The Story of Pearl Girl (2024)

Just magnificent!

PLOT: The FL struggles to survive in slavery on a pearl farm as a diver. She succeeds by escaping with the help of a high-ranking official (the ML2), then joins as a servant on the ML's boat. He is a harsh trader, solely committed to revenge for his family (jewelers, killed by desert bandits, during an escort, and banished after death).

+++ With Liu Yu Ning & Zhao Lu Si, 2 actors that I love (ღ˘⌣˘ღ). They have so much talent to bring us this poignant story. They don't even need words to make us feel all their emotions... Amazing! Truly magical!
+++ Perfect execution: rhythm, costumes, visuals, sets, framing, lighting.
+++ Coherent and intelligent story. The characters are complex, all morally grey, well developed, and played by excellent actors.
+++ Superb credits and magnificent OST.

Even the ending, moving and bitter, is well done.

=> Series to watch and rewatch, the story is so beautiful (despite the hard and sad moments).
************************************************
Juste magnifique !

PLOT: La FL peine à survivre dans l'esclavage d'une ferme de perles comme plongeuse. Elle réussit en s'enfuir avec l'aide d'1 officiel de haut rang (le ML2), puis s'engage comme servante sur le bateau du ML. C'est un commerçant, dur, uniquement engagé dans la vengeance de sa famille (joailliers, tués par des bandits du désert, lors d'1 escorte, et banni par contumace).

+++ Avec Liu Yu Ning & Zhao Lu Si, 2 acteurs que j'adore. Ils ont tellement de talent, pour nous faire vivre cette histoire poignante. Ils n'ont même pas besoin de mots pour nous faire ressentir toutes leurs émotions... Bravo !
+++ Réalis° parfaite : rythme, costumes, visuels, décors, cadrages, lumière.
+++ Story cohérente et intelligente. Les personnages sont complexes, bien développés, et interprétés par d'excellents acteurs.
+++ Superbe générique et OST magnifiques.

Même la ending, émouvante, amère, est bien amenée.

=> Série à voir et à revoir, tellement l'histoire est belle (malgré les moments durs et tristes).

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Zhao Lusi such amazing actress

the drama was truly outstanding.
un unforgettable experience from start to finish . it combined a gripping story with exceptional performances that brought each character to life in a way that felt raw and real the cinematography was breathtaking. thank you somuch lusi You are the only reason why I watch Chinese historical drama. ilove your acting so much ilove everything about thank you for make me happy and your all drama is my comfort 😘😘😘 and may you always be in good condition and be healthy in body. and may you overcome any trial that comes your way as long as you always stay humble

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A MERMAID'S TEARS

Bold, compelling, intriguing... The Story of Pearl Girl is weaving a tale that you certainly do NOT want to miss!

2024 hasn't been donating the best Cdramas so far with few exceptions.. but I'm glad this came along. A pretty decent watch!

Everyone sees the beauty of pearl. They view it with admiration of it's beautiful and excellence but no one seems to know what people go through to get it. Even setting their lives on the line for it. The motto thus being: Dive or die. And so Duanwu emerges from the many pearl divers of this land with the mantra "I want to change my fate" taking on the brave role of working towards it.

A Captivating journey is woven, our female lead steps forward, taking every STEP POSSIBLE to obtain that freedom, even if it's to put her life on the line for that freedom.

The Plot is RAW, A POWERFUL AND EMOTIONAL narrative of a slave girl on a quest for true freedom and redemption. Sailing on a journey of the ups and down on the harsh business world dominated by cunning Men. It's an interesting adventure that draws you in an intimate attachment to our female character, Duanwu. The flow of the plot is Smooth. It's just right for what Is needed. Her development so far is natural, raw yet appealingly driving. It's a powerful plot focussed on our female lead's journey in a quest for redemption where she walks up the ladder of the business world and capturing the power at the top. And Fights to keep it.

