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Decent Historical Fluff
I basically binged this entire drama while extremely sick but here are my two cents. It was an off to a really good start, it had a typical plot of corrupt officials and the emperor's trusted right hand man who helps him get rid of them. It's not like a unique storyline but I don't mind. The female lead was cute, very feminine which we don't see very often these days, it's mostly strong independent women (which I also love) but this was also a great portrayal of a strong female lead who's still very in touch with her femininity! First time seeing bao shangen in a drama and I thought she did really well. Song weilong, not my first time watching but basically my first cdrama I've watched of him. I enjoyed his character at the start, but after things started getting more lovey dovey, I can't say I enjoyed their romance as much. Chemistry was sort of there at times but idk something about it didn't sell it to me, I think it's lowkey cause ml turned into a soft simp LOL. While there was fluff and happy endings all around, really wish there was more scenes with romance!! I swear I saw someone recommend this as a romance drama but I felt it lacked a bit in that aspect, especially because fl being mad at ml lasted so many episodes and there were so many misunderstandings. Anyway, im glad her evil step sister and step mom got dealt with early on, and was actually really nice to see a father care so much about his daughter for once. Also the side couple was really cute lol I think their banter was great. Nice to see an episode dedicated to fluff and romance at the end too. Not a bad watch for something lighthearted, but I'm definitely used to seeing more exciting plot points.Was this review helpful to you?
A good watch
Youthful glory is a decent watch!Though sometimes, I was annoyed by the FL, it is still watchable for its plot, and the ML acting.
Liked the acting of Song Weilong, Bao Shangen and the others.
I liked the romance plot of the second couple more than the main couple.
Overall it is a light hearted drama which can be watched for one time, imo.
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This review may contain spoilers
Different stories about the glory of youth done hilariously cute and heartwarming!
This is my 2nd time watching this and it is such a breath of fresh air! Simple and straightforward story! If you want a break from the usual plots of historical dramas this is a must watch!Other than the usual comments of saying this is just an idol drama; weak female lead and all that truth is we are so accustomed to seeing the strong female leads being marketed these days but strong is defined not only in being good at martial arts, battle seasoned girl, revenge driven cunning females.
Strength also comes in doing the best that you can in what you love and what you are good at. And you can see that in this drama. Different couples with different struggles and how they overcome all of them together.
WHY 10/10 REWATCH VALUE?
Chemistry of the main couple is top tier! Song Wei Long's very manly appearance-alpha male kind of appearance was accentuated because of the cute and very feminine appearance of Bao Shangen! What a charming couple! Their natural banter made this drama natural-sometimes viewers don't like to admit it but their dynamics as a couple was more attached to reality than the usual dramas where the couple have instant unusual strong bond like huh? In here you can see their relationship was built with misunderstandings, confusion and tests of trust as a couple which they've overcome in their own ways-it's an arranged marriage yes but the thing is they found their way with each other navigating and overcoming the trials along the way
Fight scenes: they spent time orchestrating the fight scenes to really highlight the contrast of the male and female lead-Song Wei Long really stood out in this and all the other fight scenes were also great!
Character Development of female lead: If you are impatient enough- you won't get to enjoy her character development that many of the other comments easily hate on her! First, among all the drama's I've watched this female lead has high self-awareness-she acknowledges her weakness, knows what she likes and doesn't and fights for what she believes in. She may have been raised as a sheltered young lady of noble family; for many this is such a weak female lead and a letdown, but you know, her background and the way she grew does not make her any less of a woman. There are those with the same upbring like hers but with a wicked and vile hearts. She paves her way in the world in her own little ways-as I've said strength and measure of prowess of a woman is not only measured with abilities shaped by society.
You'll love the stories of the other couples too- I think this is why it is titled as such. In our youth it is a constant journey of discovering and rediscovering ourselves different stories reflecting the glory of our youth indeed!
Overall, it is straightforward, with unexpected twists in the plot especially from the villain arc but indulged with the best chemistry of the main lead, heartwarming and light story with hilarious tone!
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Green Forest Male Leads
I initially tried this because of my disappointment with The Princess's Gambit. Never thought that I would enjoy this drama till the end. I think this was the first ever drama I saw Song Wei Long with a light character. Romcoms truly suits him more. He really should consider doing more of this character. One thing he simply needs to improve is his kissing scenes. Like, after doing so many romance dramas, he should have quite mastered this skill already. Only this part failed for me in this drama.If you're so into romance like I do, this is a perfect fit. It has all the elements you would like to see in a historical drama. Good storyplot, well executed fight scenes, specially on swordsmanship. MC and SC's share their own good dose of romance. Oh yes, the humor got me into this drama. I'm really not into political issues of the palace, but, I must say, this one got me hooked on the investigation.
