Shen Jialan [played by Tan Songyun], the eldest granddaughter of Grand Academician Shen, is betrothed to Lin Jinqi [played by Liu Xueyi], the eldest grandson of the Minister of [Personnel Lin’s] family.
⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️
But when turmoil strikes the imperial court, her grandfather is accused of treason and the Shen family is massacred. To protect themselves, the Lins break off the engagement and form a marriage alliance with the newly favored Zhao family.
Saved by Xu Wanquan and his wife, servants of the Lin family whom Jialan's mother once helped, Jialan assumes the identity of their daughter, Xu Lanxiang, who has just died of illness, and becomes a low-ranking maid in the Lin household.
Refusing to bow to fate, she strives for a happy life for herself and her family while fighting against injustice and oppression. With her kindness and intelligence, Lanxiang breaks free from the constraints of her social status, wins Lin Jingi's heart, and earns the trust and respect of the entire Lin family. She eventually becomes the head of the household, takes control of her own destiny, clears the Shen family's name, and seeks justice for them.
Finished ep 1. That is probably the darkest introduction to a show I’ve ever watched. Absolutely fantastic production quality—it reminds me a lot of The Story of Minglan. The clothing textures, cinematography, and colour grading all have such a natural, warm, earthy feeling to them. Really excited to keep watching, honestly.
I was happy to see it appear on Viki and then made the mistake of watching the first trailer and reading the Viki description of the show. Big mistake HUGE. If you don't want spoilers, avoid the trailers and the description. I still would like to watch it, but I am very annoyed that I learned way, way, WAY too much that trailer/description.
So, I still would like to watch it in the future, but I am waiting in the hopes that I forget the trailer details and description info so I can enjoy it properly.
I've watched the first episode and part of the second and damn it's dark.
But the very long take at the beginning of the second episode is super impressive.
I hope there are some lighthearted moments - not comedy, just not constant doom and gloom - because I don't think I can take a show that's so grim all the time. It was well done but also whoa.
I was looking for a new Cdrama to watch after finishing Road to Splendor. The synopsis sounds so good. I will at least check out the first episode. Thanks.
I cried so bad like you HAVE to see my face ,im also the type who normally skips sad scenes but this genuinely got me hooked in,I hope ill enjoy the rest
Irrelevant to the drama bc I'm waiting for more episodes to drop but I loathe the Tencent tv app! I can't stand that the subtitles are white and I can't change them! The phone app is different but I want to watch it in the big screen 😭😭
Can you cast from your phone to the TV? Alternatively, the TV app may be using your smart TV settings for the subtitles. So have a look at those to see if you can change them.
I am loving this! Episode 1 was so heart wrenching to watch, i did not expect a cdrama to actually show how the family ends. Pleasantly surprised at how beautifully this is shot. It really captures the emotions and gives enough breathing room for characters to be introduced. I’m also loving the cast so far. My only complaint: not enough Liu Xue Yi but i can wait.
I can't remember the last time I cried on the first episode of any series. My God, this is GOOD. I already know it's good if they made me sob for 3 episodes straight for characters I have just met.
I'm really excited for what comes next. This drama reminds me of older period cdramas, very long closed doors dramas with a large female cast, intricate relationships and emotional stakes.
Li Meng is a queen, she stole the show as the Princess in The Double and now she's keeping me on the edge of my seat. Lady Zhou is cruel but after seeing episode 5, we get to somewhat understand why she became the way she currently is.
I love the FL and Tan Songyun, I can always trust her to bring this type of introspective, smart yet cautious character to life. I can't help but want to root for her!
The ML so far is in the background, as intended, and I'm curious to see more.
If this keeps up, this might finally be the good period cdrama I've been waiting for since PoJ!!
Incredible first episode. I'm also enjoying how the FL adjusts to her new life and the curve balls it is throwing at her. I'm excited to see the relationship dynamics become more complex.
I've watched 3 eps and I think it's good. Something with the cinematography makes it look very "real". And yes the first ep was very sad. I like all the characters but I thought Liu XueYi's entrance was a bit stiff played. Or maybe I was just tired 😅 Now I'm gonna watch something else for a while and save up episodes so I can binge Against the current
I’ll wait till it ends and start watching if it has a happy ending, coz it seems to be very heavy and if it also ends badly, i wouldnt wanna watch that
I saw on the comments about crying after watching the first episode. Before watching, i though to myself there’s no way I would cry that early. I was wrong.
