role and just acted all mighty.

Overall, had expectations for the drama but was let down. Acting was subpar as well so probably will not rewatch this...

Leia Mais

A Must-Watch Drama That Redefines C-Drama Storytelling

As a fan of this director’s mini-dramas and familiar with the leads, I had this show vaguely on my radar, but wow—what a ride! This drama breaks away from tradition and delivers everything I’ve ever wished for in a C-drama. From the exquisite directing to the engaging characters, it’s a masterpiece through and through.

Directing and Cinematography:
The directing is stunning, with shots crafted with clear intention. There’s an artistry in how unspoken emotions are conveyed visually, creating a narrative that feels almost poetic. Every frame tells a story, and the attention to detail elevates the entire viewing experience, no additional voice narrating is necessary.

The Plot:
We start with a bold twist—our leads are at the end of their lives, poisoned and let down by the world. They connect on a profound, kindred level, only to die together. And then, just when you think it’s over, the story rewinds. The female lead wakes up in her childhood body, armed with memories of her past life. This familiar premise is brought to life in a refreshing way.
From the very first episode, you’re hooked. Unlike many dramas that rush through backstory in a few minutes, this one dedicates almost an entire episode to immersing us in the leads’ tragic past. By the time their deaths hit, you’re already emotionally invested. This makes their “redo” all the more meaningful—you want them to rewrite their fates.

The Characters:
-The Male Lead: He’s a brilliantly written character— just irresistible. Unlike the FL he did not keep his memories from his past life. A badass fighter unafraid to make difficult choices, he’s captivating from start to finish. Watching him fall in love with the FL and become a devoted husband was pure joy.
-The Female Lead: She’s smart, strategic, and compassionate—a true standout. It’s no wonder the ML (and others) are drawn to her. She is a badass queen!
Their chemistry is electric, and their relationship is everything I’ve ever wanted in a drama. They get married out of love (not duty!) in the middle of the series, and their relationship is free of miscommunication or unnecessary drama. They’re a true power couple and absolute #CoupleGoals.
-Ji Yong (3rd Favorite Character): A complex and fascinating character, Ji Yong is cunning, intelligent, and emotionally detached—but not evil. His ambition is understandable, and despite (appearing) to be on the opposite side of our leads, he’s impossible for me to hate. Knowing he gets a second chance also with his memories intact makes his journey even more compelling. Also, when his true intentions were revealed it made him the most interesting character in the show for me.

Palace Politics and Villains:
Though I’m not usually a fan of palace politics, the intrigue here kept me hooked. The villains are as twisted as they come, showcasing the theme, “No one can mess up your life like your family.” It’s painfully relatable and well-executed. Also, the showdown in ep.31 in the court kept me at the edge of my seat. And the finale is everything I expected it to be.

The Beautiful Happy Ending:
What truly cemented this drama as a favourite was the beautiful and uplifting ending. Despite the bleakness of their situation and the overwhelming odds against them, our leads stand together against the world, showing how love can transcend hate and bring light even in the darkest times. Their unwavering commitment to each other and their shared goal of a better future made the finale deeply satisfying. It’s rare to see such an authentic portrayal of love’s power, and it left me with a sense of hope and joy that I’ll carry with me for a long time.

Final Thoughts:
This drama came out of nowhere and completely swept me off my feet. The beautifully crafted story, unforgettable characters, and emotionally resonant themes make it my favorite drama of 2024. If you’re looking for a C-drama that delivers heart, depth, and an unforgettable journey, this is it.

Leia Mais

Justice is served

When you play a game of cards, the result is never 100% guaranteed. It can be predicted based on the moves the players make but it is never really absolute. It can change in the blink of an eye. One is expecting something and at the very last minute, the perceived unexpected happens and why? To show that a person’s life path can be challenging and though? If one climbs a mountain, through treacherous terrain, temperamental weather and conquering altitude sickness hoping to enjoy a spectacular view at the top and instead of a wonderful happy scenario see a cemetery, what is the point in climbing it in the first place?