Duanwu isn't ONLY a smart Witty girl who works with her brain to scheme and conquer. She IS PHYSICALLY FIT! our girl can fight! She can beat up scumbag men, she can kick ass YASS now that's something you don't see always for such female lead set-up. She isn't afraid of physical actions, she takes risks and slays at it!

The characters in the show are truly compelling. Not all though but the mains are truly something to look forward to. Zhao Lusi has my damn jaws on the floor with the execution of her character. Honestly she did better than expected. She engrossed herself into the role and perfectly embodied the character so well that you could See DUANWU in her. It's no wonder she Fought for this drama and role (since 2022 or so) ( she said she loved the character so much) and I can see how she's perfectly bringing the role to life. I'm honestly impressed.
Our male lead is a complex character worth of study alongside another drama I find interesting, The tomboy. She is certainly a grey interesting character that's always worth being on the lookout for.
Our tomboy ( forget her name haha) is a lady on a quest to make her stand in a toxic male dominated business world. And she is gonna do Anything for that.
The characters here are complex and interesting. Well... Except the 2nd lead who is ..well predictable goodie boy lol ( all righteous) I sorta find his character... dull. But let's see if he gets better I guess.

But Amidst his full character I think the two male leads add value to the female leads journey. Our male lead teaching her on the harsh realities of the business world and harshly training her for it. While the 2nd leads takes her on a morally correct ethics of life. A perfect blend.

Cinematograohy wise, This drama is decent for the genre. It isn't flashy as for a fantasy but for a historical drama of Such category, it's pretty nice. And the UNDERWATER SCENES WERE CHEF KISS. I can't believe it was filmed in a real life water! Excellent! No wonder it was so realistically done. Beautiful.

The Ost of this drama is suiting for the concept of the drama. not by best lineup of Ost but it's actually decent. Especially the Opening theme.

If you're contemplating if you should watch this drama, I'd recommend you check out the first two episodes. Ep1 captivated me at the go! So I believe these two episodes are enough for you to judge. Although I'm confident it'll hook you. You should check clips and see if the genres are something that you'll like, if so then I think you'll love this. It's gripping indeed and overall worth the time.

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It's A Long, Long Journey, So Stay By My Side

The Story of Pearl Girl is exactly that--the journey of a young girl, Duan Wu, from slave girl at a pearl farm to a renowned jeweler and businesswoman. It is a remarkable journey, full of all the spice of life--pain, joy, greed, revenge, tragedy--and in the center of it was Duan Wu, who later reshaped herself into Su Ma Zhe.

The first half of the drama moved at a good click. Our heroine suffered horribly as a slave and managed to escape. Her dream, as she told Zhang JinRan, the 2ML, was freedom and we see this theme throughout the entire drama.

Duan Wu's quest for freedom landed her on a ship, first as an indentured servant of sorts to the male lead, Yan ZiJing, and later as his friend, partner and lover. But that was only the first half of the journey. She had much to learn about life and freedom.

Yan ZiJing was a hard taskmaster because of his background. He, too, had been an imprisoned child and knew how difficult it was to survive alone. Thus, his treatment of Duan Wu was very harsh in the beginning but we, the audience, see and understand the reason behind this in later episodes. YZJ wanted to teach Duan Wu how to survive and not fall prey to all the evil schemes in the world.

On the other hand, the 2ML, Zhang JinRan was the total opposite--a by-the-book official, one who saw life in black and white, who was intelligent but somewhat naive, calculating enough to see through people, yet was also unwilling to bend the law a little, even to achieve justice.

Both these men loved Duan Wu in their own capacity and supported her as much as they could. Of the two, YZJ understood Duan Wu's yearning for freedom far better than JinRan precisely because he had lived at the edge of danger and death most of his life while the latter was a young rich nobleman who had been insulated from the harsh reality of how slaves actually lived. However, Duan Wu would learn much from both these men as she slowly become the new her.

Right in the middle of the drama, the Big Change happened. Like the proverbial tale of a phoenix rising from the ashes, so too must Duan Wu face the flames of transformation. A huge, devastating tragedy happened and her entire new life she thought she had gained disappeared overnight.