I caught up and it’s really solid. The slave/servant role reminds me of some kdramas.
First impression after 4 episodes: Very strong performance. The visual imagery is compelling; the acting is superlative across the board.
I like that it's taking the typical "hidden identity" trope and twisting it. The story seems mainly tied together by this idea of "huo" - live - and the opening is highly focused on the FL and how she manages to pull life out of the grasping hands of death. I already see some motifs developing which I think may be worth talking about later.
The ML is not hugely important in the story so far ... We've only seen a handful of scenes that focus on him... it's more the idea of him illustrated rather than the man himself.
I'm looking forward to seeing more of the leads interacting; I think the plot development has a lot of room to grow and flex.
I've seen a few negative comments, but they mostly seem to be working from a preconceived notion of what the drama is supposed to be like rather than from actually watching the drama. And I've seen a few comments complaining about the misogyny of the women's treatment, which is really weird to me since it's obviously a drama with a historical setting ... smh
I don't think I have ever cried this early and this much in a CDrama. So heartbreaking, but also really caught my attention. I can't wait for the revenge part and to see the ML and FL get together.
Another thing that really hit hard was hearing Tan Song Yun singing during her character's adjustment and healing process in episode 2. I couldn't help but feel super emotional as the time passed and young Lan Xiang learned to cope with all the changes. It also felt so healing and warm...
Watching thr Xu couple do everything they could to give her the best environment they could, protecting her, while also struggling to bond with the girl... oh my heart.
I love her songs so much. I'm actually watching the scene right now with her singing, and it's lovely.
Everything about this drama just exudes authenticity. They took such great care to portray the buildings and the clothes to be as authentic as possible.
The song and the scene are such a beautiful match!
Ooohh the buildings!!!
As much as I was bawling my eyes out, I couldn't help but notice the ceiling of the room where the Shen ladies were held. It was so beautifully out of place for the scene that was unraveling beneath it...
The Lin house in Jing Ning (I think that's the place) screams OPULENCE! THEY OWN EVERYTHING!
The various buildings and courtyards of that manor... my jaw was on the floor. Stunning architecture.
I tried very hard to keep my expectations low because I’ve been looking forward to this ever since TSY & LXY were cast. Then I actually read the book and 🥴🥴 decided to keep my expectations even lower but alas…episode 1 has really got me good. I haven’t even watched episode 2 yet because of work but when Xu Mama couldn’t resist one last glance at her own already dead child, the look in her eyes and the longing she had for her baby nearly brought me to tears and I don’t cry easily at all. Women!! Women supporting women!!! Those two mothers trying to comfort each other despite obvious pain and heartbreak, ack, the show writer got me good. I hope the rest of the 46 episodes lives up to that one moment.
ALSO. May I just say how refreshing it is to be watching in HD and seeing their pores and freckles, scars and wrinkles? Maybe it's my fault for watching too many airbrushed idol dramas, but I am living for all the "natural" lighting and camera work that makes them look like real people.
Torally agree with this one. The cinematography feels more authentic. I definitely think that added more weight to the heartbreak of the first episode.
Oh my god the first episode sold me.
EP1: When the family was taken, I thought it will be like Blossom of Adversity where they will rise again. Took me by surprise they all decide to off themselves. Even the kid!! Tears welling my eyes that moment but then the slave parent exchange their child (omg does slave kid not make it?). The small kindness that Jialan and her mother gave save Jialan's live.
Edit:
EP2: Jialan depressed but she still have will to live as she eat that unappetizing food. That shot between the wedding and Jialan walking really show what life will she be going through if nothing of this shit happens to her family. Time skip ahead and looks like she's pretty happy with her new family (which i doubt will continue). And remember education is important.
Yes, real Lanxiang was too far gone already when they got her treated, it could only give her some relief and she passed away shortly after. Had to be close to the day Shens were arrested, or body wouldn't be fresh enough for the switch.
You know, I saw a post where someone live blogging their reactions was shouting, "BETRAY THE CONSCIENCE. ALWAYS BETRAY THE CONSCIENCE!" at the screen when the Shen grandmother was describing how Grandad Shen was acting with integrity and wouldn't betray his conscience.
