Wild Bloom (2022)

Great Acting by the Entire Cast But Plot Took a Nosedive in the 2nd Half

I'd seen a retro tribute modern drama already with ZLY this year but this one had a totally different premise, so I wanted to see how she would handle a harder plot and though she and the rest of the cast did a wonderful job in their respective roles, the plot took a serious nosedive towards the second half and the end.

Pros: I can't say enough about the acting of this very professional cast. ZLY did a terrific job as XBX, a stubborn, enterprising, reflective, yet very flawed character and everyone else followed. At first, I wasn't a fan of GXY as she appeared like a spoiled rich girl going through a rebellion but it became clear after a handful of episodes that though she was spoiled and bratty, she had a big heart and really cared about TXQ. The "steel trio" of XBX, TXQ, and CYZ were a great bunch who sincerely loved one another even if that sometimes came across as tough love or protection in the form of lying which backfired more often then not. The intent behind it was real.

Other favorite characters were ZL, President Gao, Dr. Su, Su Computer Nerd, and manager Jia; all were wonderful supportive people to XBX and each other wherever they fit. When it came to the good guys, all of their parts were done accordingly. The scenery and OSTs were on point and appropriate.

Cons: While I understood this was a propaganda tribute drama and that it would have a lot of that included in it, what absolutely shocked me was the hamster wheel plot of the antagonists would completely overshadow even that. There were a total of 4 really bad guys, one coward, and one insignificant idiot that came and went. The plot essentially took a nosedive in the second half when the 3 main antagonists/business partners and XBX plus her ex routinely sent each other to jail. It was a literal revolving door of prison sentences. They'd set each other up, beg for someone else to take the fall, or manage to somehow twist themselves loose so many times that all of their illegal deeds combined would probably equal a 25 year minimum for each save XBX.

Everyone of them ended up with some sort of redemption arc in the last few episodes that they didn't deserve. Even though Mr. Wu did turn himself in, in the final 15 minutes of the last episode, the amount of illegalities he'd done throughout the years should have seen him in prison for more then just a year. I didn't like the antagonists at all in this series, though their acting was on point 100%, it was because every time one would get into trouble, he'd get himself out by setting someone else up, rinse, repeat x maybe 8! The storyline hindered them completely which was very sad because they could have really done something more believable in terms of how the law worked.

Speaking of the law, how is it that TXQ got 5 years in prison for kicking XBX's ex in the balls while the latter was choking her to death (murder attempt number 1) and the ex 10 years later only got 1 month after he ran her off the road and threw a metal pipe at her head causing a head injury (murder attempt number 2)? So saving another person from near death is illegal but actually trying to kill someone isn't. In that second case plus with the antagonists, was XBX Mother Theresa? She gave the ex a debit card that she'd deposit money in each month to help him and the kid he adopted. She felt like she owed him; for what? Trying to kill her? Same with Wu, Qiu, and even Dong, they'd set her up but there she goes trying to bail them out. That kind of backwards logic was confusing. Lastly on this topic, they essentially spent the last 4-6 episodes spouting various domestic and international laws that the average viewer wouldn't have a clue as to what was happening.

Another point of contention was with poor CYZ, once it was obvious he had terminal cancer and had little time to live, they kept dragging his death out. It was brutal to watch; they could have had the pier sunrise scene maybe 6 episodes earlier then they did. Made me wonder if they purposefully did it as filler but that's like the really wrong way of going about that. Because even to the last episode, they brought him in as happy and in flashbacks. That would have been way better then what was done with his character at that time.

The introduction of Russian speaking characters that couldn't speak the language fluently like Nina was ridiculous especially to someone whose native tongue it is. The entire Russian arc in the beginning, I fast forwarded because it was off historically among many other things. The last part that bugged me though it wasn't huge were the costumes especially XBX's wedding dress which was straight out of the 1980s instead of the year 2000. Some ppl said she didn't have enough money for a new one but that didn't jive either as by that time she and ZL lived in a huge house and her car was a Mercedes, she didn't drive herself but had a driver and assistant with her at nearly all times.

So though the acting was very well with a professional cast, the storyline/plot started out strong but then just unraveled. Hadn't it been for the great acting, I would have given it a much lower score.

Would I recommend it? Honestly, only if you like ZLY or anyone else in the cast. Otherwise, plot wise it's not strong at all with many factual and historical errors.

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Good ending

I’m glad it wrapped up without leaving any cliff hanger.
I’m not even mad that they all made up in the end.
I’m just mad that xu banxia had to serve one year also even though her fault was keeping silent about it. Tong should be the one who got full sentence. I hate that she always shoulders everyones mistakes.
Wu didn’t even get sentenced to jail time but he has done worst. LOL wtf is this….

I gave less score because of that and the ex-husband arc was stupid and yet again xu banxia shouldering other peoples fault when it was the ex-husband karma.
The second love line was also annoying. They have communication problem, only telling each other important things at the last minute. Annoying also about the getting pregnant arc. Like if you didn’t want a child use protection!

My only wonder is who ran xu banxia company while she was in prison? Was it zhao lei?

But overall great acting and good drama.

