I felt a sense of calm when I watched this drama.
A simple story about the lives of 3 women struggling to make a living and overcoming the odds in the Eastern Capital, with focus on Zhou Pan’er (Liu Yifei).What was good:
• Refreshing storyline with no clichés in the romance
• Good communication between the main lead couple
• All three female leads were strong and independent
• Although there were some plot holes, the art of tea, pipa-playing, dances were all portrayed beautifully. Something that I seldom see in other Chinese historical dramas.
• Beautiful cinematography because of the many canals in the drama. Lots of dating scenes and even private conversations between officials were made in the beautiful boats on the canals or by the canals. Something refreshing to see. I like their boats as well, so apt to have intimate, private conversations.
What could have been better:
• The last few episodes dragged a little
This drama did not have much ‘fighting, adventures, angst’ one might see in a historical drama, it was more of character-driven than plot-driven. The aesthetics of the entire drama impressed me, the beautiful cinematography with the canals as the main backdrop and the gentle demeanor of the female lead, Zhao Pan’er (Liu Yifei) who always spoke so gently and elegantly in the drama.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this drama, it was one of those dramas I felt a sense of calm watching it, maybe because of the beautiful canals, the water did have that effect, because of the way Zhao Pan’er spoke, because there was not much angst in the drama, a combination of all these, but definitely it was not boring at all.
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3 Inspiring women fighting relentlessly for their rights. + Savoury & Mouthwatering kissing scenes.
God knows how this pair drained all the sweetness in me... They're sucking it every coming episode that I was all dried-up and left with no juice to squeeze during the finale. Hahaha!This drama got tons of positive qualities but something that stands out to me was its plot. It went on in an orderly manner with proper phasing which helped the story not look clichė at all; and the way they fall in love gradually through their simultaneous interactions made their relationship more natural and acceptable.
The outstanding and flawless chemistry the Main leads brought to this drama is simply remarkable. Their casual 'fight-slash-flirting' scenes is too much for the heart. Not to mention the adoration and hearts you can see through the MLs eyes whenever he's looking at FL made it even more romantic— He's too smitten and it resonates. + The FLs clever way of solving things made the story more interesting and fun to watch.
I was full of giggles all the time and my adrenaline felt exhausted from running everytime they're flirting on screen. Like they were created to make me feel jealous and envious. Haha!
Another thing that made this drama standout from the rest is its great production design & beautiful costumes— Their styling is extremely pleasing and god knows how enchanting they all look with proper hairstyle, make up and clothing. I also love the color grading of this drama. Very warm, smooth and comfortable. It helps to escalate a lot of things to great heights specially with the overall look and feel of the drama.
One last thing that made this drama fun to watch is its light yet solid story progression and great character development. It never felt too rushed and forced so the characters got to grow and shine on their own. Although it was not always rainbows and colors for the leads, but they made sure that they improve and learn from all of it; and that made the story more interesting and enjoyable.
Something worthy to mention is the great dubbing. Finally for once. I felt comfortable and satisfied with how their mouth synchronized with the actual sound. So tired of other ridiculous ones.
P.S. The most ridiculous scene goes to the Final Episode when the ML was trying to feed the FL the circular coin-size pill using his mouth. The FL was laying by her chest so how the heck does she even swallow that? Hahaha!
Story - 10, The story was well created with good phasing. A comfortable run I would say. I was never bothered and disappointed of anything. + I just love the positivity and fun it brought to me the whole time I was watching it.
Acting - 10, Flawless and beyond convincing. Chen Xiao look so smitten. Like, was he even acting? I felt like he enjoyed it more than anyone. Hahaha! Also, Liu Yifei's excellence when it comes to controlling her facial expression made her character delightful and eye candy to watch. + All of the actors and actresses really did well in expressing and delivering their roles through their good acting and portrayal.
Music - 9.5, Decent BGM overall. It added lots of emotions and helps the overall feels of this drama. Good choice of songs and proper music placement I would say.
Rewatch Value - 10, Highly Recommended!! I finished it in over 3 days... The fastest since last year considering its 40 episodes. Every bits of it is worth watching.