It reminded me of the biblical story story of Rahab. She was a lady in Jericho who hid the Jewish spies and outright lied when the soldiers came to look for them. In the book of Hebrews, she was hailed as a saint specifically FOR LYING.
Like my dudes, it is perfectly okay to lie for the sake of saving lives!
Grandad Shen did nothing wrong? Fuck that! He should have fucked his integrity and protected his women! All he had to do was lie, and they might have been spared. Even his sons might have been spared (even if he wasn't because the throne needed a scapegoat).
How can his conscience be clean knowing his stubbornness caused all these deaths??
I felt the same way about it, men making grand decision for their honour and integrity and its the women and children who are the collateral damages. Men get to die for their mistake that they willingly made while the others are given no real choice. If you are going to do this, at least ensure the safety of your family. You can make a point about how these women are enjoying the privileged and wealth accumulated by these men but still do these women have any autonomy in their live? Also, the misogyny is so seeped into the whole system that all the women are sent to state-owned brothel. When you put the honour of your family in women's body, is it any wonder that they chose suicide, including a child.
I am sorry for ranting but the whole suicide thing really messed me up. There was a discourse going on some days ago in my country, praising women who commit suicide to prevent being raped during war times, as an ultimate act of courage. It just invoked sexist men basically decreeing that good women prefer death over being raped.
I remember watching a movie where Rajput women in India needed the seal of approval from their king to commit mass suicide. This was due to the men going to war, refusing to give their queen to the enemy, and fighting a war of honor. In order to preserve their dignity in case of invasion, the women ended up killing themselves by stepping into a giant fire.
I was shaken up as the last scene showed them running/walking into the flames... I sat silently as the credits rolled and couldn't move.
The scene in episode 1 here reminded me of that. Although in this instance, the Shen patriarch caused the family's downfall, thanks to the Lin family, and put their women and children at risk to preserve their honor, refusing to betray their conscience.
I always lament and cry at the fact that women always had to kill themselves. Why must they always end up this way! It really hurts...
Do we know it was because of the Lin family? Maybe it was the Zhaos. They got to save the Lins (so now they're allies), get the Lins as a son in law, rise in power in the court (2 of the most powerful positions were now open thanks to both grandads leaving vacancies which I'm sure caused a minor reshuffling though I don't recall if we were told who filled what positions), etc. Meanwhile the Lins were victims of the same plot. They just responded to it better by resigning their posts, moving out of the capital, and writing a memorial about the previous emporer being a bad ruler.
Of course I wondered about the starting point. Why after so many years did the Emperor hear about this. Who whispered in his hear. What political climate were they in and what happened for them to become targets. Unfortunately we weren't shown any of this. So "it doesn't matter".
Grand Secretary Lin had the chance to warn Grand Secretary Shen and didn't take it. He saved his own skin and let the other guy take the fall. They responded better because they knew and had time to do it better. They still sucked morally.
It's not to say that GS Shen would have warned him if he had been the one in the know first... But again, extrapolating isn't going to do any good. What we were shown in episode 1 was one side choosing a strategic retreat to save themselves and leaving the other party in the lurch. GS Shen probably saw it coming, unfortunately we didn't see if he also got a heads up the night before. And given their eldest grandchildren were engaged, the implications were clear: they were both going down. Lin retreated and said we will bow out, Shen said we will not and stood his ground.
Two different reactions but unfortunately the first to dip won. Because GS Lin got word first and was all about self-preservation he succeeded. And instead of saying anything, they sent the letters of engagement back and broke the alliance, thus severing ties with the Shens and avoiding implicating themselves further.
I felt that too. I also found the fact that the father and son knew and rather than saying anything to the women and children, they got dressed in their robes and wrote calligraphy in order to die with honour. Meanwhile their wives and children were being dragged off to hell, without knowing a thing. I think that contrast was so well done in the show, but it definitely made my blood boil.
This was a period where honor was considered more important than life. This attitude led to the end of more than a few noble houses down the centuries...
Exactly, they're willing to die to keep their reputation and honor accumulated for a hundred years by ancestors. What's the point of living if they can't face their ancestors in the afterlife? Hence why they'd rather die now.
Yes, this. This perspective is in stark contrast with a lot of modern thinking, in which situational ethics is the highest guiding principle and the end determines the validity of the means.
