A Female Student arrives at the Imperial College (2021) - Final Review

Final review/rating: A Female Student arrives at the Imperial College (2021) - Hilarious, light-hearted, and lightweight 

This is a 7/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan 🐼

Overall rating:         7 Stars Plot:                       7 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    7 Stars Re-watch value:      6 Stars Enjoyment factor:   8 Stars

A Female Student arrives at the Imperial College (2021) is hilarious, light hearted, but undoubtedly lightweight.  If you are expecting a serious drama on female empowerment, you will be disappointed because there is only a tokenistic nod to this despite the promising premise.  

But if you want laugh-out-loud if somewhat cliched romcom hilarity, you're in the right place. The first half delivers this in spades - after all, it is the Queen of Romcom, Zhao Lu Si at the helm!  

The second half takes a marked turn for melodrama and angst, wrapping up with an entirely predictable ending.  But overall, an enjoyable and very funny watch for fans of Zhao Lu Si. I'm also now a decided fan of Ao Rui Peng, who played Yan Yan with commendable comic flair.   

  

SPOILERS AHEAD

  

A Female Student arrives at the Imperial College (2021) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  A Female Student arrives at the Imperial College

Chinese title: 國子監來了個女弟子

Episodes:  30

Genre: Romcom, historical, school, mystery

Original network: Youku

Release date:      22 Sept 2021

Airing schedule:  22 Sept 2021 - 14 Oct 2021

Synopsis:

Sang Qi wants to become the first female student at the male only Imperial College to fulfil her older brother's final wish.  As the only daughter of the Grand Marshal, she manages to wrangle her father into seeking leave from the Emperor for her to enroll at the Imperial College.  

However, prior to classes beginning, she makes a bet with the arrogant Lady Song Jia Yin that she will be able to get Yan Yun Zhi, the aloof no 1 young master of the capital, to accept her embroidered purse by the time of the Lantern Festival or be forced to perform on stage during the festivities.  

Sang Qi only realises after the bet that the gifting of an embroidered purse is considered a love token and Yan Yun Zhi is steadfast in refusing her purse despite the many hilarious antics Sang Qi tries to get him to do so.  When she arrives at the Imperial College, she finds, to her dismay that Yan Yun Zhi is the Dean (司業).  Opposites attract, sparks fly, and love blossoms, but Sang Qi's fellow student and childhood friend Zhou Wen Yuan is also determined to win her affections.