Overall - 10, I would never have it any lesser. Everything is great. Not to mention how they were able to create this story without staining it with clichė and tropey plot. A drama that's worth every single second of my time.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
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An extremely moving and well-executed story of women empowerment! Lived up to the hype.
There were a lot of things about this drama that made me enjoy it, but I’ll point out the most significant and near-perfect ones in my personal opinion. First is the fact that they claimed to be a drama about women empowerment, and **actually** addressed the female struggle throughout various points of the drama. From beginning to end, it was clear that this was the main focus and it was carried out excellently. The girls went had to go through several harsh events, the most vicious being the one where they get booted out of the city and completely covered in garbage, and they had to fight tooth and nail to the very end to earn themselves a position in society. And you know what, they made it. I was so proud of them by the end of the drama, and found myself attached to their sisterhood. A+++ for this.Second is the pacing for the romance between Gu Qianfan and Zhao Pan’er. I thought it was all aptly done and push came to shove at exactly the right time. And everything was very in tune with the characters’ personalities as well. They never compromised the character’s core values for the sake of romance.
Third, Liu Yifei’s acting and the characterisation of Zhao Pan’er just deserves SO much praise. Gentleness is almost Yifei’s brand, and coming from Meet Yourself I was a bit worried as to whether she would be able to act distinctively as Pan’Er, or if it would just be like watching Xu Hongdou with her hair up in Song Dynasty hanfu.
But she completely blew me out of the water with this character. Two characters that similarly have such complex emotions but she’s able to act out subtle differences. Even the way she cries is different in this drama – because in MY she’s mostly grieving, and here she most often shed tears because of heartbreak.
I also love how honest Pan’er is with herself. How she’s able to show that vulnerability, and pick herself back up whenever she gets knocked down. And she’s been doubled down upon so many times. How she allows herself to eventually lean on her sisters, it also didn’t take much for her to have faith and trust in Yinzhang. She’s compassionate, loyal, and devoted. The writers clearly took time to tell her story and show her growth which is something I absolutely loved.
Last is the wardrobe, mostly for the women. They were able to pick styles that suited each female character so well. I am impressed by how much each garment complimented Liu Yifei in particularly. All the colours she wore brought out so much vibrancy and spirit from her. My favourite was probably the green dress she wore in early Episode 19. So gorgeous.
Overall really loved this drama, though there are a handful of minor vices that hinder it from being a complete 10/10 for me. Really open to discussing the drama / actors so shoot me a reply or message if that’s something you’d be interested in :) Menghualu will forever hold a special place in my heart.
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One of the few C-drama that has no mess ending
I love Chinese consume drama. The only concern I have watching them is uncertainty of final episode. It’s so typical to see ;*cliff hanging
*confuse ending, sometime I don’t understand the ending meaning at all. I always look for recaps and reviews online and need to find out exactly how it ended and meaning of ending
*rushed to close the story, so last couple episodes look like squashed into just 5min
*end up having TWO finals , meaning is they have one more extra episode. Always one is sad ending and extra is happy ending. Why do they make two endings like that?
Many of the C-drama have very strange way to finalize the story but I still love them. Luckily this drama had very straightforward ending and I didn’t feel any rushing to close the story. It’s based on the real novel and screen write must have done a very good job to end the story. That’s why after the last episode, I felt warm feeling and very satisfied feeling for a while. I didn’t even check the recap nor review for this drama. That’s is very rare !
What else are good to be 10;
*2 main CP’’s chemistry is so good. Their long history of acting experience and they must got along well playing the characters
*sub-main characters and others such as Emperor contributed the very well actings. Most of all, all actors acting were very natural.
*beautiful consume and architectural set up
*beautiful OST
*CG and colorings were amazing. Felt like watching movie
Core story of this drama is romance between FL and ML, but at the same time side characters, such as two other sub-female leads’ friendship with FL and 3 females’ determinations to beat the social discrimination was definitely FEEL GOOD drama for a female audience like me. This is one of the TOP 3 drama I watched in 2022.