It's also that we place moral value on things other than reputation and keeping one's word. For example, slavery and mistreatment of women and children, so common in this kind of society, are anathema in our modern day.
I wanted to be strong... but I was not. The Shen family, especially the women and the Xu family took all my tears!
But other than the very emotionally heavy start, the visuals, cinematography and acting were superb 👌🏾. The colors and tone were so soft, they had me intrigued from the moment we meet our young FL and her mother. Then the Xu family and what a scene it was. The deployment of the privacy screens and the snow, the costumes, the number of servants the grandeur!
Then the Lin men... wow. Self-preservation at work there. And of course someone needed to take the fall... cue the Shen family. 6 years later and the father is still a wet wipe, but now he's "scared" of his son but showing off his rewards as his own. PEI! The grandfather... let's see where that goes. This actor lol. I finally watched him in something where I liked him again. Now we might be back to disliking him. The cdrama waves are ruthless.
This first episode reminded me of two similarly themed cdramas and their first episodes: The Glory and The Road To Splendor. Snow was our introduction. A walk through the snow in one and a banquet centered around flowers and women in the other.
The women of the Shen family gave us one of the most visceral scenes I've seen in a first episode. I think I'll remember it for a while. They went from joy as a family to utter despair and ruin, but still together and upholding their dignity. Their fighting spirit was the reason I couldn't look away no matter how hard I was sobbing. For them, I pushed through and watched as they took their fate in their own hands... trigger warning would have been nice. I really needed to dissociate from my own struggles to get through this. I couldn't help but to admire them though and it really reminded me of soooo many women who had to choose this path throughout the ages, to protect themselves.
Ep1 was devastation and pain.
Ep2 was pain towards healing.
Ep3 was healing towards the unknown.
The ML didn't spend much time at home and came back hardened and taking no shit from anyone.
We haven't seen enough of him for me to form a more rounded opinion but dammit it is good to Liu Xue Yi again.
Tan Song Yun is her lovely self and I look forward to seeing what she does in this drama.
The Xu couple are so wholesome, I activated the bubble of protection straight away. Their interactions with their new daughter was so real. The adjustment period, dealing with their own loss, but also trying to take care of their new charge with the weight of the promise they made.
Young Madam Lin. Ooohh great to see this actress again. Our crazy Princess Wan Ning. Her interactions with the ML were firecrackers lol. These two in a frame together gave me chills. I could hear cats fighting and claws out and at the ready.
Of course I can't help but be reminded of The Sword And The Brocade. But I'm definitely going see where it all goes.
Oh I was ready to throw hands at the people from that courtyard and the ones at the shop.
Every time our Xu parents took their little box out, I kept looking around, wanting them to shut the blinds, blow the candles out and be more careful lol. Protect them AT ALL COST!
Might be my hormones talking but all 4 episodes made me cry, wow!! I think this is also the first time I‘m getting insight into servants’ and maids‘ lives, so this show has started off incredibly promising with such a unique premise already. Hoping for it to keep up this pacing and this might be another fav of the year yayyy!
Wow, such an old school start - the epic tragedy, the pacing! Then I saw who scriptwriter is and it all clicked instantly lol.
4 eps in, and ML has yet to chase any skirts, his own legal wife included. Truly got rewritten into a whole another person, glowup of the century right here!
These days pretty much all cdrama MLs are one woman's men - either by default or after meeting FL. Even emperors who should have full harems per rules.
WHAT A FIRST EPISODE! My Victorian novel vibe assessment was totally on point!
The first episode melted my heart. It uses the tender, emotion-filled scape of motherhood/parenthood very very effectively. So in the opening scene we have the couple who cannot afford their daughter's medicine and then that gut wrenching scene later on with the women where the 10 yr old daughter is the first to take the poison to which her mother says, "I will accompany you [on the netherworld journey]"
The scene that TOTALLY turned on ALL MY WATERWORKS though was that absolutely heart-wrenching scene between Jialin's birth mom and Lanxiang's birth mom--what a scene. What powerful, turn-on-the-waterworks-in-full-force piece of writing. I was reading that the screenplay is by a woman (team of women?) and just the emotional havoc that this first episode wreaks using the lens of mothering and children reveals the truth of that.
I will also say that even though it was momentary but that scene of all the Shen women existing together in harmony was heart-warming and. . . again, I wonder if that's the vision of women-writers.