The second half of the story started with Duan Wu going at it alone, making her way from desert to snow to city, transforming into Su Mu Zhe. The journey was a tough one but the price of freedom for her here was
1) independence (and so she must do this alone)
2) individualism (and so she must be more proactive to assert how she wanted her life)
3) innovation (and so she must always strive to be better than her competitor)

What made Duan Wu such a great character to watch was her resilience and ability to move on in the face of suffering. She did not dwell on bitterness or self-pity (not for long, anyway). She climbed every mountain in her way like they were mole hills, learning to adapt to be a smooth and knowledgeable city woman.

Standing in contrast was Cui SiJiu, the antagonist of the drama. Cui SiJiu was perhaps the most interesting character of this story--a tomboy turned concubine, a woman who wanted to run a business like a man, trying to please her father over and over even though he just saw her as a useless daughter. SiJiu was hateful, seeing those below her family's status as ants to be trampled on. We were never meant to like her but her journey was nonetheless an interesting one.

CSJ yearned for freedom too. But her choices toward her goal were rash and cruel. Over and over she was given the opportunity to change and over and over she made the same mistake, blindly blaming everyone but her actions for her losses. The price of freedom, when she finally gained it, was very high too. I myself didn't pity her lot at the end (although many other viewers bawled their eyes out). She had so many opportunities to be redeemed and yet, all she showed was spite and cruelty.

If we looked at CSJ as the other side of the coin to Duan Wu, we see how both women, alone and clever, dealt with what life gave them in entirely different ways. Both yearned to be "free" and their opposing paths (and choices) gave insight on how one could miss out on many positive things of life just because of hate and revenge.

Speaking of revenge, YZJ lived for revenge. And through revenge would he, too, find his freedom.

The journey of our main character, as I said in the beginning, was a long one. Duan Wu fought her way through it. The first half was her fight for basic survival and the second half was her fight for societal survival. Because once you crawl out of the shell in the ocean of misery, you must polish yourself to shine in the river of life. And shine she did.

Cinematography -- The underwater scene in Episode One was worth watching on a big TV screen.

Acting -- Zhao LuSi proved here she could handle any role. She had always excelled in comedy. In Pearl Girl, she also tackled a serious role who went through multiple tragedies. She was mesmerizing with her fleeting changes of expression. Liu Yu Ning gave a strong performance as YZJ, although now the joke among his fans is that LYN's main roles have only 80 percent chance of survival LOL. Special praise also goes to Chloe Xie as Cui SiJiu--she made a hateful character somewhat relatable and in the end, gained redemption. And who could forget the great Wing Man of the drama, Kang Ju?!

Editing -- There were some choppy scenes, especially in the last two episodes. This 40-episode rule in C-Drama really hurts story lines that need a little bit more expansion. The ending could have been smoother with an extra one or two episodes, maybe covering the poison, the two love birds' final days, even the ending where it was just a summary. It would have been nice to see Zhang JinRan, the 2ML be by her side. The current edit resulted in no emotional payoff for the invested viewer at all. It was just lazy storytelling.

There were also parts in the middle that could have been shortened. I heard many of 2ML's scenes were cut. That was unfortunate because it would have made for a smoother finale. As for the foreshadowing--there was plenty of it, so I was NOT surprised at the ending at all. A little bit underwhelming, actually, because why must ALL feminist-focused stories have to have the FL end up alone? That's not the end-game of female empowerment, folks. It's stupid, writers. Feminists need lovers, friends and family too, you know. And if you wanted to foreshadow that heavily, WHERE WAS THE FREAKING PAYOFF? Be brave. Give us the payoff since you dared to crush our hearts.

I rate this drama a strong 8,8

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Beautiful and emotional journey

This was one of my most awaited drama, I couldn’t wait to see this pairing again.