It’s almost as if the production teams have felt the need to silently motivate the audience to keep going, keep watching the drama, building up the expectations that it would be worth it, fans would like it, and then delivering them tomb stones.

Blossom’s production team, fortunately delivered their unspoken promise that the view from the top of the mountain would be incredible. It was more than that, it was absolute perfection as the ending seemed crafted in the stars. Song Mo and Dou Zhao would truly be able to live happily together after going through the pits of hell with one another and for one another.

The deliverance of their wedding fairly early in the drama has allowed viewers to experience their marriage life for a significant number of episodes, something the majority of dramas tend to neglect in favour of unnecessary fill-ups that devalue the quality of the visual storyline and annoy viewers. Story quality over number of episodes worked extremely well as the 34 episodes perhaps minus one or two that could be condensed in the later stages of the drama were just right to tell a good story from beginning to end without dragging it to 40 episodes with boring material that would add nothing to the plot.

The story’s introduction was an epic masterpiece with Song Mo in a lengthy white/greyish hair, saving Dou Zhou and an orphan child from harm. His softness, empathy and kindness were as riveting as the fated arrow that later pierced through them, binding their life stories together. It was so unexpected and mind-blowing that made one thirsty for more and throughout its run, it did not disappoint overall. As they are pierced by the arrow, they fall through a large mirror, they travel back in time, waking up when they were children to start their lives again.

Song Mo is a strong man, a powerfully humble, righteous male lead with an unquestionable sense of justice and loyalty that has been betrayed by a number of people, particularly by his father, a duke who despised him in favour of his younger brother, an illegitimate love child whom he wanted to be his legal heir. To achieve that, he had no qualms in hurting Song Mo as much as he could, parading his public disdain for the son that took a beating for him in front of the army. But the father as wicked as he might have been was a known enemy. Song Han, the apparently soft studious brother, however, plotted Song Mo’s destruction without openly going against him. As it is often said, the worse kind of enemy is the one that is not seen and often the most dangerous one is a family member. The most intriguing characteristic of Song Mo is how, in spite of everything that he has endured from his father and paternal relatives his heart has remained pure and his honour has remained intact, shown by his commitment to justice and his determination to uncover the mastermind of his maternal uncle demise.

Dou Zhao is a phenomenal strategist who, contrary to Song Mo remembers everything from her previous life, working tirelessly to correct the mistakes that had been previously done and that have led to their demise. In the present, with the red line of fate intertwined with Song Mo’s, they embark on a journey of mutual assistance, trust and love that transforms them in allies and converts them into a loving husband and wife, together against the world, literally transcended time and space. Through her decisive actions Dou Zhao is able to achieve her goals and preventing her past from repeating itself. Despite not being able to prevent her mother’s death or her best friend from becoming her step-mother, Dou Zhao is able to move in with her grandmother, to grow up in peace, establishing profitable business ventures which gave her financial independence. She was also able to choose whom she married, accepting Song Mo marriage proposal and becoming his wife, instead of marrying Wei Ting Yu as she had in her past life and being poisoned by him and her sister due to their love for one another.

Blossom is full of twists and turns with various demises as the story progresses including Dou Zhao’s sister Dou Ming and Wei Ting Yu who not also marry one another in the present but also end up dying tragically and her step-mother who ends up living life paying for her sins, amongst other characters like Song Mo’s father, to mention a few.

It almost seems like whenever a supporting character’s arch has finished its purpose in the story, the person dies. Thus death serves both as an ending, often tragic and as a beginning to another uncovered plot, going on and on until the very end with existing personas i.e. Ansu, Dou Zhou’s childhood friend who is granted the title of princess by the emperor and a marriage with Song Han. She appears early in the story, then goes on with her life for a number of episodes without being seen on screen until the moment when she takes centre stage, second only to the male leads to propel the storyline forward as Dou Zhou’s sister-in-law, albeit higher-ranked. In her love for Song Mo, she stands by him, ignoring his distorted mind and sordid nature. A man who had no qualms in hurting another for the simple purpose of proving his physical superiority had a black heart and a corrupted soul, a consequence of his inferiority complex towards Song Mo. In the end, Ansu serves justice by ending her husband’s life, showing that there is love but at the other end of the spectrum there is hate and their combo is both fire and ice.