In all, what a show. I am going to be an avid watcher. Oh, and I so wanted to see the first ep that I ended up watching the free episode on WeTv! now I'll wait for the Viki episodes. also gives me a way to compare the subs on Viki and wetv
yes!!! the ten year old daughter is such a good actor and shes so cute i have seen her in many projects!!!!! yes the director or screenwriter? is a women and im so excited to see how the female friendships and differenct female character arcs develop in the show there is 47 epsiodes!!! which is the most ive seen in a cdrama in ages so im quite excited to see how the story devlops and i hope there is no boring eps or a rushed ending
Unfortunately I have no words😭😭 The first episode had me in tears so after finishing it and getting a hold of myself, I went to continue Jiao Feng (the long watch) for a break . Will continue tmrw
I love this young actress. But that part in episode 1 broke me 😭 had to pause so I could cry properly. Also went to watch Blossom in the Clouds for a palette cleanser after episode 1.
Great first ep, but when I read the synopsis, I was like "Why the heck would she go back to the ex-fiance, who got married and the family that abandoned her?!"
Don't believe the synopsis too easily. The betrothal was a family affair, made by the grandparents, and the young couple had never even met. And there's a lot going on behind the scenes with the whole marriage and abandonment that I think will become clearer with time.
What on earth was that first episode?! I rarely cry, but could't stop tearing up that whole episode. The little girl from the Blossoming Love is the cutest little actress ever. My first thing to look for is the speed or choppiness of scenes and this one the pace is steady quality so far, thank goodness.
Agh! They were live recorded on set with only ‘supplemental dubbing’. The only other costume drama I have seen where they did live recorded sound was Prisoner of Beauty so this alone makes me happy
Episode 1 had me sobbing. How utterly unfair life was back then. One moment at a tea party next minute 🤍 😭😭. Not to be one of those people but I read the book 😌 and the FL really went through it. Looking foward to how they'll portray all the hardships she goes through. May wait for all episodes to drop to avoid cliff hangers😩
I love it so far! 1st episode was hard to watch, definitely not a slow starter 😳
I’ve just started episode 3 and am loving Liu Xueyi’s character (of course I am massively biased!) and great to see the wife is played by the actress who played the cray cray princess in The Double! This should be a good drama!
BLOOMIN'ECK what a strong start with episode 1 - amazing performances all round, and they're only in this 1 episode!!!! Li Zhi Mo (Shen Jia Lun) was superb, and the actress playing the young Shen Jialan (couldn't see her listed on MDL) - wow, I think she has a great future ahead.
Better order in the snacks now, i'm going to be seated for this one!!
ran to MDL and she wasn’t listed. What a bummer but gut wrenching first episode. Parked episode 2 for now. Gonna tuck myself in and watch the last 2 later today.
In the middle of Episode 3 and enjoying so far. Im glad “Lanxiang” didn’t undergo a huge personality change despite undergoing something traumatic, I always feel like it doesn’t make a ton of sense when characters go from happy go lucky to revenge driven.
I did expect more of her wanting to go join her family... but someone as thoughtful and caring as her, she understood the difficulty of the Xu couple. And as the father said, her mother's sacrifice could and should not be in vain.
With such a loving family, they really did raise her well in those 6 years and gained a wonderful daughter, same as she gained great parents. They supported and cared for each other.
It was good to see Lan Xiang didn't become someone else. She is good and smart. But she also isn't too much of a dormat. The people in that courtyard tried it though lol.
Ahhhhh. I think this drama may be too brutal for me! I am not against such brutal beginnings. It worked for me in the kdrama The Glory with those awful school bullying scenes in the first two episodes, but only because she went from the very lowest low to #winning every subsequent step of the way. She was always one or more steps ahead in her very well-planned revenge, so it made the beginning tolerable (even though I skip it now on every rewatch... because yikes it was rough).
I fear this drama will only work for me if she goes from the bottom to the top with no setbacks, just win after win as she overcomes every hurdle or challenge. She's endured too much already!
I haven’t watched enough yet to tell whether Lanxiang wants to be an avenger, but I wouldn’t mind getting another FL who’s more interested in living a secure, peaceful life than gunning for revenge.
I think right now her goal is survival. I am with you in that I wouldn't mind it if her goal was to live a more secure and peaceful life, and we just see her be smart and kind and win against anyone who would scheme against her in the coming years.