What I liked :
- Cinematography
- acting was great, both leads were phenomenal, but also side characters did good
- music
- actions scenes. exemple ep 18 was heartbreaking, but very well done.
- costumes, hairstyles, makeup
- friendship
1) ML and Kang Ju : I absolutely love Kang Ju, one of my fav character. their bond was very strong. They went through so much together and have been together for years, I love this duo. Poor Kang Ju couldn’t save him…. His reaction to ML poison and wanted to save him broke my heart
2) the girl’s friendship at clear mind
3) not sure how I feel about FL and Cui friendship, feel like I didn’t really feel it after everything that happened and it happened pretty late in the story. At some point I was like, a thing to bound about, both lost their men….
4) the trio : FL, ML and SML. it was fun to watched them and the development between ML and SML. how they eventually became friends, their bickering and how they helped each other
5) we cannot forget the the late ones from the convoy. I loved their friendship and their moments together. Their deaths marked a tournament in the story and it was pretty sad.
- The love triangle was so well done and it’s how it should be : very minimal and rejected relatively early. he accepted it, no obsession or annoyances to get in the way or to get her. He was a friend to both FL and ML, helped them alone the way. His present created some funny jaelousy moments. He was a bit annoying at first, but he came to understand their situation and was they went through, their way of thinking. I don’t even think this should be called a love triangle. this is a very good/positive point for me, I’m tired of obsess/delulu/crazy/annoying SML
- the pace of the plot was pretty good and the story in general was interesting and well written
- the first half was more interesting to me, but I like seeing FL’s journey, I know the drama is about her.
- the story was different. It contained hard scenes to watch and emotional scenes that kept us attentive
- I actually did not dislike second couple, in the end I came to like them and they had chemistry. They liked each other for real and it was too late. I cried a bit when he died, the acting was good and I felt it. It was heartbreaking to me, how he wanted to protect her and everything. I had to look away when he was impaled and when through it because he had to save her. And after that how she didn’t to leave him, I would have wanted her to respond to him when he asked if she loved him for real. I felt so bad for her after that. when she was in her room and like saying she finally got the shop, but she’s alone, she just wants her family back. both had trash family that were using and treating them bad, they deserved better and also I would say a happy ending. in the end, they just wanted to escape and be together
- to finish this, let’s about the leads : strong, intelligent, beautiful, capable, kind, we can go on and on. both suffered so much and were perfect for each other. they understood each other suffering, they went through similar things. very mature and heartwarming relationship. their chemistry was very strong. such good moments and romantic scenes we got, even if romance was not the main focus, even if I wished it was. Seeing their relationship progress was beautiful, seeing them slowly falling in love. they loved each other so much, my heart broke for them, they so much deserved a happy ending, they deserved better. I cried a lot during ep 40


So now :
- personally, the misunderstanding lasted too long.
- got somehow less interesting with the business part a little, but still enjoyable. Every 40 eps drama have some boring moments in my opinion, so I’m not deducing my rating because of this, I didn’t for other dramas.
- I wasn’t satisfied with the revenge/ clearing the family name at all. Actually there was no revenge, we saw almost nothing and it was all cleared by the law, which is not satisfying to me
- didn’t like the ending. A sad ending is already bad to me (but can be well done I guess sometimes, but didn’t like it here). but an ending that doesn’t feel complete, like we didn’t got closure, is worst to me. didn’t like his choice and how it was left to him leaving and dying off screen. Even the last scene and the thing about business, didn’t care much to be honest even if the drama is about FL’s journey. I’m not satisfied with the ending, it’s feels a bit like I wasted time when the ending is not satisfying. I don’t know why the writers do this ? (it was the same in KMLM). the characters have suffered for years and everything, but they don’t even get an happy ending? If they absolutely wanted him to die, I think maybe it could have been written otherwise. like it was also misleading some people saying that in interviews she said or hinted (I don’t remember) that it’s happy ending. I remember reading about this in the comments at some point. I shouldn’t have paid attention to that ahaha my mistake
I’m saying nonsense here ahaha (I just finished, I cried, I’m tired), but both FL and SFL lost their men, like what is it, to bloom and be successful she should be alone with no men. Anyway, now I don’t even wanna watch the next dramas of Liu Yu Jing that are in my watch list…. And one of them I have been waiting for so long. The novel has a happy ending, but I have trust issues now with Cdramas, they actually change HE in SE sometimes and many writers don’t know how to write good endings. actually just like Allen Ren, they have so many sad ending dramas, that I don’t even wanna watch anymore.

