The Long Ballad (2021)

It’s ok but no exciting surprises or interesting twists.

Some of us must have known the story and character of Li Changge. So, it’s interesting to see how it would be portrayed and visually performed; and how everything would be wrapped up in this drama series. Although I am not a big fan of the choice of Wu Lei as male lead with his flat acting and to be honest Dilraba could have been better Li Changge with more expressive acting. But overall I could manage that since Zhao Lusi has been doing fantastic job to bring up her character slowly but surely. At first, things actually were so good until episode 27, story moved in good pace keeping us interestingly watching . However, starting from episode 28, story was somehow dragging and becoming boring in which many unnecessary scenes. Some casts are only good looking but they were rather annoying to watch. I almost dropped this on episode 30, but I kept carry on watching as curious about how it would end and hoping I could finish it and preserve the good rating. Overall, It’s ok but definitely not the best serious historical drama as many praised , no clever twist to make it interestingly different and more captivating apart of the popularity of Dilraba and Zhao Lusi perhaps the one that are drawn us to watch.

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The best drama of 2021!

I love a coming of age character that isn't focused on a ML's storyline as the main driving force. Reba is amazing in this. I haven't watched a lot of her dramas- I can only recall Legend of Qin (the prequel) with Zhang Bin Bin. She was pretty good in it. As CG, it's really outstanding performance. Leo Wu blew me away literally in the first episode. It shows with the right script and a dedicated actor, you can really shine. Leo has been typecast into more adolescent/youth roles (he is still quite young). I'm sure he loved a script that added 10 years to his actual age and demonstrate a level of pure maturity. I just love everything he does in portraying Ashina Sun down to the very little eye moments. The OSTs and the instrumental soundtrack is superb. Effort put in can be seen even with a limited budget. The heart and soul poured out of the director is in every scene. I haven't been this addicted to a drama since The Untamed and this one is arguably one of the best in the last couple years.

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It's decent to me.

I read a bit of the manhua when I was way younger and was interested in how this would turn out.

I watched a lot of Dilraba historical dramas so I was curious on how this would turn out.

I honestly think she isn't the best actress out there, but I somehow always end up watching her stuff.

I think the cast is very physically attractive.

I really enjoy the opening theme song, it's stuck in my head often, when a song from a show is stuck in my head, that's when I know I really like it or it's very catchy.

I felt like this drama is decent. It wasn't bad but it wasn't that good.

I feel like the main character, Li Chang Ge seems to lack a lot of depth.

I am mainly blown away by the character, Ashile She Er. I think him and Le Yan have the most impressive character growth in the drama. The fact that they self reflected a lot on their behaviors to become better people really touched me deeply. Ashile She Er made me tear up when he thought deeply into his morals and actions to be fair to Ashile Sun really touched my heart. I get really touched by people who acknowledge and work on personal growth.

I 'd recommend this to people who enjoy women empowerment.

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One of the Best Dramas I've Ever Watched

A quick note; this is meant to be a political drama, not romance. If you are watching because you are a fan of the manhua, be prepared; they are completely different aside from names and some events. Please watch with caution as to not ruin any expectations you may have.

STORY

The heart of the story is Li Chang Ge, a young princess of the Tang Dynasty whose entire life is snatched out from under her when her parents are murdered by her Uncle and she's branded a traitor. She vows revenge no matter the cost. Her quest for revenge leads her to meet new people, mainly A'Sun, leader of the Eagle Division on the Ashile Tribe, Tang's enemy. While a subtle romance does pick up between the two, Chang Ge goes through continuos loss and she begins to reevaluate what she truly wants. She puts aside her quest for revenge and decided that she wants to end the bloodshed between Tang and the Ashile Tribe and bring peace to both lands.

CAHARCTERS

Li Chang Ge: She's stubborn, headstrong, and headfirst. While she has no shortage of bravery, she makes many mistakes along the way as well. It isn't until she retreats into the temple to atone for her mistakes, we see her growth. While Chang Ge may be a brilliant military strategist, she didn't value the lives of the soldiers. They were just a part of her plan to create alliances to one day get her revenge. Her actions had led (direct and non direct) to the deaths of people she had begun to love as a new family. At the temple as she sat in front of the "Non-Interference" sign, you could see her struggling and remorseful at what she had done. Her character development is really refreshing to see because she realizes that she was wrong, she did make mistakes, and that she needed to change-even if it meant to put away her revenge. It's rare to see main characters change in such a way.