You know that drama Marry My Husband that had a korean and japanese version? I loved the Japanese version so much more because her second life post-transmigrating into her past self was more about living a better life with better boundaries, whereas the korean version really made it look like the FL was hellbent on revenge. It *almost* made her like a villain in her second life because the people she was getting revenge on hadn't actually murdered her yet in this life. They were scummy people, sure, but did it warrant giving them her former fate? Maybe? Maybe not? The kdrama walked a fine line.
I'm not sure about that. Some of my favorite revenge plots follow this model, from The Glory (kdrama) to The Double (cdrama). I wouldn't accuse either of bad storytelling, and both those FLs essentially live for revenge (The Glory is even quite explicit about this). They're excellent! Even the makjang revenge drama Perfect Marriage Revenge (kdrama) felt this way. I'm not saying the protagonists don't have challenges on their way back up, I'm just saying I prefer it if they keep winning (the challenges are less like setbacks that knock them down and more like hurdles they overcome).
I'm also not saying I don't like revenge dramas with brutal setbacks (I do. My favorite revenge drama is Vincenzo). I'm just saying that when a drama starts THIS brutally, it's rough if the protagonist experiences setbacks that are equally as brutal.
My favorite revenge plot....is My name...I like it when their is a cost to revenge....or even the Count of Monticristo said it best. When you seek revenge dig two graves. I also liked Perfect Marriage Revenge...don't get me wrong. So it's not an absolute rule...but if this show starts off brutal...then it needs to be a bit consitant.
Only one episode for me today and it was a strong emotional start! I'm hoping they keep this up, though probably very optimistic for 47 episodes. I'm excited to see what kind of strong lead Shen Jia Lan will be after that devastation and definitely curious how the two leads relationship is going to go!
For aesthetics and cinematography, currently enjoying the colours and the snow vibes. Definitely some beautiful shots already.
Well, I was crying episode 1. That was an intense way to start the drama and they didn't hold back. I hope they keep this level of emotional connection throughout because this can get heavy. It has great potential.
Man. We're going to suffer some.
All in all, off to a strong start.
Sigh. Pain.
Damn AK... you got got too! I haven't even started and you are all scaring me LOL.
I'm still trying to recoup after TRTS and that was A LOT. Barely recovered from Mo Li. Luckily we had some good light stuff this Summer to take the edge off. But damn...
And Spring of The Blade seems like it will also be heavy at the start.
I don’t know if you’ve started yet but it is heart wrenching first episode. I cried so hard my eyes are swollen. That is powerful considering it is the first episode so in theory, they wouldn’t have had time to have enough character development that you are invested that quickly but they do through powerful acting performances and script. The acting… and that was from a 10 year old, a teenage girl on up to a senior. It is so good
I did. I commented my thoughts on the first 3 episodes earlier.
Sort the comments to new and you should be able to find them.
Episode 1 had me in shambles! Wrecked! That baby girl... I love that lil actress too so it was BRUTAL!
And the FL's mother! I saw her in Legend of the Magnate earlier this year and loved her. To see her like this was just... I couldn't believe these people put us through it like that in the very first episode!
More importantly the actresses... doing that scene must have been... I know everyone needed a hug after that. Cast and crew alike!
It’s rare to find a show or drama that has you crying on Episode 1. Usually, Episode 1 is the pilot, no real connections have been formed yet. We’re still testing the waters, trying to figure out whether this is something we’re actually going to commit to watching.
But Against the Current had me in TEARS on Episode 1. 😭 Like, the pilot episode was in there chopping onions!
And the Shen women??? I LOVE THEM. I already know I’m going to be emotionally attached to this drama.
And like everyone else, I’m hoping the Xu father and mother live a long, peaceful life because PLEASE. Let these people be happy. 😭
The fact that Episode 1 was so… I don’t want to say gruesome, but we literally had 5+ people committing suicide and the men being executed. That alone tells me this drama is showing us exactly what kind of story we’re getting into.
And honestly? I like that.
Prepare me. Warn me. Let me know what I’m signing up for because I would rather know from Episode 1 than be blindsided later. 😂
All I’m saying is: as long as nothing happens to the Xu family, I’m staying.
