Romance of a Twin Flower (2023) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Romance of a Twin Flower 

Chinese title:  春闺梦里人 (Eng translation: "Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir") 

Episodes: 38

Genre: Romance, comedy, historical

Original network:  Tencent

Release date:        21 March 2023

Airing schedule:    21 March 2023 - 20 April 2023

Synopsis:

Nie Sang Yu is infamous for her wickedness and cruelty.  She is married to Ning Yu Xuan, a high ranking minister in the imperial court and the most handsome man in the capital.  But their in name only marriage is far from being a happy one as Nie Sang Yu's one sided infatuation is not returned.  

While being pursued for her involvement in the stabbing of her rival, Nie Sang Yu falls from a cliff.

Days later, Ning Yu Xuan finds his 'wife'.  But when she regains consciousness, Nie Sang Yu has lost all her memories, and her personality is entirely different.  Cheerful, kind, and with remarkable business acumen, the new Nie Sang Yu is full of good ideas for establishing a business empire and is determined to divorce Ning Yu Xuan to regain her freedom. Is she even the same person?

  

Royal Rumours (2023) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Royal Rumours

Chinese title:  花琉璃轶闻 (Eng translation: "Hua Liu Li anecdotes")

Genre: Romance, comedy, palace, historical

Original network:  Tencent

Release date:        15 March 2023

Airing schedule:    15 March 2023 - 1 April 2023

Synopsis:

The kingdom of Jin owes much to the loyalty and military prowess of the Hua clan, whose armies have won numerous decisive victories, including that over the rival kingdom of Jin Po.

But the hearts of men are fickle, and the civil officials of the imperial court begin to make trouble for fear of the military might of the Hua family. Bowing to this pressure, the Emperor bestows the title of County Princess on the young daughter of the Hua family, Hua Lu Li, and summons her to the capital, ostensibly to enjoy the capital's prosperity. The reality, of course, is that Hua Lu Li is a hostage in all but name. 

To allay everyone's concerns, Hua Lu Li presents herself as a physically frail beauty - one that even the wind can blow over. Few see past her façade, but when Hua Lu Li matches wits with Crown Prince Ji Yuan Su, he discovers that she is more then she seems.  Eventually, both come to realise that they have meet their match💕  

  

Song of the Moon (2022) - Final Review

Final review/rating:  Song of the Moon (2022) - Decent acting from eye candy cast marred by a lackluster script 

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

Overall rating:         7 Stars Plot:                       6 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    8 Stars Re-watch value:      5 Stars Enjoyment factor:   6.5 Stars

Song of the Moon (2023) features a gorgeous main cast (Zhang Bin Bin, Wang You Shou, Wang Yi Lun, Xu Lu) in gorgeous xianxia settings, but the drama is mediocre at best.  

There are occasional moments that lift it above mediocrity in terms of xianxia angst and romance, but unfortunately, much of the 40 episode drama is spent on endless variations on the same theme.  

Even the heartfelt performances from the two deliciously gorgeous male leads failed to save this one from being something of a slog to get through. 

To be honest, my sole reason for persevering to the end and rating this a 7/10 rather than a 6.5/10 was because Zhang Bin Bin and Wang You Shou are just so damn fine...  

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Song of the Moon (2022) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Song of the Moon

Chinese title:  月歌行 (Eng translation: "Moon Song journey") 

Episodes: 40

Genre: Xianxia, fantasy, romance

Original network:  iQiyi

Release date:        15 Dec 2022

Airing schedule:    15 Dec 2022 - 10 Jan 2023

Synopsis:

When Liu Shao was 8 years old she met a mysterious immortal who granted her three days of perfect happiness in exchange for permission to change her fate in 10 years time. She grows up as a happy, carefree heiress, with a yearning to meet the immortal again.  