A'Sun: He may have been as close to a perfect character as you could get. There wasn't much development on his part since as a leader he knows what its like to shoulder responsibilities and be in charge of the lives of others. He's a wonderful support to Chang Ge, he regretted blaming the death of his foster mother on her and stepped down as leader of the Eagle Division just to go looking for her when they all thought she went missing.

LeYan: Chang Ge's cousin; this soft princess goes through one of the biggest character developments in the drama. She's naive in the beginning, knows nothing about the people. She gets lost, travels with beggars, and had to fight for food. Without no one knowing she was a princess, she had to work hard to make her own money. She dotes on a younger boy and is devastated when he dies, especially when she realizes his biggest wish was to eat rice. These hardships help her to understand what her subjects are going through and make her a better princess for them.

Hao Du: Like Leyan, this cold assassin goes the through probably *the* biggest change in the drama. He only knows how to follow orders and does whatever it takes to get it done. He was tasked to catch and kill Chang Ge and for over 20 episodes thats what he does. The unlikely romance that develops between him and Leyan is shattered when he uses Leyan as a hostage to yet again devise a way to catch Chang Ge. The tongue lashing that she gives him was truly spectacular to see. With tears in his eyes, you can see him being to question, if what he's doing is right. He becomes Leyan's biggest supporter, putting her happiness above his own, even if it meant giving her away to someone else even though he loves her. He risks his life to fight for her freedom. It's the best example of the "Sunshine x Cold" and "cold character only soft for one person" trope at its best.

There are other character that have development, whether for better or worse such as She'er, Du Ruihui, Yi Cheng, Mimi, and Shuyu, but it would take too long to discuss all of it. The main thing is that, all of the characters go through a transformation and it's visible on screen.

COSTUME

One thing only: A'SUN'S FUR ARMOR OUTFIT.

VISUALS/CINEMATOGRAPHY

The battle scenes in the drama are some of the best I’ve seen. I was so excited to see it and was constantly blown away by how well it was done. I would love for the choreographer to win an award, it was absolutely stunning.

Now this might be an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t hate the animation sequences. I understand that this was filmed during covid, so I’m not going to make a big deal out of it. The large scale battles requires tons of extras to act it out and many crew members to film it all. It would have been very easy to spread the virus.

MUSIC

You're lying if you say you skip the intro and the outro songs. This is one of the few dramas that I have NEVER skipped the intro song or the ending song. The beginning song "Direction of Light" is so powerful and the ending "Cocoon" is soft, almost melancholy. I will definitely be buying them. The soundtrack within the drama is always on point.

REWATCH VALUE

I'm already thinking of when I'll be watching it again. This really is Dilraba's best drama. Wu Lei shows that despite his age, he can act with the best. Will look forward to his other projects 10/10

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Overly satisfying

Overly satisfying but there are still some issues that should be addressed. It's ok if there are no kiss scenes, I don't mind, the look in their eyes and caring for each other said everything to me. Leo did an amazing job in portraying Sun. I almost got fooled by his age, still can't believe that this guy is still in his early 20s'. This is the real and satisfying purpose of the actor. Great job!

Dilraba, ok, not bad, still has room for improvement, but I don't know her too much (her dramas) so I won't comment anything further. OSTs are absolutely stunning! NO other comment on that.

Now, like someone already commented, some important scenes are cut off with manga cartoons. Bad bad bad. But on other hand, it saved many potentially destroying scenes, like releasing the weather from the river in some of the first eps. But for the sake of the story and Ashile Sun & Chang Ge ofc, I was willing to keep it going and close one eye on that.

Anyhow, definitely worth watching.

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The Long Ballad is an EPIC and ARTISTIC tale of growth and finding one's own path.

The Long Ballad is by far the best Chinese drama I have ever watched. It has everything I could hope for in a good drama, and had even went beyond my expectations.