ML is a total green forest for his loyalty and devotion to FL. ML's subordinates are a total green flags too. Not to mention,ML's fighting skills is absolutely topnotch. Let me include the Emperor here for being a green flag as well. It is rare to see kind Emperors in a Cdrama.
Am not really a fan of FL, but she pulled off her role. I like the fact that there are no major complications for this drama. The leads always have a counter attack for their opponents.
I rarely appreciate the soundtrack of a drama, specially on historicals, but, this one made me enjoy the drama more with its good music.
It was a satisfying ending for me which made me give this drama a solid 8.5
I could've given this a higher rating if only the kisses and skinships were a bit more steamy and spicy that the leads failed to deliver. Still,this drama deserves a higher rating. Another rarity of this drama, it will give you a feel good vibe. Overall, this is so enjoyable not to miss.
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Typical romance in a historical setting
Overall:The show was really a normal one for me personally. It had potential but I don't think it was able to reach that. The story was kinda simple and predictable for a regular drama addict like me. It is enjoyable to some extent if you can let go of overthinking.
Acting:
The acting was satisfying until half . When the romance started going up the acting started going down. Both ml and fl are very good looking. If you want an eye candy romance it's good. The emperor was a sweetheart.
Story:
The story is said to be a investigation. But it goes to other paths as it becomes predictable. The historical setting is not explained well. The emperor is shown as an easygoing man. But the relationship between Prince digbei and emperor still confuses me. Are they brothers or just sworn brothers. Certain elements are not explained well.
Try it if you want a romantic drama to kill time. It's not bad but don't go in expecting something very thrilling or that excellent.
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Must watched drama!!
Despite some unfavourable reviews, I decided to watch this drama. I must say that the both ML and FL are very sweet and there are a lot of twists and turns especially towards the end of the drama. I was like "WHAT" ?? That was not what I have anticpated and the rewatch value is high. I think the best part is a happy ending for all!!Was this review helpful to you?
GREAT DRAMA IMPECCABLE STORYLINE LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT
Wonderful storyline and great acting is what makes great. In the drama serious moments are sprinkled in with humor which makes the story is gripping and is a nice light watch there is beautiful romance between the main leads and other side characters and the ending is a happy one and with paced nicely not too long or too short if you're interested in dramas like new life begins you will surely love this. This is a must watch drama. If you're interested in more serious dramas it does give you a bit of that but does not overpower the playfulness of this drama I highly suggest 10 out of 10Was this review helpful to you?
Great Drama Undone by Unacceptable Animal Cruelty
"Youthful Glory" had such great potential — the cast's chemistry was genuinely impressive, and their performances really brought the story to life. I was enjoying the drama a lot until Episode 19, where the scene involving the rooster was extremely disturbing. It looked like the animal was being suffocated, and it was very hard to watch. In the 21st century, there's absolutely no excuse for cruelty to animals, especially in entertainment. It sets a terrible example and completely ruined the experience for me. Such a shame for an otherwise promising show. I hope productions take more care in the future.Was this review helpful to you?
Not bad but not good
This is not my type of liking , only reason I continued to watch is ML but after 18 episode I forced myself to watch but I can't ,I found myself skipping some minutes and later episodes, still story remains the same lot of political stuff, first 10 episodes are intresting and later I felt bored because lot of political stuffs i dropped at episode 19 with lot of skippings... I know FL is premature baby not strong enough to learn martial but atleast should not be annoying.Baishou is my all time favourite, if u don't have any plan to watch u can watch this .Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Typical storyline
This drama really isn't worth 8/10. Here we go again, same annoying story line with supposedly smart FL but very stupid in deciphering suituations. Then the ML who for some reason cannot escape blame with lack of communication. All good intensions go to waste because you can't open your mouth and speak at the right moment.It's like these characters can talk and say all there is to say but suddenly go silent or lose their ability to speak at the crucial moment.
Look, i guess these types of story lines can be fine to watch the first time but there is no rewatch value.
I normally like to finish dramas at least but the leads are so annoying so far. Not for the mature audiences.
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Absolutely Gorgeous and Fluffy drama
This drama is that type you watch when you need something light and not filled with too much angst,I did enjoy watching this drama. For some reason it's still the best fluffy historical drama for me...The male lead is stern,emotionally understanding and strong principled,The Female lead although very pretty,is Little overconfident and stressful but shes also understanding in her own way,they both made a really good pair.
The side characters are the best!!! The second female lead is so good at acting,the second male lead bai shu is really intelligent tho easy going at the same time,the third and fourth male lead are both handsome and emotionally dependable despite being nobles and having a political background,I still live this drama so much,my best historical drama yet.