At 18, Liu Shao's life is endangered when the demoness Ao Hen tries to steal her spiritual essence.  She is rescued by Lu Li, a handsome young cultivator with high spiritual powers, who looks exactly like the immortal from Lui Shao's past and who only has half a heart.    

  

The Starry Love (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating:  The Starry Love (2023) - Hilarious and heartfelt xianxia take on "wrong carriage, right groom" tale 

This is 9/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         9 Stars Plot:                       9 Stars Acting/cast:            9 Stars Couple chemistry:   10 stars Music:                    9 Stars Re-watch value:      9 Stars Enjoyment factor:   10 Stars

The Starry Love (2023) is brilliant! 

What I thought would be yet another cookie-cutter xianxia turned into an enchanting and very funny watch. This drama has well-written relatable characters that will tug at your heartstrings and a witty script that deftly moves between side-splitting comedy and pathos.  

Be prepared to go on an emotional rollercoaster - I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with the characters time and time again while laughing and crying. I have honestly never laughed so hard watching a xianxia.   

While I think The Starry Love (2023) doesn't quite stick the landing in the final episode, that does not detract much from my considerable enjoyment of the drama overall.  And boy am I impressed with the leads: Chen Xing Xu, Li Lan Di, Chen Mu Ci, He Xuan Lin - these four are definitely on my radar as young actors to watch!       

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Ancient Love Poetry (2021) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Ancient Love Poetry

Chinese title: 千古玦塵 / 千古玦尘 (Translation: "Ancient Dust") 

Episodes:  49

Genre: Xianxia, fantasy, romance

Original network: Tencent

Release date:      17 June 2021

Airing schedule:  17 June 2021 - 28 July 2021

Synopsis:

Mortals can ask the gods for help, but who can the gods seek help from? 

In the ancient realm上古界, the four true gods are Shang Gu (the god of chaos),  Bai Jue (the god of war), Tian Qi (the god of demons) and Zhi Yang (god of heavens).  

Shang Gu is the supreme god over all the ancient realm.  But despite her high status, her spiritual power is low and she lives a carefree existence.  Under the tutelage of the austere Bai Jue, Shang Gu later comes into her true powers, mastering the power of chaos to truly become a supreme god who can uphold and protect the three realms.   

An enduring love blossoms between Shang Gu and Bai Jue, but the tribulation of chaos is Shang Gu's inescapable fate. To save the three realms she must sacrifice herself to the power of chaos, never to be reincarnated.  

  

Hello There (2023) - Final Review

Final review/rating:  Hello There (2023) - Slapstick humour in a light-hearted and speedy romcom

This is 6/10 stars ✮✮✮✮✮✮ from Pandafan🐼

Overall rating:         6 Stars Plot:                       5 Stars Acting/cast:            7 Stars Couple chemistry:   7 stars Music:                    6 Stars Re-watch value:      6 Stars Enjoyment factor:   7 Stars

Hello There (2023) is a short and sweet romcom, at 20 episodes spanning about 30 minutes each.  The drama attempts quite a bit of comic slapstick humour, which is a little hit and miss. That said, it is a quick and stress free watch, with gorgeous leads!  

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Hello There (2023) - Synopsis

Drama info:

Title:  Hello There 

Chinese title:  公子贵姓 (Eng translation: "Sir, what's your name?")

Episodes:  20 episodes

Genre: Romance, comedy, fantasy

Original network: iQiyi

Release date:      31 Jan 2023 

Synopsis:

Tang Bu Yan is a woman on a mission.  As the head of the Tang sect, she is doomed to prematurely age and die by the age of 25 due to her bloodline (all members of the Tang family are under a similar blood curse).  That is, unless she can find her 'destined person', one said to have a teardrop mole at the corner of his eye.  

While trying to find her 'destined person' Tang Bu Yan meets the coolly elegant Li Cheng Xi, who has a teardrop mole, but who is not the cure to her blood curse.  He and his younger brother, Yun Gai Xue, also have a curse of their own which needs breaking.