Heart of Loyalty (2021) - Final Review

Final review/rating: Heart of Loyalty (2021) - Detective work takes a backseat to romance in this watchable but bland take on Kaifeng

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

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

Heart of Loyalty (2021) has a promising premise - the Kaifeng court under Justice Bao and the iconic "Southern Hero" Zhan Zhao are part of a Chinese literary tradition that is well known and well loved.  However, the execution is somewhat lack luster in that detecting takes a backseat to the somewhat trite romance storyline.  It's watchable, if a little bland.    

SPOILERS AHEADS

  

Heart of Loyalty (2021) - Synopsis

 

Drama info:

Title:  Heart of Loyalty 

Chinese title: 一片冰心在玉壶 / 一片冰心在玉壺  (Translation: "A piece of ice in a jade pot") 

Episodes:  24

Genre: Historical, romance, mystery, wuxia

Original network: Youku

Release date: 29 November 2021

Airing schedule: 29 Nov 2021 - 20 Dec 2021

Synopsis:

Having recently entered the martial world/jianghu, Mo Yan aspires to be the number 1 heroine bandit around.  When her 5th martial brother is imprisoned by the Kaifeng court, she ventures there to prove his innocence.  

Because Justice Bao admires Mo Yan's investigative talents, he gives her a post as a constable at Kaifeng court.  There she meets the famous "Southern Hero" Zhan Zhao, who serves as Justice Bao's bodyguard and an officer of his court, and whose incredible martial arts is acknowledged by the Emperor himself with an imperially bestowed nickname of "Royal Cat".  Mo Yan soon styles herself as the "Heavenly Dog".