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Great Acting from the entire Ensemble but it is long and draggy

I am giving Wild Bloom a 6.5 rating because of the following reasons:
Positives:
- Zhao Li Ying did a great job playing a strong, persuasive, and caring businesswoman.
- The love interest between her character Xu Ban Xia and Zhao Lei was a supportive and mature relationship.
- Ou Hao did his best work in this drama compared to others in which I saw him.
- The acting was above average for the entire ensemble.
Negatives:
- The story was draggy in the middle and toward the end of the drama. It would be better if it is between 24-30 episodes.
- Adding the ex-husband's story toward the end was unnecessary because it has no value added to the drama.
- Too many repetitive scenes with business negotiations.

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Strong as Steel

Strong as steel—That’s what this woman was. Phenomenal story. Inspiring. Sobering. Thought-provoking. “Hard-working” is a compliment. It’s an admirable trait, but when is enough enough? When does healthy ambition turn into greed?

FL character is the most savvy, unafraid, and determined business woman I’ve ever seen. Level-headed, fair, kind, but took zero crap from anyone. Set in the uber masculine steel industry, the FL was able to hang with the big boys and beat them at their own game. Yet, she was still a normal woman with normal vulnerability and limitations, a woman who desired love.

I found her sensible approach to love quite admirable and rational. While romance was not the center of the story by any means, there was indeed a mature and beautiful romance that developed and it was, chef’s kiss, relationship goals. This was full-grown woman, not a child, who knew how to recognize and appreciate a good man. She knew how to love well. She wasn’t looking for rainbows and fairytales. She knew how to accept reality and roll with it, instead of cry and boo-hoo if things didn’t quite go her way.

Amazing acting from everyone. Outstanding cast. A nice change of pace if you’re tired of vapid, tropy romances and want something more substantive and cerebral. Wow, just wow!

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A MASTERPIECE!!!

This should be rated 8.8 at least!!! I truly recommend Wild Bloom. Beautiful story. Beautiful songs. Memorable. Inspiring. The love between Banxia and Zhaolei is truly is a true love.

I have watched so many Chinese dramas including historical and modern genres. My all time favourite are Nirvana In Fire (2015), You Are My Glory, The Long Ballad, The Story of Ming Lan, The Untamed, Glory of the Special Forces, Go Ahead, and a few more. Wild Bloom has the same quality as them and has became one of my all time favourite dramas. I came to write a review purely because I cannot accept the rate 8.1 for this drama and feel sorry for those who will miss this masterpiece, especially if you are a Zhao Liying's fan (like myself). I rarely write a review. I hope this review will help those who are hesitating. Watch it. Trust me.

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Very Nostalgic drama especially if you're the 90-s kid ))

What I liked most in this drama - is how it portraits the unbelivably fast development of Chinese economy in the 90s-00s. Taking a story of Xu Banxia and her fellow businessmen, who have been able to grow from nothing to a huge enterprise - due to some reforms and changes that China have been going through and sometimes, perhaps due to the "wild west" in the legislations and ways of doing business at that time.
Althou we all kind of know that this rapid development have been taking place, when you see it in this drama - and imagine how life was for people at that time is quite eye opening)) Besides this drama made me reflect on my past as well - on the past of my country, how was it for us in the 90-00s ( it was wild-west as well although no such fast development). I looked back and saw that we have been through a lot of changes as well - that have went through unnoticed - but if compare 90-s and now - are drastic )) So I found this drama really nostalgic. It creates that mood.
As for the plot - the first half of the plot was on point. Somwhere in the middle - I got irritated by the main Charachter - Xu Banxia . How at times she seemed irrational and selfish ( risking lives and livelihood of others to gain her profit), lacking a emotional Q, filled with double standards and hypocrite ( she will behave all nice when she is nobody but as soon as she gained some wealth and success she turns a hateful face to her friends) But this is just personal preference - yes, I didn't like her, her character was not "nice" but, the character was right ( not fake ) - I guess to get a susess in a business environment - only this kind of person can do it. So I forgive that ))
By end of the drama when all the conflicts got resolved in their different ways - it was really good. Pieacefull ending, that shows that Xu Banxia has gown as a person, as have all other characters. And very nostalgic again - making us remember all the hardships and happy times the characters have been through....
I like it and recommend. Not your ordinary drama.

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An outstanding Gem

A captivating and thought-provoking drama, depicting daily life’s constraints, I have watched ten episodes so far, and I am utterly immersed in the story... The excellent acting skills are convincing, conveying the real-life power struggle of small and medium-sized enterprises in China in the 1900s, striving for survival and sought development in the tide of the times in a gender biased industry, motivated by perseverance, determination and courage … If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door, success comes from finding and seizing opportunities. I can’t wait to watch the next episode to see how this story develops, the path to success, in a male dominant world of the steel industry, with her unique vision and decisive personality, overcoming obstacles for a better future …
I wasn't expecting to like this drama but thought I would give it a try, however, ten episodes in, I am amazed at how captivating and mesmerising this drama is, it is a delight to watch Zhao Liying at her very best, she embodies and personifies extra edge that extraordinary natural talent brings is something that cannot be taught and is what makes great actors stand out … know what is required at a given moment by their viewers; to immerse in the drama

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