Sweet light romance
If there was a parallel universe with ML and FL from LLG being their most happiest lightest versions this drama would be it.the plot is very everyday like. its a drama you can trust to not get on your nerves, not raise your BP.
Pros:
- Silent ML, very very supportive of FL. ultimate wife lover. Blossom grade.
- FL is very "feminine". she behaves exactly like one would expect a child left alone in wealthy estate to grow up would. She wasnt ever mistreated, always pampered, but one can always sense the unsureness and lack of security that comes with having lack of elders in family around to look for reassurance.
- FL has lot of sismance.
- ML lot of bromance, he has his own bro gang
- FL supportive father. very green flag.
- FL not mistreated by step members in family - or dealt with swiftly.
- even the most high stakes situations viewers get the idea that everything shall be ok
- Smart and supportive emperor......very big green flag for drama in CDrama
- interesting side characters' romance
Cons
- can be not engaging. too light weight.
- the FL got a lot of hate for being too girly and prissy. i got a lot of 2nd hand embarrassment at times. "reputation" and "narrative" are significant matters to her. she wouldnt exactly smack someone she didnt like, but would make it explicitly clear in very polite ways. very feminine indeed. buut i dont mind. thats just her character charm.
- misunderstandings bet ML and FL. there is a very humorous take on relationships. like "make a fool out of yourself in front of your loved ones". the misunderstandings dont amount to great damage (if any), but they are present in quite a few number. little cringe at times.
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The female lead is super annoying
The female is super annoying. Just when you think she is getting better. she gets worse again. She is shallow, although the script tried to portray her as caring for the down trodden, next thing you know BOOM there she goes again. I like the male lead but the female lead ruined it for me and I have to drop it at episode 10.Was this review helpful to you?
Can't overlook the bad Acting
I think the Male Lead is attractive, don't get me wrong - but either there's no chemistry between them or he can't comfortably play in the role. I'm dying of cringe at his awkward silences especially during intimate moments, then they do this thing where they zoom into his eyes like TURN IT OFF LOL. Maybe it gets better ahead, Idk, but he's ruined it for me at this point. The female lead is childish too. It feels like they had The Double in mind, like its trying to give Duke Su but noo.Was this review helpful to you?
The Female Lead is so annoying
The series started great. I watch it because of Song Wei Long is the male lead. Early series was enjoyable and full of laughter. First Impression of Female Lead was calm and smart. But as time goes by and she got married, she began to show her true colors. She is selfish, childish, annoying and don't really care about her husband. She only think about herself. I think the story between Min min and Zhang Yu is more interesting compared to the main couple.Was this review helpful to you?
Good drama!!
I started for Song weilong and stayed for him,Hes extremely handsome and his acting skills are now so good.The actress is ok,but shes a bit bland,needs improvement in her facial expressions.
Aside that im loving everything and i need him to do more costume dramas,his long hair is so gorgeous wow!!!
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The story was interesting in the beginning but then it moves really fast, and it rushed. The main leads literally get married on ep 8 and they don't have any feelings for each other. They've met like 4-5 times and the male lead just simply asks the king to marry her not because he likes her. Their chemistry doesn't really get any better after being married.
The hair, costume, and props were very bland. The costuming for this drama was an issue to me. Now this might be accurate based on ancient Chinese history for their outfits, but I cannot with their outfits. In most Chinese dramas their clothing choices are solid matching colors but in this drama, they use patterns and colors that don't match and it makes me very mad.
The acting for this show is fine, I've seen a couple Song Weilong dramas, but honestly kind of dissapointed.
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Zero chemistry
This is my first time watching a drama starring Song Weilong and Bao Shang’en.I’m sorry, but the female lead’s acting didn’t work for me. Her facial expressions were very limited. It felt like she only had two expressions throughout the entire drama. Song Weilong was okay, but the two leads had absolutely no chemistry.
Zero. Bland.
I just couldn’t connect with the story because of them. I also felt that the storyline wasn’t compelling enough to keep me invested.
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This review may contain spoilers
Lighthearted, Romantic, and Tropey in all the best ways!
If you’re thinking about starting this drama, you should probably read this (one small spoiler but not much else). Sorry for the length, but I hope it will help a little bit.Not all female leads have to be extremely smart, capable, independent, and never need a man to save the day. I’m so baffled by the comments not liking female lead, when in reality, there are all types of women who all have different stories to tell because we are all multi-faceted. I consider myself high maintenance with standards that I do not bend for anyone, and I have a partner who understands and accepts that and he is willing to be with me and love me even when I can be bratty, bossy, and princess-like at times. I think that is why I relate to Ming Tan so much. To me, the typical “heroine” in a cdrama who is capable of anything are such Mary Sue archetypes that I also get tired of it, too. I just can’t relate. This drama is NOT one of those stories, and if you are wanting that, this is NOT the drama for you.
The female lead is imperfect, spoiled, rich, and extremely feminine. But from those traits, Ming Tan also brings kindness, youth, savviness, and the feminine touch that Jiang Xu lacks and needs in his life to develop his character; she makes him question how he treats those around him and gives him space to be thoughtful and caring because Ming Tan is so receptive of his taking care of her (she fully embraced that about him); there are women out there who like to be taken care of and men who like to dote. This show is that dynamic and I love it all the more for it. Ming Tan gives back in her own quiet and gentle way, such as accepting the fish knowing she is allergic because she values his efforts, and/or pushing back at him when she thinks he is being too harsh. She is not trained in martial arts and is a true girly girl who continues to be targeted by everyone around her, so he is there to protect her because she is put into situations where she absolutely cannot fight back. Ming Tan needs Jiang Xu physically while Jiang Xu needs Ming Tan emotionally. They balance each other out.
