It could have been much better…

I have a moral aversion to face-swapping plot lines, but I thought I’d give In Blossom a try. For the first few episodes, I enjoyed it enough to keep going, but after a while.. it became tiresome.

There was a lot the writer did not decide to explore. For example, how the parents traumatized all the main characters, how the characters built themselves up from the trauma, and also making sure the characters could stand on their own without attachment to romance.

Pan Yue is obsessed with Yang Caiwei, and it ends up being that this is all we know of his character. It’s a shame, because we get small glimpses into his tough childhood, with his father suspecting Pan Yue of not being his. But alas, the romantic plot is the focus. We lose out on watching Pan Yue become loving and kind after healing from his past.

Yang Caiwei is the only character that develops. She is strong, but very insecure about Pan Yue’s love towards her at the beginning, and at the end. She becomes more self-assured once she realizes that he does care for her. However, Yang Caiwei already had a lot of agency before she met Pan Yue. He simply enhanced this.

Additionally, the SFL and SML relationship was icky to me. I could not romanticize the SFL being second choice for him. It was obvious she was a rebound, and ready to be one, which I think also comes from her parental trauma. She was ready to be used, and I feel really bad for her. Especially because the SML dies.

Overall, I think the characters were not explored as well as they could have been, an it lays in leaning too much into the romantic aspects, when these characters clearly have more depth, that we are given glimpses of.

I do also agree that the FL in the first 2 episodes would be been a better choice, but I still enjoyed JJY performance regardless.

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A fun, warm-hearted drama

I think a lot of love was poured into this drama, and it leans into comedy more than tragedy. I don’t think you’re supposed to take this drama too seriously, although moral lessons abound. it reminds me of The Starry Love, but the humor is dry, rather than slapstick.

The chemistry between the leads is electrifying, and you feel the adoration between them. The sub-plots also add to the fun.

It’s like if Meet Yourself was a Xianxia, very scenic and fun. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to relax while watching a Xianxia, since most Xianxia’s threaten to raise blood pressures.

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I didn’t like it

So, this was my first official Chinese drama back in 2020, and I couldn’t get behind the toxicity of the male lead, or the romantic relationship. I now know that modern dramas are not my thing, so that may have influenced my rating.

I saw their relationship as toxic because the male lead seemed to force the female lead into liking him, of course, she chose him in the end, but it left a queasy feeling in my stomach.

I also didn’t love the OST. I usually adore OSTs in Chinese dramas, but this one did not do it for me.

If I could say good things about it, all the actors and actresses are attractive, and the locations in the show are fun to watch.

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Loved it

Historical dramas are definitely my thing, and this was the second Chinese drama I ever watched. I loved how strong the female lead was, and how the show took a very feminist angle! While pursuing romance, the female lead also seeks to enact revenge. Weiyoung is smart, witty and driven. So, she becomes the empress in the end,

I also loved the male lead, and his devotion to the female lead. It helps that the couple are married in real life, because their chemistry is insane. I cried so much at the ending, the villains did not give them a chance to have a happy life at all.

Now onto the villains, as much as I hate Changle and Changru, they were awesome villains to watch. They were determined to get what they wanted no matter who they hurt. It made for an entertaining show.

The only part of the show I didn’t like was the second male lead, I felt nothing for him, and I didn’t like his braids!

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