The actors and actresses were well chosen and were literally made for their roles. There wasn't a single person who I felt could've been played by another actor/actress. The characterization of every character is exceptional, and each character have their own flaws and strengths making them very 3 dimensional and well written. In a way, I found myself unable to truly hate anyone in the drama, even the villains themselves. Each character has a back story or reason as to why they chose the path that they did. The pacing was, and there wasn't a single filler episode. I felt like the last episode was a bit rushed, but I will be discussing that later on.

I have been a long time fan of Dilireba, and this role is her best one yet. She has truly improved from her past dramas and had brought Li Chang Ge to life. Chang Ge is a character that I adore greatly and will forever remain as one of my most favorite female leads. Her journey to find her Tao is so touching, and inspirational that it had made me feel for her so much, as well as wanting to find my own Tao. The people she encounters on her journey all played a purpose in helping her find her Tao. Each one taught her something different that she could look back and learn from. Raba's acting as Chang Ge was so amazing, and I absolutely loved her crying scenes. Episodes 14 and 15 especially were her greatest performances throughout the drama in my opinion. Those were also the saddest episodes and had literally left me with no tears left to cry.

Wu Lei as Ashile Sun, is the best choice anyone can make in finding an actor to perfectly portray this amazing character. Despite the doubts surrounding his ability to play such a manly and fierce character because of his age and appearance, Wu Lei had definitely proven to the world that he was born to act. The way he portrays his emotions even just by his eyes is such a sight to see, he really knows how to bring Ashile Sun's character to life and make us all fall in love with him. This character is definitely my most favorite male lead out of all the dramas I have ever watched. The most memorable scenes of Wu Lei's performance for me would have to be the scene where he drank the wine after deciding to let Chang Ge stay with the Wolf Division, along with the scene where he got on his knees for his mother. Both scenes included so much emotion and heartbreak despite having very little words uttered. Wu Lei had portrayed them exceptionally, and might I say even better than some veteran actors could've. This MAN is really going far in his career.

Next up is Liu Yuning as Hao Du. I like him a lot and his acting is great, although I can't say the same for his character. I was truly not fond of Hao Du at first and even hated him at one point for his obsession with killing Chang Ge. But, as the drama went on, Yuning's portrayal of Hao Du was so good that I ended up falling for him and all his flaws as well. Liu Yuning brings a touch of vulnerability in Hao Du by just the emotion in his eyes. His struggle in trying to do the right thing by his heart versus wanting to not disappoint his father, was so wonderfully portrayed by Yuning. His love for Leyan is also so pure that I want to protect him from the heartbreak I knew he was bound to face. A plot whole that I found was how and when Hao Du had fallen for Leyan. It felt as if he had fallen for her out of nowhere. One moment he was obsessed with Chang Ge and the next he was traveling day and night to find Leyan. Where did his love start? How did it start?

Then we have our second female lead, Zhao Lusi as Leyan. I like her. Although I do wish that her character wasn't written in as it adds nothing to the main plot, and takes away parts of Chang Ge's story from the manhua, it wasn't all too bad. Her type of character is typically the type that I hate in dramas. I prefer the strong badass lead like Chang Ge. However, Zhao Lusi's portrayal of Leyan was pretty good. I enjoyed her character growth although it was predictable and followed typical drama cliches. The way that she went from a timid and naive princess into a strong-willed and capable one who cares for her people was so portrayed pretty well, however. Although she can't fight or can plan out battle strategies like Chang Ge, her own strengths was still able to make her stand out as a character. I liked her compassion for others, and genuinely kind heart that had eventually warmed the hearts of everyone she encounters. Zhao Lusi like everyone else was perfect for her role, and I enjoyed watching her.

Lastly, we have Alen Fang as Wei Shuyu. No joke, I literally almost forgot about his character while writing this review. I only remembered once I had neared the end LOL. No hate to the actor, because I loved his acting and portrayal of the character with what he was given. The character itself was pretty much useless for most of the drama. I felt like while everyone was contributing to the plot and had character growth, Shuyu was just there and remained the same throughout. He did have some character growth towards the end tho, and eventually realized the mistakes in his past choices. But besides that, that was pretty much it. I appreciate Alen Fang, and wished he would've gotten the chance to show more of his ability.