Yuan Tong / Ji Yong was an interesting character. In the first life he was a monk, in the second, a game-changer strategic healer mastermind that strived for power to implement the changes in the empire that he believed to be needed, and aimed for Song Mo’s death to be with Dou Zhao, whom he admired and loved to the ends of the earth, whom he saw as an equal, as the perfect match for him. Yuan Tong was kind and light. In contrast, Ji Yong was kind, conniving and grey. The first one wanted peace, and aimed for good; the second wanted peace and aimed for war, due to the perception that revolution was necessary and it could only be obtained by force. In the end he got what he wanted career wise, becoming the chief grand secretary of the new dynasty but he did not get love which has never been his primary focus anyway.

Overall, Blossom was a breath of fresh air without the recycled plotlines.

The leads did not meet up, fell in love, broke up and got back together at the very end or close enough to it as per usual troupe. They met, they became allies, they fell in love, got married, went through hell together, stayed lovingly together and had a daughter whom they saw grow up. There was no love-triangle at all as both Song Mo and Dou Zhao only had eyes for each other and they did not want to be with anyone else, nor did they tolerate any interference in their relationship. Kudos to them for remaining unfazed by whatever life threw at them, for supporting one another, for caring for one another and for portraying what a strong, solid, loving relationship ought to be like and for the happy end-game.

Ji Yong, while mentally in-love with Dou Zhao was more concerned with his professional goals than in actively pursuing her like many second male leads, but wait, the character could not be really considered one in the first place. Ji Yong was more like a chess player, where people like Prince Qing and Song Han were his pawns and like disposable pawns, they ended up paying the price for their misdeeds and justice was served, proving that, despite having the resources to achieve what they wanted to accomplish, those matter nothing in a battle between darkness and light, wrong and right, war and peace, hate and love.

In the end love should win and karma should be served. That is what happened here. Love won and karma was served without the possibility of redemption but then love and redemption is another story.

Leia Mais

Pure Love That Prevails Through Ill-Fated Destiny

"Blossom" is a drama that tells a story about a woman who was given a chance to rewrite her story and meet her true love whom she was truly destined to be with. The main highlight of this drama is purely the destined lovers trope, but it is not merely a sole journey of joy as the main protagonist are constantly challenged with no ordinary life struggles but rather very vile antagonists who are deeply rooted by greed, power and hatred ; it is where even blood related kins turn against one another.

Dou Zhao is a very clever and well-written female lead character whom I thought shined the most throughout this drama for how she has constantly been seen showcasing various abilities with the use of her wisdom, cleverness and strategic planning to counter every hardship she faces. She eventually became the golden key that unlocks and brings light towards the male lead's character life ; Song Mo who initially was consumed by hatred and deep rooted revenge which led to the massive killing spree and unfortunate demise of both their lives previously. In their current life, these two main protagonist gradually learn to work hand-in-hand, taking every step to turn against the tide no matter how dire their situation often seemed to be, they soothed and healed each others wounds, they developed a tacit-understanding and a reliability towards each other. Instead of Song Mo solely standing on his own two feet, he was guided to a righteous path as he learns about love and acceptance.

What I had loved about this drama is the wonderful portrayal of deep rooted love that wins against all. The love between Dou Zhao and Song Mo is moving and palpable. The cinematographic visuality of this drama is a classic beauty, pleasing to the eyes with splendidly done lighting. Moreover, I was very glad to have been given a treat as there were quite a number of scenes between the main protagonists' moments that clearly stood out because of how romantically it was executed, the mask scene during their first meeting, the night at the boat, the wedding, and the portrayed longing towards the end of the drama were all scenes that came out of a fairytale book.