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My fave drama from Chen Xiao
I've watched Chen Xiao's drama since he debuted. He was in a lot of period/historical dramas and I noticed as of recent couple of years, he's doing more modern dramas. I find his best performance to be in this drama. I saw his interview where he expressed a lot of hesitation, anxiety and worry as he hasn't been in a period drama in the past few years. I thought he did amazing and I love GQF as a character. He is very matured in this role and I love him for it. In the past, due to his age and his characters, they can be at times acting childish and annoying but a matured role such as GQF is in my view, perfect for him.Liu Yi Fei - love her! She has been in films more than tv series and to see her back on the big screen is a welcome refresh. She portrayed her character very well.
I honestly didn't have high hopes for this drama when I first learned about it but after the first episode or so, I was hooked and stayed hooked all the way to episode 40.
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A mature, well-written romance
The highlight of the drama was the main couple. The romance was written in a thoughtful way showing mature interactions and organic development between two adults falling in love. Their conversations were genuine and meaningful. He did not treat her like a delicate flower and they had mature conversations about issues outside their relationship. They were equals. The only thing I didn't like was the misunderstanding trope in the second half, which led to Gu Qianfan avoiding her, making him look cowardly and weak. This was completely contrary to his character because he was portrayed as a no-nonsense straight arrow who did not avoid facing problems. Other than that, this was a beautifully written romance.One minus was that there wasn't much of a plot. The storyline with the painting felt like an afterthought. Most of the plot focused on the political struggles between various government factions. Ouyang Xu ending up the endgame villain felt nonsensical. He was a weak villain, far from a mastermind, who was mostly absent from the story. At the end, he was the only one who was punished and the real masterminds went unscathed. Making Ouyang the scapegoat felt like a cop out from writing an actual plot and delivering a proper closure to the story.
Some of the secondary characters were fun. I liked that Yinzhang finally grew up because I was tired of her immaturity and entitlement. Chi Yan was over-the-top and only served as comic relief. And, again, none of the villains, except Ouyang, got punished. Shen Ruzuo just disappeared from the story after he tried to set up Yinzhang. He did something reprehensible, but nothing happened to him, which was a huge letdown.
Overall, I enjoyed the drama just for the romance between ML and FL. Everything else was forgettable.
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Started out well then turned into some pointless romantic drama.
Chemistry and romance are fine and good but it shouldn't be the core of a truly good historical. Sadly this one is precisely that. A barebones romantic drama dress up as a historical. If you are expecting an engaging story from start to finish then prepare to be disappointed. This one had a good and interesting start. Sadly the writer lost any sense in writing a proper story and instead it became some lousy romantic drama with LYF playing the "I'm always right" Miss Perfect female lead to the hilt. She had great chemistry with ML. That is obvious but it's clearly not enough to warrant for this to be considered a truly good drama.I was expecting this drama to reach heights but it never got more exciting than the first few episodes. The writer tried to write in an all encompassing and mysterious under current but even that fizzled in the end and became a complete fluke. From the first moment one would expect a great political conflict brewing in the imperial court. It look like it was headed that way, sadly it never materialized. We did get the Gao girl acting outrageously, screaming at the emperor to plead for the FL. That scene was probably inserted to quench the thirst of those yearning for political drama. I was rolling my eyes at that nonsensical and ridiculous scene. In the end all that scheming in the imperiaI court was just use as a plot device to get rid of the FL's former fiance who turned evil. I was waiting and waiting for the story to move forward and it never did. The poor attempt at court politics they managed to throw in the end was a sad excuse for not writing a complete story that was consistent with the story they started.
I was not envisioning for the story to turn out this way. Just literally meddling for most of the drama and then they suddenly remembered they had a story to finish. What was the purpose of introducing all these characters of the imperial court when the writer had no intention of fleecing out their story and roles properly. The sassy waitress, the joker guild leader and his fat sidekick got more airtime than I had expected. They had zero relevance to the overall backstory but got extra time because of the writer's laziness to build up this drama to a good end.
The writer was just obviously time wasting and extending episodes until they got to the end. Three quarters of episodes spent on pointless business drama and the FL acting mighty and standing on a pedestal towards everyone. Cross her or you'll be sorry. If the writers thought they could get away with relying on her romantic entanglement with the ML to carry this drama they are really big chancers. Sorry I am not so gullible to be satisfied with how the story went about and ended.