Okay, now let me talk about GeSun and their dynamic which is one of the most healthiest relationships I have ever seen portrayed in a drama. They both love and respect each other, and instead of holding each other back, they support and understand one another's goals and path. They see each other as equals and would do anything to protect each other even at the cost of their own lives. There is no toxicity, roundabout misunderstanding, jealous second leads that make you want to rip your hair out, or the typical noble idiocy trope that most dramas love doing. This is a mature relationship that makes you route for the more you see them interact and fall for each other. It's a slow burn romance that allows you to understand from both leads' perspectives and how they grew to respect and fall for one another. It's the type of love that doesn't need kissing or make out scenes to see the yearning, love, and care that the two leads have for each other. (Even though I say this, I'm still mad that there was not a single kiss scene for our main couple :,() Wu Lei and Dilireba's chemistry was off the charts both on screen and off screen! I loved their dynamic and how well they get along with each other. Wu Lei is my most favorite Male Lead for Raba and I love how gentlemanly and protective he is towards her in real life. He just seems to match her energy and quirkiness and adds in some of his own that most of her past co-stars weren't able to do. Not only is he an amazing actor, he is also a genuinely great person from what I've seen! I really hope I will be able to see these two reunite in another drama one day :,)

Now we have HaoYan, the typical cold bodyguard falls for cute, innocent princess trope. Despite the few plot holes and clicheness of it all, I still enjoyed this couple. They also had great chemistry from the little interactions they had and are visually attractive together. I understand that the writers were trying to show Leyan coming to a realization that the person she truly loves, the one who had always been there for her and protected her was Hao Du. However, the execution of it all was lacking and seemed as if she had just fallen for Hao Du when she couldn't have Shuyu. Up until the duel for her hand in marriage, Leyan was still hoping for Shuyu to step up and fight for her. Not once did she think of Hao Du. Because of this, it made it seem as if he was just a second option to her. After they got together though, despite the ambiguity of it all, the two were a sweet and adorable pair. What I also liked, was how selfless Hao Du was in his love. He was willing to do anything for Leyan's happiness even at the cost of his own. The scene where he was willing to fight for her despite knowing that she might not return his affections was just so touching and beautiful, and perfectly conveys his love for her.

And of course we have Mujin and Mimi, our tragic lovebirds. I absolutely loved these two as a couple and was really hoping for their happy ending. But if one of our couples were going to have a tragic ending, I'd prefer it to be them instead of our two main couples... okay maybe I might think about sacrificing Haoyan's happy ending for Mijin's lol. Mujin and Mimi also had great chemistry and I adored the love that they had which had surpassed Mimi's hate for the Ashile Tribe. Their build up from enemies to lovers was great and I enjoyed their constant bickering. Honestly speaking tho, if someone close to Chang Ge was supposed to die, I'd prefer it to be Wei Shuyu instead of Mimi. Again, no hate to the actor, it's just he really in my opinion didn't provide anything to the plot, and I wouldn't have been as sad to see him go. I also felt like his death would've created a bigger impact for his character. However, that is also just my opinion.

Another couple were my two awkward puppies, Xu Feng and Shiba. These two are downright ADORABLE and I loved all their scenes together. Their interactions were small but also sweet and lovely.

Not only were the romantic relationships amazingly portrayed, there were other relationships on the drama that were just as complex and touching. There was Chang Ge's love/hate relationship with her uncle and his unconditional love for her. Chang Ge's mentorship with A'duo who became a little brother figure to her. Leyan's sibling relationship with with Xiao Wu, and her sisterhood with the clothing ladies. Ashile Sun's brotherhood with the precious boys of his Eagle Division. The complex brotherhood between Ashile Sun and She'er. Chang Ge's friendship with Mimi. Another one that I absolutely adored was little Yuan's adoration for Sun and Chang Ge.