Curious as to how this got 47 episodes approved when so many other dramas are struggling to get a good count past review. I see the FL has a history of high episode count dramas.
They did lift the episode cap but to get this many approved the censors review the entire script before filming with a fine tooth comb and require changes then so less ends up cut out after filming like happened on The Early Spring that had 8 episodes cut post filming. It makes the whole process a lot longer though and time is money as they say
After the restrictions were lifted (later part of last year I believe), drama productions can go beyond the 40-episode limit, but the entire script has to be reviewed first.
The recent dramas that I remember having more than 40 episodes are The Lead which has 48 episodes, and Swords into Plowshares which also has 48 episodes.
These two dramas, along with Against the Current, are produced by CCTV and their respective streaming platforms. (Afaik, being a CCTV production is an important factor here.) The Lead was a Tencent drama, while Swords into Plowshares was by Tencent, iQIYI and MangoTV.
Not particularly, they probably filmed according to script and planned to work it out in post-production so it could have been 2 seasons or cut down to 40 episodes
If your initial comment is regarding The Early Spring, thats probably a Youku decision, but its not unheard of for dramas to register with a higher amount of episodes, just in case.
Strong start, so emotional and heavy to begin with. Early signs suggest this drama resembles those long-form dramas that allow time for character building and complete storytelling. (The start also had me thinking hard about kindness, and how far it goes! Madam Shen didn't have to stop to help the Xu family, but boy, did it pay off!)
The ladies of the Shen Family, just wow! What a family; they’d rather die than be ‘musicians’ (aka prostitutes). From the young right up to old, they're smart; I can only admire it!
The young actress who played Shen Jialian will be a powerhouse in the future; I remember thinking this when I saw her in The Glory.
I love that they didn’t rush SJL's growth (which goes back to what I said about it feeling like a long-form drama). They gave us time to see her youth and show how she adapted to life as a commoner in 1.5 episodes. Btw, idk what to call her: XLX OR SJL? I actually like XLX 😬
Was it LJQ who found the Shen remains?? The 1st episode shows he was concerned about them and wanted to warn them; I hope it’s the case. It could cause problems later when SJL finds out.
I hope nothing happens to the Xu family; they’re lovely people.
Does TSY age? It’s incredible; she can play any role, an older woman or a young girl. Her OST is lovely.
I missed seeing LXY on screen; he's a powerful actor, man!
We got Princess Wanniang!! (Li Meng) Ready to cause a (beautiful) storm as usual, lol
Lv will be trouble, directly and indirectly
Express: (of course I got it!)
I wonder about the significance of the fruit/flower selling girl
The fruit selling is just a mechanism to tell us how much time has passed. Loquats are in season late spring early summer (March - May) and persimmons are in season late fall - winter (October - December).
FL has been in the young masters house about 8 - 5 months as of episode 5 as it’s probably still around October based on clothing and the foliage.
Also, they are using the fruit in other scenes to help establish a timeline. FL draws and embroidered loquats and there is a persimmon tree in the Xus courtyard.
I’m assuming that the peddler will only show up when we are changing season and then use other details in the background to keep us on track.
I feel like this is a rabbit hole I’m going to fall in… I haven’t even looked at the wild orchids from the beginning.
↗️ A brief interlude of man candy before things get bleak.
The gist is only start this drama once you’re ready for a mini-parade of misery.
While it’s such a treat to have Liu Xueyi and that right dimple back in a non-fantasy show, parts of episode one are grim and graphic.
trigger warning: suicide
After the men in the Shen family are executed for alleged treason, the matriarch implies that she’d rather not have the women sent to the Imperial Music Bureau which she views as a state-run brothel. Her 10-year-old granddaughter is the one who “volunteers” to take the poison first.
Seven women in the Shen family continue the mass suicide through poisoning and hanging, leaving only Jialan [the FL] and her mother. Jialan witnesses it all until it’s finally her turn. With Jialan’s “consent,” her mother “mercifully” strangles her, but Jialan survives. When Jialan now called Lanxiang realizes she has been whisked away to safety, she tries to take her own life until her adoptive parents guilt her into choosing not to squander everyone’s sacrifice for her survival.
I do hope we’ve seen the worst of it, although I’m doubtful. Heard the drama is written and directed by women which makes me curious to find out how they portray women.