Hopefully next year, we get more happy and satisfying ending. don’t know how to rate, I can’t give 10/10 because I’m not satisfied with the ending/last ep. I would say between 9-9,5 should be my rating. I would absolutely recommend, but be prepared for the heartbreak at the end.

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Women are not weak in business word.

Exciting plot..The value of the sentence "Women should not be bound by the fate of others" has been increasing. Pearl Curtain Jade has never been a drama with a heroine, but a drama that runs through all the female characters in the drama!

Whether it is the pearl collector Duanwu, Feng
Wuniang, or Cui Shijiu, they are all trying to break the current difficulties and the shackles of traditional concepts, and become the heroines of their own lives!

The screenwriter respected all the female characters in the play. Cui Shijiu hated Duanwu so much, but she only thought that Duanwu was Yan Zijing's errand boy, and she would not objectify women with dirty thoughts!

The drama "The Story Of Pearl Girl" is very detailed, just taste it! The more you taste, the more you will find it interesting.

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A JOURNEY OF COMPLEX CHARACTERS AND HEARTFELT CONNECTIONS!

"The Story of Pearl Girl tells the tale of Duan Wu, a fearless pearl diver in search of freedom. During her quest, she unexpectedly meets Yan Zijing, a merchant on a mission to avenge the death of his family. As Duan Wu joins his caravan to retrieve a valuable relic, they begin to uncover their shared similarities.

Through her time with Yan Zijing, Duan Wu learns the art of trading but also gets drawn into his quest for revenge, creating a compelling drama. This character-driven narrative highlights Duan Wu's growth, showcasing how she is shaped by the people she encounters and the decisions she makes. The story unfolds in a way that feels immersive, allowing viewers to connect with her journey.

The pacing of the storytelling is well-balanced, neither too fast nor too slow, making it engaging without feeling dragged out or rushed. The plot intricately blends aspects of life, business, and personal struggles, resulting in a roller coaster of emotions as the characters navigate their challenges.

The characters in this drama are another fascinating aspect that truly elevates the storytelling. They are crafted with depth and complexity, each with their own flaws and weaknesses that make them relatable. Duan Wu, our female lead, has a harsh background that has shaped her into a person filled with rage and grit. She is smart, resilient, and quick-witted, making her a strong character who can stand up for herself.

On the other hand, Yan Zijing, the male lead, is initially introduced as ruthless and calculating, fitting for a merchant. However, as the series progresses, we see a broken and vulnerable side to him that evokes empathy for his struggles. The second male lead, Zhang Jingran, is self-righteous, and while his principles can be frustrating, they remain consistent throughout the series, which I appreciate. Other characters like Kang Ji and Ciu Jui also contribute their unique charm to the narrative.

The acting in this drama is commendable. This is my second time watching Zhao Lusi, and I’m genuinely impressed with how she conveys her emotions, especially since the narrative centers around her character. I’m not familiar with Liu Yining, but he has certainly made an impact; his performance is expressive and engaging. The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and the romance is woven carefully into the story, enhancing the overall experience.....

I also loved the friendships and bonds that were formed along the way...The female leads friendships the brotherhood between the male lead and his right hand man..The bromance between the male lead and the second male lead added another layer of enjoyment, with their banter and bickering being wholesome to watch.

However, it's worth noting that The Story of Pearl Girl leans toward a deeper and more complex narrative. If you’re looking for something light-hearted, this might not be the right choice. But for those seeking an engaging and thought-provoking story, it offers a rich emotional experience that stays with you.

The ending is open but I believe it was rather realistic though I wish it was executed better.

"The Story of Pearl Girl" might not be for everyone, I encourage viewers to give it a chance. The character-driven plot, the depth of the characters, the pacing, and the chemistry all contribute to a compelling narrative. This drama has truly been a delightful journey!