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Passing time is a kind of splendor
Actually, finished watching this a while ago , just didnt have enough motivation to come to MDL to rate this and review. It is just another series to tick off for me, not much to rave on (good or bad!).This is my first finished story of Liu Yi Fei, started on her and YY’s Once Upon A Time drama before, but cannot continue on. Maybe because it was a fantasy (and i didnt do that well with fantasy genre), her chemistry with YY was also not that much for me to continue on. LYF has certain unique voice to her character (i assume it’s her own real voice since it is the same in ADOS and OUAT) and initially it doesnt click with me much but then i grew used to it. Chemistry is there between her Zhao Pan Er and Chen Xiao’s Gu Qianfan, but not that sizzling for me. Is it bad that i found i prefer their relationship while they are bantering more than after they get together officially?
Plot is so and so, especially a lot of plotholes towards the end. Making Ouyang Xu as the last boss for the couple to hurdle over (when he was such a weak villain imho) , the writer didnt even tie up what happen with the so called power fight between the scholar faction leader and GQF’s father’s faction. They all vanished under Ouyang Xu’s arc. Plus, initially they describe GQF’s Capital Security Office as an entity that is powerful and GQF himself as the mighty ‘Living Devil’. But by the second half of the story, all those went down the drain and GQF is suddenly weaker than ever and the Capital Security Office is hardly with power enough to do a damn thing. Lol.
And where should i start with Song Yingzhang? Lol. This is the character that annoyed me the most. Time and time again she made the same mistake and time and time again she was forgiven, given a new book to start over. Luckily she ended up relatively fine at the end. Another character that i find annoying and no much point despite his quite extensive screen time from the beginning is chi pan. I am not even sure what is his character’s value in the plot honestly, except in the end when he ended up hiring the girls as managers to the restaurant. Lol.
OST are not that memorable, i didnt even try to go to youtube to search for the ost after finishing this drama like what i usually do with other dramas which ost stood out to me during watching.
All in all, this is an okay drama for me. Good enough to finish from start to finish once, but highly likely not for a rewatch. Nothing that is triggering my bad button too much but leaves me nothing too excited as well. On to the next show!
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An Epic Ancient Romance with Modern Themes
I wish I could type a coherent and chronological review about this, but I can’t. So all I want to say is, I love this drama, it evoked so much emotions in me and had driven me to tears so many, many times.Liu Yi Fei is Zhao Pan Er, a tearoom merchant, whose father was a court official but was disgraced and exiled after he disobeyed an order during a city lockdown. He had opened up the city gates to help villagers who were being plundered by invaders. His wife and daughter, Pan Er, were dragged off to be maidservants and their caste fell into the pariah rank overnight. She had rescued a man, Ouyang Xu, from drowning three years before the story began, and they started a relationship. He was a scholar who promised to wed her as soon as he passed the imperial examinations, however, he betrayed her love and she was left heartbroken.
Chen Xiao is Gu Qian Fan, an officer from the Capital Security and Punishments of the Palace (an investigative police force of the Emperor), whose father was also a court official (now Prime Minister aka Grand Secretary) who apparently abandoned his mother and remarried, causing Qian Fan much grief and anger towards him. Qian Fan in his teenage years was mentored by the unscrupulous and sly Qi Mu, who masqueraded as a loving teacher but who was only using him to attain his own goals, by keeping the wedge divided between father and son. Qian Fan eventually met Pan Er and after going through various trials and tribulations together, they fell in love. He promised her that he would not be a second Ouyang Xu.
While it’s mainly about three women who gained independence for themselves in the city, it's also mostly a love story. It’s not cloying or irritating, (ok, save for Episode 28 onwards, but everything was resolved by Episode 35, which was 4 episodes too long, imo). There’s some investigation involving the Empress, but it felt like an obligatory insertion to the drama. I love Zhao Pan Er as a character and I love Liu Yi Fei’s portrayal of her. I am also impressed by Chen Xiao’s portrayal of Gu Qian Fan although certain parts of his characterisation irked me to the point where I wanted to put a potato sack over his head.