The drama had its own disadvantages which made me unsatisfied. The redemption arc of some of the evil characters. To be more specific, Wei Ting Yu still met a happy end as he got to reunite with Dou Ming in the afterlife which I wasn't pleased about as his character wasn't deserving of such, he barely suffered compared to what Dou Ming had went through which is far worst. Wei Ting Zhen was forgotten in the background, she was still seen barely punished for her wrongful acts. The sudden evilness of Song Han's character felt inconsistent as there was no absolute ground in the storyline which layed foundation for such build up, and the shift of focus towards his character and Miao Ansu was uncalled for as they weren't even the main antagonist ; they seemed more of a filler episode. Lastly, there were noticeable rough edits and cuts for certain scenes.

Overall, this drama has been a wonderful watch despite having flaws. I was torn between rating it an 8.5 or 9.0, but I decided to still go with the latter as the pros outweigh the cons for me. There were so many unlikable characters in this drama but I appreciate and praise all the actors and crew for creating "Blossom". I am looking forward to more of Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui's growth as actors. Also looking forward to the directors upcoming projects.

I highly recommend this drama if you are into the destined-lovers trope and rebirth story.

Leia Mais

An engaging drama about changing one’s fate, discovery, and growth

When "Blossom" premiered in WeTV a few weeks ago, it was not in my list of anticipated dramas. But when a friend recommended it, I decided to give it a try after finishing another series, and I'm so glad I did!

"Blossom" (九重紫) is a story about second chances - a chance to do life over, a chance to avoid the same kind of fate, and a chance to live a better and more meaningful life. When Dou Zhao woke up as a young girl with a wound on her forehead, she vividly remembered her “dream”, which was actually her past life. Armed with this foreknowledge and the prophetic book (昭世録), it gave her the opportunity to change some things in her present life, which had a ripple effect, thus changing the course of something bigger than her own struggles.

This is a historical drama with all the major ingredients that I'm looking for, and done in such a way that they fall into place smoothly and cohesively - engaging storyline with twists and turns, swoon-worthy romance, diverse and interesting characters, great fight scenes and political strategizing. I went into this without reading much about the story except for the summary. The first episode got me intrigued, setting the stage for the story to unfold. The pacing is good and the story build-up is well done. Each episode builds on the previous one, revealing the plot more and stirring excitement on what’s to come. The political intrigue and strategizing are key parts of the story and they progress at the right pace, with surprises even until the last episode. Then there are the well-executed fight scenes, the great visuals and cinematography, and the original soundtrack that fit the drama’s themes and moods. Also, I like the production team’s approach in starting each episode with a scene (or two) before the opening credits and showing a quick preview of the next episode before the ending credits.

That said, there are some parts in the drama that I think could have been shortened (mainly related to the stepmother) and a subplot that could have been expounded further, but in the grand scheme of things, these are not big issues for me.

Now on to the cast of characters. Meng Zi Yi’s portrayal of Dou Zhao / Shou Gu is spot-on. She was able to show Dou Zhao as a smart, charming, decisive, and business-savvy woman who refused to be bound by the traditions of the time. Dou Zhao is loyal to the people she loves and cares for. She was able change some things in her present life, and in the process, she discovered that some people (e.g., Dou Ming, Chen Jia) did not turn out the way she expected them to, which is a part of the ripple effect.

I have seen Li Yun Rui in “Love Like the Galaxy” as Yuan Shen, who is one of my least liked characters in that drama. But here in “Blossom”, I very much like his character, Song Mo / Yan Tang, and his portrayal; he truly shines and he fits the role. He was able to show Song Mo’s struggles, angst, joy, and victories. His devotion and love for his uncle (Duke of Ding) and Dou Zhao are admirable. On a lighter note, the loose white/gray hair suits him! I read in an article in Sohu that he turned down a supporting role in Yang Zi’s drama “Flourished Peony” to star as Song Mo in “Blossom”. That's a wise decision and a good move for him 👍!

As for the main couple’s romance, I love the relationship between Dou Zhao and Song Mo. As both characters grow and develop, their relationship dynamics follow. Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui have amazing chemistry. I look forward to their interactions right from the start. The scene in the theater where they first met as adults, with their masks on, was played out so well. For me, their romance got even better after they were married ♥️.