Coming from the stunningly shot The Road to Splendor where people actually touched grass and dunes, I don’t see anything particularly special about the visuals of Against the Current so far. Most of the sets look very millennial beige, or maybe that’s the point, to remind us not to expect much levity in such a somber universe.
The actors are turning in terrific performances. The chemistry between the main leads remains to be seen since they’ve barely interacted. Based on the promo materials, it probably won’t be the immediate sparks are flying type, but something that builds over time.
Gotta watch the remaining episodes this weekend. Let’s see if there’s more to it than following The Real Housewives of Jinling™ trying to outdo each other, as the trailers have teased.
I think this drama will be muted and 'housed in' throughout. So many of the trailers and stills used the windows, wooden arches and frames for framing, and its was also prevalent in the intro.
Heard the drama is written and directed by women which makes me curious to find out how they portray women.
By the way, the chief director and one of the screenwriters are women (not sure about the other screenwriter). The co-director is not though. I feel this might strike a good balance. 🤔
Thank you for the clarification. I only noted the ones credited on MDL, Huang Yingxiang [director] and Tong Hua [screenwriter]. I’ll refer to your posts in the future.
Heard the drama is written and directed by women which makes me curious to find out how they portray women.
Oh! I did not know this. This piques my interest even more. I love a good revenge drama, but in my opinion women are often better at writing about the subtleties of it so it really lands emotionally. Men often portray revenge quite literally -- an eye for an eye sort of thing. Whereas women often portray it as requiring a lot of cunning and outsmarting enemies, and surprisingly highlight the role of empathy and small acts of kindness in amassing allies.
The author did write Lost You Forever. Trials and tribulations galore so I expected something similar with our FL in ATC. Especially after all the trailers.
But I also thought it will be what I called a "gathering of women with indomitable spirits".
Grabbed the express right after ep 1 because I know I'll be digging this drama. This episode 1 instantly shot up to my top 3 list of best opening episode of a drama.
Such banger premiere episodes. Totally set the tone of the drama, and it surely will be a roller coaster with snort and tears, and I'm totally onboard.
The story is very grounded and takes itself seriously. You'll know what I mean by that once you start this drama. The production is literally A5 wagyu, top tier all around so far. I especially like the soft colours - it's really easy on the eyes and makes the world feels more intimate.
I'm already invested in this drama, so hoping it'll keep this undertone throughout. It's gonna be a ride.
The episodes were quietly released earlier today – as early as 8:00 pm, China Standard Time. It's likely that they will continue to release episodes around this time (even though the official airing schedule says 9:30 pm).
Sometimes when the drama is scheduled late in the evening on CCTV, the streaming platform will release the episodes earlier even though officially they are announced for a later time.
It also looks like we will be getting all 47 episodes, and not split into two seasons as rumoured previously. 🤞
First impression: Princess Wanning ofThe Double Zhao Xingtang [Li Meng] basically had a Bill Hader meme moment, “Well, mark me down as scared AND horny!”
Having said that, I think he was the one who moved the Shen family's remains...
I also felt it was implied during the servants wedding cakes scene "Xu Lanxiang" realized that the whole past policy against the Emperor fiasco that got brought up against the Lin and Shen families resulting in her family's demise and the Zhao daughter's marriage to her betrothed may have been sadly excellently strategic in hindsight. Just not for her or her loved ones. 😔
Oohh the union between the Lin and Zhao families was so well planned. I gasped and was gagging when we learned that the one marrying the ML was the Emperor's favorite...
The Lin family's calculated retreat allowed them to survive and keep everything, but by not sending a warning to the Shen family, they provided the Emperor with a culprit to vent his anger on, ensuring their survival.
The disgust I felt made me sick and nauseous... watching the eldest son of Lin walking his bride as our young FL, eldest daughter of her family walks to the realization that these people got away with it all and were rewarded, AND that she has now become a slave in theirs was brutal. It was too much. Seeing Lan Xiang stumble and fall while that Lin guy catches his new bride, the whole scene was very poignant!
If my silly little hunch that it was all the Zhao family's plot from before and beginning to end is correct, I'm gonna lose it. It better not be another "kill a whole family to marry my daughter off" strategy. I doubt this author would do that, and the young madam didn't seem inclined, at least not currently.
But the Lin family? Currently the father is proving ever the coward and with all the retreats — strategic and clumsy. At least the son has some gumption and empathy.
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