The soundtrack also plays a huge role in the extraordinariness of this drama. Every song has been on my playlist on repeat since they have been released. I don't think there was ever a drama where I absolutely enjoyed every single song. And when I say I love the soundtrack, I mean it. I played it in the shower, on my car drives, I set it as my ringtone, and alarm... I was literally obsessed haha. The bgm was no joke either. It was so epic and moving and were weaved very beautifully into the scenes. I loved every single one and had also added them to my playlist :)

The wardrobe was beautiful, especially Ashile Sun's luscious and gorgeous long, wavy hair. Cinematography was also amazing. One of my favorite scenes would have to be the scene where Chang Ge walks out of the gates to meet Ashlie Sun for the first time. The music just made the scene so epic yet melancholic at the same time. The fight scenes were beautifully executed, along with the cuju match from episode 1. The animations were a cool addition to the drama, although some parts were a bit funny and awkward to watch.

The only thing I was a bit disappointed by was the last episode. I kinda expected something a bit more epic? The final scene of Chang Ge and Ashile Sun would've been satisfactory if only they hadn't spoiled it earlier on. With the epic ness of this drama, I just felt like it was a bit underwhelming. Also towards the last few episodes, Chang Ge and A'Sun were separated until the last two, which broke my heart cause I was really hoping for more scenes of them together. Besides these minor issues, there is nothing else for me to nitpick about the drama. Overall it was an enjoyable watch that left me yearning for more each week. I was also able to meet some really amazing people on this forum and have enjoyed going through the journey with them.

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A complete drama, full of adventure with healthy relationships.

A historical drama that stands out for its positivity.

Far from the political intrigues, the shenanigans of the court and the blackness / madness of the human soul in harems that we often see in period dramas, this drama is a breath of fresh air. Both very modern in its characters (we are presented with strong female personalities as well as respectful and equal couples) but also very positive in its speech. Even if the subject is serious and we cry often, the tone is never defeatist or pessimistic. It's just about showing us the realities of war and life.

It is a drama where different human relationships are highlighted. We are shown that courage can reside anywhere, that friendship, family, kindness can triumph over cruelty.
We are caught in a roller coaster of emotions. The adventures are breathtaking without dragging too long.
The production is also incredible. Everything is shot in real settings which gives beautiful panoramas.

If you like adventures, wars, strategy, character progression, healthy romances, this drama is for you!
If you enjoy :
- a FL who doesn't lose all personality & independence once in a relationship;
- seeing different types of women without one kind being degraded;
- MLs who don't subdue the woman they love, don't want to rule her, are not possessive and toxic in their "love";
- positive and interesting human relationships (family, friends and love);
- drama that evolves and makes us live full of adventure;
- finish a drama without wondering if the writers have abandoned along the way;
go watch it!

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ANGST YEARNING LOVE

The long ballad was so amazing when I started it I had very high expectations because of what I’ve seen of clips and those exceptions were exceeded!!! All the characters were beautifully thought out and almost all got character arcs which I ADORED. The main couple was AMAZING I loved them so much their chemistry was amazing!!! wu lei was gorgeous here and I hope he takes on more historical roles with outfits and hair like this cause I was immersed in staring at his character ??. The second lead couple was also so so great hao du’s character arc was so good and I adored it so much. I watched this cause lusi and dilreba were in it so I also loved lusi as well. Lusi played the princess so well and her character arc to becoming more mature and understanding of the common people’s suffering was so amazing I really liked how they included that and showed how mature she became after. I adored the Sismance and how much they went through but still remained like sisters :))) The scene where hao du fought was SO GOOD I loved how they built up their romance with this scene. Overall I adored practically every character in this show, the eagle clan members, the mains and the side characters from tang were all so well developed and I fell in love with all of them. I loved how both princesses had a young kid as their sidekick who they saw as their brothers and I loved their characters so much. I loved the emperor as well he was such a good character as well. Also, the main girl’s arc from being harsh after the death of her parents to growing up to be a great princess who fights for the people was amazing I loved how they included that the main leads were there for each other in the worst times of their lives, the romance in general was so amazing for all couples in the show!!! The OST was splendid like every song was so good I definitely bookmarked it to listen to later and the intro song in particular was so good I never skipped the intro song cause I loved it so much! (And I usually skip intro songs to get to the ep faster). Other reviews said this is a good drama as an intro to historical Cdramas and I agree!!! If you’re looking for a drama to watch to introduce yourself to historical Cdramas this is the one! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Edit: I ended up rewatching it just a few days after I finished cause I loved it so much... cannot describe how good this show is the love line progression is amazing alongside everything else also the styling!!!!!! The styling is so gorgeous seriously watch this it’s incredible

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By Far the Best historical Drama that Dilraba Played

STORY
What I love about this series is, it's not dragging to make the story long. Also it's a fast pacing story but not too fast that will make you confuse on some certain scenes. After watching half of the full episodes a lot of things happened and witnessed how Li Changge matured and learned how to set aside revenge to save her country. This series doesn't have a DULL moment. You will always look forward for the next episodes. Overall I love the storyline.