The supporting cast did very well too. I will mention some here:
• Ji Yong (Xia Zhi Guang) is an ambitious, confident, shrewd, and smart aleck type of a character. Dou Zhao, his best friend since childhood, is one of the few people he cares about.
• Alina Zhang is convincing as Wang Ying Xue. She is very much an infuriating character as well as a pathetic one.
• Chen Jia (Zhu Jun Lin) is another interesting character. He may not have many scenes, but his role is a crucial one. I like that they pair him with Zhao Zhang Ru (Liu Mei Tong), Dou Zhao’s cousin.
• Li Xin Ze is believable as Wei Ting Yu. He is not an evil person but a man without much backbone, unable to step up to his role as husband and Marquis.
• Snow Kong as Miao An Su and Yan An as Song Han have their fair share of pivotal moments, especially in the last one-third of the story.
• Other notable performances: Wang Jiu Sheng as Song Yi Chun, who has been added to my list of the worst parents in drama land; Tan Kai as the Emperor, who, despite being at the top, has his helpless moments in the face of the powerful forces in the kingdom; and Zhang Cheng He as Jiang Mei Sun (Duke of Ding), whose impact and influence extend greatly to those around him.

And last but not the least, the ending is great! I love how they wrap up the story. Most of the characters got what they deserved, and they gave us a convincingly happy ending.

Final Verdict ⭐: This is a great Chinese historical drama to end my 2024, and I highly recommend it!

Leia Mais

I'M GLAD I FOUND THIS GEM

I started watching this without any expectations, just out of curiosity and interest after seeing the trailer but this drama has truly captivated me and made me addicted to watching every episode.

This drama has a GREAT STORYLINE, BEAUTIFUL CINEMATOGRAPHY, the calmness and elegant storytelling, soft color grading, aesthetically pleasing camera angles, good choice of music, and even the strength of each character is very satisfying. What stands out the most is the smart female character who doesn't just wait to be protected by the male lead but can also protect him in return, a truly well-written character.

The male lead is absolutely captivating. The expressions he shows make you both want to protect him and be protected by him at the same time. And the couple in this drama is so adorable, their chemistry is sizzling! His jealousy and His wide smile when he's proud of Dou Zhou is damn cute, He not only respects her choice but even expands her capacity to choose, He is the greenest green frorest. They’ve already given me butterflies, their relationship before and after fujin furen era. And I can't wait to see what actions they'll take to solve the problems in the future.

The story gets crazier and crazier, with a plot that keeps getting better and not a single scene wasted. The way the director showcases each character's development is excellent. DZ's coolness when she's angry is truly mesmerizing; her brilliance in handling problems never disappointed.

Surprisingly, this drama was directed by someone who usually works on mini-dramas, and this is his first full-length series. Hopefully, none of the characters will experience a downgrade. Please continue to develop their characters even further, making them grow stronger and more compelling as the story progresses and hope the drama will continue to maintain this excellent editing quality too.

Leia Mais

Intelligence & Amazing Chemistry Worthy of 2 Lifetimes

Picked this up for both leads though only follow MZY (I’ve loved her acting since CQL) and the plot. Originally this was supposed to be LYR's first ML role but his modern drama aired first and he did really well in both. I didn't know this was a rebirth type of deal but they actually just turned it into a dream which was a nice departure from the usual transmigration storyline. The leads intelligence & amazing chemistry was really worthy of both.

Pros: Let's clap for the finally promised and attained HE! The storyline was always moving along. There was never any dragging. I loved how smart both leads were and their intelligence made them into the ultimate power couple. I like how the first life was handled in the first episode and it was a called a dream by the FL as only she and SML remembered it. I also really love the fact that though this was only 34 episodes, it felt like a lifetime literally since the first episode. And also that in life number two, she went back to being a child as opposed to the usual first life adult, second life adult. How she followed the book at first and then just went with gut instinct. DZ and SM were destined in every life and their chemistry was palpable and it was like they could finish each other's thoughts.