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This review may contain spoilers
Fast-paced story marred by underwhelming Guqin performances | The utterly domesticated Prince.
"We should cherish the present moment instead of dreaming about the future." - Yun YiI have few words for this drama, not because it lacked substance, but because its natural flow left me in a state of pure comfort. It washed away any potential criticisms, leaving only a beautiful, relaxing story.
The story was compelling from start to finish, leaving no room for boredom or discontent. The introduction of the characters was handled naturally, followed by entertaining events and conflicts that connected seamlessly to the plot. Each story arc was developed over the right number of episodes, ensuring the story never felt 'draggy' and maintained a fast pace. Every episode was skillfully utilized; I never felt any part of the story was filler, as each was beautifully crafted to support the main plot.
The climax flowed naturally. Although it briefly seemed as though the antagonist might regain the upper hand—echoing earlier events in the story—the protagonist surprisingly learned from earlier events and planned ahead to counter their moves. This gave us an ending that felt satisfyingly hard-earned.
I admit the last episode felt like fan service, but I can't complain at all. I'm so grateful we got to see their lives after all the conflict, and were even gifted moments of them enjoying life with their kids.
The romance between all 3 CPs is so sweet. I love them all, especially the endearing chemistry between the leads, Jiang Xu and Ming Tan. However, the couple that captured my attention the most—and who I wish had their relationship further explored and shown—is Shu Jingran and Yun Yi. Their chemistry is undeniable; I would have loved to see them become more openly affectionate and vocal with one another. While I liked how their story ended, I wish we could have seen a 'years later' glimpse of them, similar to the scene with Zhang Huaiyu and Bai Minmin with their adorable son.
I know the "stoic-to-softie" trope has been reused countless times across every dramaland. But there is really something about Prince Dingbei/Jiang Xu that keeps him above the rest. He was introduced as someone blunt—tactless, even—aside from being unromantic. But what made his evolution more interesting was that it didn't happen over a short amount of time. He underwent a phase of pondering and getting jealous without the usual in denial stage, and I think that is what made him unique. I adore how he's become totally smitten. One who is clingy and totally smitten. A true lover boy. He's turned from a man of few words into a real yapper. Cute!
One thing I am truly grateful for is how they dealt with that trifling, insignificant concubine and her daughter (Ming Chu) almost immediately. I’m really glad we didn't have to deal with them after all the mess they staged. Although we still encountered Ming Chu during the main conflict of the story, I am glad they didn't give her much relevance to the plot and kept her bitchy-antagonistic persona instead of suddenly making her kind. I certainly hate her, but I also can't deny that I grew to like her consistency.
If there is anything I wish they had improved, it would be the Guqin melodies and performances. I’m not sure if I’ve just grown too accustomed to the overly edited, superfluous Guqin presentations in Xianxia dramas, or if this production's representation simply lacks vitality. Either way, the performances felt underwhelming. I find those scenes mediocre and uninteresting, especially compared to how the characters described them as 'great.' I wish they could have been more realistically impressive.
P.S. My favorite moment has to be the drunk scene in Episode 23. While Ming Tan is livid with jealousy, Jiang Xu is completely lost in his admiration for her, thinking only of how unique and wonderful she is. He expresses that, given the opportunity, he would court her repeatedly just to prove his devotion. He is truly head-over-heels and makes it clear that no one can claim him but his Princess Consort.
Story - 9.5, I truly enjoy every moment of this drama. If there is one thing I wish they had improved further, it would be the development of Shu Jingran and Yun Yi. The story plot would've been flawless if they had given us some life updates about them, the same way they handled Zhang Huaiyu and Bai Minmin’s story. Especially they are the CP—next to the main CP—that I got attached too. Additionally, I don't know what happened with the Guqin performances but they're totally unrealistic and boring. I can still remember how dismayed I was watching them.
Acting/Cast - 10, I am very satisfied with the cast. They executed their characters very well. In terms of acting...gotta give credits to Song Wei Long, Bao Shang En & Bai Shu. Love these 3 the most!
Music - 10, The music gets better and better as the show goes on. I was a bit unimpressed at first, but I noticed how the song choices and their placement slowly improved over time. It’s a beautiful set of songs.
Rewatch Value - 9.0, I love it, but not to the point where I can watch it again immediately. Maybe after a few years when I’ve forgotten the details about the story. Definitely a great watch, regardless!
Overall - 9.5, It was a good story overall. It would have been flawless if they had provided equal visual development and updates for Shu Jingran and Yun Yi, and if they had put more effort into editing the Guqin performances. Those were simply disappointing. You can’t present a lackluster act and then call it 'great' immediately afterward.
IF you find my review helpful please let me know.
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