Acting/Cast
Although others are complaining about the age gap between the two lead actors, I don't honestly mind at all for I know that the Director and the Writers cast the two of them not basing thier age, but their capability to fulfill and give justice to the role. So far I like the cast members whether it's the main lead or the supporting actors everyone is giving their best acting and that's what made it so far best Drama for me.

Music
I Love the OST of this Drama especially the opening part, the contemporary song it just made perfect, setting the mood to watch the series.

Rewatch Value
Since it's a fast pacing story I will definitely rewatch it again to reminisce the feeling on watching it the first time!

Overall
I love this Drama not only becuse of the lead actors but how they put logic in every scenes which you don't find often in every cdramas.

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Dilraba and Leo Wu did not disappoint

The two main leads of a drama always make a big difference to a drama. For this, there are 4 leads who completely mesmerise - Dilraba, Leo Wu, Rosy Lusi Zhao and Liu Yu Ning. Additionally, there are the support roles played by Allen Fang and Yi Da Qian, Kudousi and Geng Le - all outstanding in their own rights.

This drama tells the story of a Tang dynasty princess. Li Chang Ge, whose father was the crown prince and was killed by his brother who also massacred his nephews and became the emperor. She escaped and made her way to the northern border in the hope of securing support from her father's former generals to overthrow her uncle. She met an Ashile prince on the way and ended up in the kingdoms in the north. They went through a lot together and fell in love. Along with this, there were secrets, and what appeared to be and was not.

The story is interesting and keeps your attention. There are very few lull moments. To craft suspense and lip-biting moments in dramas, very often scenes which are silly and illogical are conveniently thrown in just for this purpose. There are relatively few of these. The story is pretty convincing although fictitious.

Dilraba who hailed from a number of highly rated dramas like Ten Mile Peach Blossom and its sequel lived up to expectations. Leo Wu who acted the teenage bodyguard Fei Liu has grown into a handsome young man did equally well.

Costumes, music, cinematography, backdrop are all excellent. But I do not like the caps on the male actors - look quite silly.

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Production-wise, it is a very well done drama. I liked the use of illustrations to show battles and fires and flood.... I was expecting more use of it because it was unique.

The script wasn't very good imo. It was trying too hard to sell the audience that the characters **ehemChanggeehem** were smart. In almost every episode someone was saying "you are so smart". Huh, where? Changge is making a bad decision in almost every episode, puts people in danger (better said, made them killed); she is also supposed to be a smart strategist, and all she said was "let's put this group to the right and this to the left" and the other party was "wow Changge, you are so smart, be my right-hand commander". It didn't help at all that at the same time I was watching another drama where the smart MC is actually smart, and the script is actually good, so I was like, She is supposed to be SMART ???

First episode, Changge is this intelligent, tomboy girl who knows how to fight, physically and mentally. Second episode, Changge swears to take revenge. 40 episodes later and all Changge did was saying a few blah-blah and oh, she was the smartest; as for the battles, where was the girl so agile who could fight? She was constantly saved by others; the forever damsel in distress. I was expecting Sun to save her every time she messed up, and yup, here comes the hero. I don't mind damsels in distress, but I do mind when the plot is trying to sell me this brave, strong female character that isn't. Yueyan was stronger imo.

Unfortunately I didn't fall in love with Yueyan/Hao Du as I was hoping. She has a lovely character development (she actually overcomes them ON HER OWN, unlike Changge) but the romance was... ehhh, she loves Shuyu for 40 episodes, gets her heart broken and in the same episode realizes Hao Du is the one. Ehhh.

OST is excellent. Performed by the King an Queen of CDramas OST.

This drama was 10 episodes too long; should have ended around 40 at least.

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