Learning how to kiss from the director and his wife BTS was hysterical and they actually mentioned in an interview that they watched something like 800 videos on kissing. I always found it funny when human beings nearly in their 30s had no idea how to make out and directors had to even explain that portion. Some people may think that MZY was expressionless but I disagree; she showed contemplation, happiness, anger, fear, exhaustion, embarrassment, surprise though many a time the expressions were on a smaller scale, I think that is better than over dramatic in a drama like this. LYR was fierce and at the same time protective and loving as SM. Made all of us want an SM in our lives. The small things they did for each other to protect each other meant a lot especially when they were taking down the antagonists big or small.

I was very glad JY (SML) was playing double agent and not really turned into a traitor in life number two. I think his job was the hardest having to do all that while all of these chess pieces moved around. He knew how things were going to go from life number one but still unexpected things were going to happen and he had to be ready for them. Him unexpectedly falling for DZ when he never had any feelings before was a bit of a hindrance. I loved the side characters like the twin maids and twin guards though sadly we lost one, GY was hysterical and I loved how he took care of SM though wish we saw more of him, all her bookstore intel gatherers, General Yan, Mr. Chen, his uncle Meisun (his death was the catalyst in both lives; though with different outcomes, still painful), CJ and JR made for a cute couple. Grandma rocked and I love grandma's like that in series. Crown Princess and CP's wife. DZ's dad took a little time to thaw but finally he got it right, her half sister also in the second life was good though tragic, Ansu was nice though love dumbed her down, she eventually did the right thing when she came to her senses of marrying a monster. I liked how the emperor was grey but ultimately made the right decisions as did the CP.

There were a lot of antagonists in this one from her step monster and shitty fifth uncle, to his father and brother, LQ, that horrid eunuch who killed them in the first life, and of course the mastermind being the empress. They were all about power and it didn't matter who they harmed to get it, even each other. LQ, eunuch, and empress were the best antagonists as was his father. Everyone else will be spoken about in the cons.

The emperor choosing to save SM from the hate poison instead of using it on himself was probably one of the best decisions he made the entire show. Also, it was funny how once peace was achieved and the 5 year time jump happened, the leads had a daughter but complained that raising a child was harder than doing business or fighting on the battlefield lol! The comedy though not often in this show, came through when necessary. Little girl had both of her parents courage and intelligence and they were suffering for it. Thankfully, when she was old enough to start school, they sent her off to her great grandmother and grandfather and ran off to travel and just have alone time as well as probably work on baby number 2 😉. There is a small funny scene with her after the ending credits of the last episode that you should watch. Brings the word fate into the forefront again.

Costumes, sets, OSTs, and some of the fight scenes (especially in episode one) were on point.

Cons: Not a lot of these but they were here. Starting with the antagonists that I didn't like; the step monster was an annoying pawn that I had to use the ffw button on and really was the only time I did that in the whole show. She was desperate and horrible. Her actions (coupled with those of the other villains) caused her own daughter's death. But still they didn't off her. That said 5th uncle was even more rotten but his death was a copout. After everything he had done to DZ and others, even though he "went out on his own terms after clearing the rest of the D family of any possible retaliation", it just seemed too light for him. Death by arrows while protecting the woman who recommended him to the emperor in the first place was just eh to me.

SH, the psychopath that supposedly only turned into that after he lost his status; I don't believe it. They shoved his emerging psychopathy into like two episodes and the way he treated Ansu before and after he married her and even before when his "mom" was alive was questionable. You could tell there was something wrong with him from the get go and it should have been more properly fleshed out. But his death at the hands of Ansu was very appropriate though I wish she had told him she knew he killed her brother.

That last fight scene in the palace; yes I know the guards had limited bullets as I was explained the history, but why didn't the main palace guards use those crossbows then like the other army soldiers running into the palace as they fired multiple rounds and reloaded or even regular bows and arrows are a lot faster than swords. It sure as hell beats just standing there. That entire scene was just thrown off for me. Help the Ding Army out! Don't just stand there watching them die until reinforcements rush in. It was off. The fight scenes could have been a bit better towards the end. Felt the last few episodes were definitely rushed, could have slowed that down a bit with more fleshing out earlier on.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! The storyline moved along very well and it was the second chance, don't accept fate, and love with all of your heart show that you just want to hang onto. Great characters and actors; one of the better dramas of 2024.

Leia Mais