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Beautiful Acting and Great Storyline/Concept

Just finished the show and I've got to say this show has one of the most interesting concepts with an incredibly chosen topic. Using the idea of merchants and their battles in the jewellery industry was both refreshing and interesting to watch given its prevalence in Chinese history.

[Concept of Beauty is Sacrifice]
One thing I really enjoyed about the show is its realistic treatment of the toxic and unethical environments that existed both in the past and even now in the present day. Specifically, they didn't try to beat around the bush about how poorly the pearl collectors were treated which is something that a lot of dramas nowadays gloss over. Everyone looks at the shiny headpieces and beautiful clothing when watching ancient Chinese dramas, but this is the first time I was so gruesomely reminded of how incredibly difficult it was back in the day to collect those items. Without the help of machinery, every single piece of gold and jade was collected by hand, often covered with blood by those who couldn't survive the abuse. Whilst admiring the jewels and their beauty, the show also cruelly reminds us about the people who've died getting their hands on them. This choice both shows the research that the writers/directors must've done to keep things accurate, in addition to reminding the viewers that nothing comes for free and that everything beautiful comes with its own sacrifices.

[Actors/Actresses & Main Characters' Romance Plot]
I'm highly biased in this take but I loved the actors/actresses they chose for this show, especially the ML and FL. I've always been a fan of Liu Yuning so I was excited to see him act in another drama, but I was swept off my feet by Zhao Lusi's great acting and the synergy she had with him. To speak on visuals for a second, they look very good together with their concept of "tall evil businessman" and "short and confident newby businesswoman" especially once they start falling in love and you can see Yan Zijin just absolutely cave and stop caring about trying to be intimidating. One thing I really enjoyed is that they didn't try to pull the overdone "I'm too evil big and intimidating to fall for her blegh" character arc with him which is often done for his type of character. Usually, when there's an ML that is shown as being cold and mean, the directors try to force them to go through a period of self-discovery where they realise that they actually have feelings and it's usually really long-winded and not fun to watch. Here, once he realised he liked her, he just knew and didn't need to go through that, filling the show with a lot of cute couple scenes and avoiding unwanted filler where the ML and FL just dance around each other like dying chickens.

[Misunderstanding & Better Without Me Trope]
Despite adoring this show, I do have one main piece of criticism: I absolutely hated the fact that after getting attacked and almost dying, Yan Zijin decided to leave her. Not only that, but they just had to add in the scene of him shooting her with an arrow and her misunderstanding him, thinking he was trying to kill her. This is more of a personal gripe I have with romance plots like this but I feel like the misunderstanding and better without me trope is so overused at this point that it's an automatic hit against the show's watchability when it happens. I understand that they need something to happen to cause drama, but also it didn't make sense to me that they would both go through a life-threatening attack and suddenly the ML thinks that leaving her alone in the middle of the desert that she's never been in is the safest decision. Sure, he left her with a group of nice travellers, but also she somehow instantly travels into the middle of a snowstorm and almost dies from hypothermia? It feels more like a cheap way of trying to cause a rift between them so that the show can slowly fix it to keep the watchers on the edge of their seats rather than adding anything to the storyline. Rather, if they wanted to create some sort of problem between the main couple, I believe it would've been way more interesting to delve deeper into Yan Zijin's darker side and have a conflict that way instead. At the beginning of the show, his character was written to be hated: bullied everyone, cared only about money, used underhanded means to get to his goals etc. Towards the end, he softens up and kinda just gets relegated to house-husband duty and doesn't really do much for the plot anymore except getting stabbed and dying. I didn't mind this choice really (and actually enjoyed it), it's more that if they wanted some sort of drama between the main couple, they could have easily used his want for revenge as the catalyst without needing to follow these two tropes.

Overall, I really enjoyed this show and thought the storyline was both thought-provoking and entrancing to watch. I would definitely rewatch it at some point in the future and just skip the parts where there's there misunderstanding.

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