The fire and passion between the two leads managed to convince my ever so fussy need for a tangible love story, and this drama’s ability to hold my attention is more than enough for me to acknowledge its watchability – for I couldn’t tear myself away from the screen when an episode began.
While the characters (and the supporting characters) had expressed thoughts and will that were way too revolutionary for a story set in the Song Dynasty, I totally welcome them challenging the said status quo in that era. Many injustices that women have suffered in that era is actually still happening today. Gu Qian Fan is quite the modern man in that era. When Pan Er doubted his sincerity, he readily and willingly emptied his bank account and gave all the deeds to his lands and houses to his beloved! “You can hold onto these things. They prove my love for you.” What a man!
Pan Er is a strong woman. She was hurt so deeply, but still she fell in love again, and again she gave it her all for Qian Fan. I love and admire her so much.
The drama ends happily, although I have some disappointments about the ending. Chen Lian and Zhao Di’s romance came out of nowhere. Their love jumped out overnight and there wasn't much explanation why San Niang's son came to the city and ended up as a beggar child before reuniting with his mother. We could only guess that he eventually started receiving ill treatment from his stepmother and father and ran away. There are also various characters I would rather see developed a bit more. But I do recommend this drama and I really love it a lot had it not been so rushed at the end.
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OMG - YOU HAVE GOT TO WATCH THIS!
Firstly, I am convinced that directors and producers from China read our reviews on MDL. I am starting to see a new wave of historical/period Chinese dramas that don't involve damsels in distress female lead characters, but rather vulnerable women, who are forced to be strong because of the events of their life, who are not willing to be treated as second class citizens because of their gender (even if the law force them to act like one). Also, I've made request in the past, asking for C-drama episodes to decrease from 60-80 to 20-30. Thank you for listening. Now, I can finally start my review...THE REASON WHY I RECOMMEND THIS DRAMA [EPISODES 1-20]
What I like about the drama A Dream of Splendor is the realistic, normalized, matured storyline of two people liking one another. There was good pacing (you'll be relieved to know that the side conflicts (not the main one) are usually resolved within 1-2 episodes); I like how the main scene changed twice (city 1, to the boat, to city 2)within the first 10 episodes, and how the transition made sense. Pacing, setting changes when necessary, and a well written script are what helps keeps the viewers intrigued. Additionally, there was almost no unbelievable plots, and no slow motion-fall-into-your-arms-then-stare-at one another-for 20-minute effects.
Regarding, the chemistry between the two leads, there was hardcore flirtation going on (no I don't mean sexual) but rather normal flirtation (how grown-ups flirt). This is almost unheard of in Chinese historical/period dramas with storylines that involve romance. Additionally, since the drama is told from the point of view of the female lead, and the female lead was a registered worker (not prostitute) due to the punishment that her father who was a minister, received from the king. The female lead character doesn't act cutesy and too shy to do NORMAL things. Like, remove the bandages from the male lead body when he was hurt. Yes, I am making a big deal about this because in most C-dramas there's a fake innocence that's presented in these dramas that is not believable. It usually makes me want to drop the drama or forward the scenes. If someone you care about is bleeding, dying or hurt, being shy about their body parts, doesn't make sense.
I like the fact that this drama shows how emotional trauma impacts the brain, and body (the scene on the boat). That scene is very realistic; I am glad that they allowed the character to process her emotions, and choose what's healthy... instead of having her going back to her no-good husband begging him for mercy just because she's a woman (around episode 5).
Lastly, I like the fact that the storyline allows for women to have a business (merchants). Their lives are not solely focused on finding Prince Charming, but it includes NORMAL things like working to make a living. The story shows the sexism and misogyny that they faced, dare they outshine men (episode 16).
CHARACTERS & ACTORS
I also enjoyed watching the female lead character and the actress. I had never seen the actress who played the female lead in any dramas before but she played her role well. The female lead character is independent, witty, and I'd go so far as to say that most women nowadays can relate to her story in this drama. Especially what happened towards the end of episode 15 (the conversation between the her and the male lead). She had been hurt before, and didn't want to get her hopes up because of her low social status. She told the male lead, if you aren't sure; if you aren't ready...then don't let the door hit you on the way out (meaning, don't play with her feelings, leave, if he can't commit).
