***SPOILER ALERT, PROCEED READING AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION***

I didn't have any expectations for The Long Ballad because I stumbled across the drama without knowing anything about it; however, the storyline really blew me away. This drama took many unexpected turns and it really kept me on my toes the entire time. At first, the assassination of Li Changge's family and her struggle to survive for revenge drew me in. As the story progresses, we witness the growth of Changge as she realizes the consequences of pursuing her revenge plot. This is one reason why I enjoyed watching this drama so much, there are many lessons to be learned and someone has to bear the consequences of every action. It's not only a story of great victories but also of great loss.

I also appreciate that although the plot follows Changge, we are introduced to a lot of incredibly virtuous and charming characters. Each of these characters have their own struggles and as we witness their sacrifices, we learn the depth of one's love for their family, for their lover, or for their country. Later, Changge understands that her love for her country is greater than her resentment and this holds her back from taking catastrophic actions before finding out the truth about her family's murder. It's developments like these that really keep me engrossed and we witness many among the characters throughout drama. The only tiny change I would want for the story is in the main couple's love story. Having been through thick and thin, I would have liked to see more physical affection. In my opinion, it would be more realistic for two people who are madly in love with each other to take it further than hugs and one questionable kiss.

That aside, the music was top notch. I liked many of the songs and I have to say my favorite is the one sung by Zhou Shen. His voice is majestic and I think good dramas follow him because every drama I've watched with him singing the ost was good. I also watched a bts video about the music production and the producer was very meticulous in making music that fit the drama's theme and I believe his hard work paid off because he gave us several unforgettable songs that tug at our heartstrings.

Last but not least, all of the actors did an incredible job portraying their characters. At first, I couldn't get into Rosy Zhao's character, Princess Yongan/Leyan. This is not because Rosy falls short as an actress, rather I have watched several of her dramas and bts videos in which she is nothing like the quiet, docile Leyan whom she portrays here. However, as I continued watching, her character grew on me and I was reminded again what an incredible actress she is (at such a young age too). My favorite scene of Leyan was when she reminded Hao Du of all of Changge's sacrifices for Tang dynasty. I was very impressed with Rosy's acting in that scene. I was also introduced to Leo Wu, who plays Ashile Sun, in this drama and was surprised when I found out his age (21). Likewise, he did a great job portraying his character. These two actors are a reminder that talent comes in all ages.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this drama if you're looking for an action-packed, original war story involving poverty, resentment, sacrifice, and devotion.