The actress who played the 30 year old woman who was abandoned by her husband and child, also did a great job. I enjoyed her character because she was always ready to fight and protect, but in a very humorous way. Also, when she realized that she was abandoned by the people she gave her all to (the scene on the boat), she really portrayed what normal people would have done.
The male lead did a great job acting too. I love how flirty he was without being gruesome. Also, he is easy on the eyes, so that helped me like his character more. =) At first, I was confused about how him and the female lead started liking one another so quickly but as you continue to watch, you'll see the inference around episode 12-14. Whew that neck kiss in episode 17 around the 7 minute mark, took me by surprise. LOL! Btw, what happens with the lead characters in episode 20 may also catch you by surprise.
The female lead ex-fiance went about things the wrong way. He should have been truthful about not wanting her to be in danger, like the male lead did, instead of making her feel worthless and like their love was meaningless. I still can't tell if he is a good guy or bad guy (episodes 9-12).
I think this drama could have a modern (2022) remake, and it'll still be great. Keep everything but their style of clothes (makeup, hair, etc) and mode of transportation (no horses, but cars). I'd like to see this as a modern work drama or romcom.
Great drama, I look forward to watching the rest of this drama. I watched up to episode 21 because I am waiting for the other episodes to air.
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Splendid.
As the title says, the drama is splendid.2022 is about to end and among all the dramas I watched this year "A Dream of Splendor" is the best drama of the year.
Costumes, special effects, story and ending quite realistic. Good balance between happy, sad and comedy. I must say that in the sad or anguished moments I certainly wanted to enter the scenes and protect the characters. None of the actors have weak performances, the cinematography and storytelling are beautiful. I must mention with affection the actor Chen Xiao/Gu Qian Fan for his performance, he knows how to perfectly express the feelings of love for the occasion without falling into the corny and uncomfortable, the same when it comes to show anguish, pain and fury. Crystal Liu/Zhao Pan Er was also exceptional, she knew how to show us a strong but at the same time delicate and vulnerable young woman. Her dance mesmerized me, Crystal certainly looked like a dream. My only regret is that we didn't see the wedding between Pan'Er and Qian Fan or their married life which would have been a rather tender scenario to watch but I'm happy with what we were presented with. As a good drama lover I will take the liberty to imagine the happy future events.
Esplendido. Como lo dice el titulo.
2022 esta por acabar y entre todos los dramas que vi este año "Un sueño de esplendor" es el mejor drama del año.
Vestuario, efectos especiales, historia y final bastante realista. Buen balance entre los contecimientos felices, tristes y la comedia. Debo decir que en los momentos tristes o de angustia ciertamente queria entrar a las escenas y proteger a los personajes. Ninguno de los actores tiene debiles actuaciones, la fotografia y narrativa son preciosas. Debo mencionar con afecto al actor Chen Xiao/Gu Qian Fan por su actuación, sabe expresar a la perfección los sentimientos de amor para la ocasion sin caer en lo cursi e incomodo, lo mismo a la hora de mostrar angustia, dolor y furia. Crystal Liu/Zhao Pan Er tambien fue excepcional, supo mostrarnos a una joven fuerte pero a la misma vez delicada y vulnerable. Su danza me hipnotizó, Crystal lucia ciertamente como un sueño. Lo unico que lamento es que no vimos la boda entre Pan´Er y Qian Fan o su vida de casados que hubiera sido un escenario bastante tierno de ver pero estoy feliz con lo que nos presentaron. Como buena amante del drama me tomare la libertad de imaginarme los acontecimientos futuros felices.
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Magnificent Story and Great Acting
I loved this drama from beginning to end. First the 3 leading ladies strong, smart and would not let anyone stop their dream. A fourth young lady get added for more adventure and cute romance. Second the twist and turns that happens to these ladies through out the drama, makes the drama intense and you want to keep watching. The romance that the female leads experience, the good and the bad. The leading male that is chivalrous and will not give up of his love for the leading female. The chemistry between the leading female and male was great. The trust that they show for each other you can feel it in their acting. A great story and wonderful acting. It's been a long time since I enjoy a long drama.Was this review helpful to you?