You often see Mary Sue characters who never need the male lead’s help and he’s always helping her anyways, but the female lead always takes it for granted. I am not a fan of those stories where the male lead has to love silently forever until the female lead finally accepts him after 80 million years. That is why I am so happy to see a female character like Ming Tan completely embracing her femininity and loving the male lead who is protective and fully capable and willing to save her no matter what (he is an acts of service man). That does not mean that she is useless as we have seen time and again that Ming Tan has her own thoughts, opinions, and strength by how she’s managed her household, how fairly she treats her servants and even her stepmother and stepsister, how capable she is now that she’s starting to manage Jiang Xu’s businesses as well as the refugee crisis.
With our male lead, Jiang Xu is stoic, ruthless, and impartial in every way because he is a man with solid integrity and morals that paint the world in black and white. Hell, I noticed he literally ONLY dresses in black and white before Ming Tan came along. She brings colors and emotions and whimsy into his life because she wears her feelings on her sleeve, be it her gentle nature, sassy princess upbringing, and/or her embarrassing antics. She strives for perfection but falls short because she is human, not a Mary Sue who does everything right. Those are boring characters with no flaws. Ming Tan is supposed to be high maintenance and the facade of perfection in a society that demands it of their nobles, and especially their women in such a patriarchal society. Her reputation is ALWAYS on the line because everyone is jealous of her being renowned and painted as being perfect. I’m sure there is so much pressure on her to always be perfect, but she is genuine in wanting to ensure she does not sully the family name. She is vain, but it is because she bears a responsibility to upkeep that image for her family’s reputation. She also grew up with everything at the palm of her hands, so if her criteria list for her husband is long, then it is fully within character and her right to choose someone who matches it. She is high in status and has many positive and high quality traits that a man in that era would want as well. Why can’t our girl be picky? She’s a complete catch! But the thing that I love is that Jiang Xu has seen it all and knows she is not perfect, but he falls for her in spite of and because of all of that, fully embracing the side of Ming Tan that no one else knows about. He sees her as her, completely beyond the reputation that precedes her.
Yes, this is a drama where you can turn your brain off a little bit to enjoy. It’s a lighthearted romcom that isn’t pretending to be what it’s not. The show does not take itself seriously, but there is still an interesting love story and lead/side character dynamics that are intriguing, fun, and adorable to watch if you want chemistry, fluff, and two beautiful people who make you giddy and swoon. Their scenes together are electric.
Just like Ming Tan and Jiang Xu, the drama is not perfect. It does need more backstory than what 13 episodes have given us so far, especially the court/emperor/empress dowager struggle for power, and yes it utilizes lots of tropes in romcom and dramas, but that’s what it wants to be. It’s not here to subvert tropes, and it doesn’t want to. It just wants you to happily enjoy a blossoming love story with cute antics and some potential climactic angst/crisis that will test our two leads. Nothing here is groundbreaking, but I am here for the tropes, the romance, and the characters. So far, it is serving and I am feasting.
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Ordinary and boring
I managed to watch six episodes—I kind of forced myself—but I just can't get through episode seven. The plot is so ordinary and predictable. I enjoy romance and sweet stories, but this one is just too generic.Honestly, it doesn’t offer anything new, not even as a light distraction. If anything, it makes you more bored. The only reason I made it past the first episode was because of the main lead and the second lead.
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Beautiful everything but the chemistry
Rarely I see beautiful colorful dresses in period drama and loving it. The storyline also not bad. Song wei long handsome face is a sight to behold dat makes me still watch this drama. FL character is also like able. She is smart, kind, without being too helpless.My main disappointment only their acting and lack of chemistry. D simple gestures is very much lacking, people in love will instinctively touch each other, but during meaningful scene, they will move everywhere but each other. Their hug and gaze feels forced, even tho d writer seems to give them enough background story. You will feel this, esp after you watch TPOB with ample chemistry and amazing acting. I even prefer d 2FL and 2 ML chemistry compared to d main leads. Wasting lots of potential of such a beautiful drama..
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Sweet n Entertaining
I will start from fl first. She is by far the most materialistic fl ever in drama. Watching her i can keep related with modern woman this day. Bse good at portraying the spoiled noble born mingtan. At least she did have empathy for poor ppl and want to socialize with them. Ml as usual superb at his role and will attract jealous from other idol fan.This drama will accompany you in your comfort time
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This review may contain spoilers
I expected a light romance. I found a story that quietly stole my heart.
Some dramas impress you with epic battles, tragic endings, or grand political schemes.And then there are dramas like Youthful Glory—stories that quietly win your heart until one day you realize you've become attached to every character.
Honestly, I started this drama with almost no expectations. I only knew that the cast looked good, but I wasn't familiar enough with the actors to have any expectations about their performances. After finishing several emotionally heavy historical dramas, I simply wanted something light before diving into titles known for breaking viewers' hearts.
At first, Youthful Glory was exactly that.
It was charming, funny, and genuinely relaxing to watch. The banter between Jiang Xu and Ming Tan felt playful and natural, and their chemistry never felt forced. Unlike many historical romances that rely on endless misunderstandings to create drama, their relationship developed through shared experiences, mutual respect, and quiet acts of care. It felt refreshingly mature.
Then the Marquis Jing'an case happened.
Watching Marquis Jing'an—General Ming Tingyuan, one of the empire's most respected military commanders and Ming Tan's father, being poisoned, framed, and sentenced to death genuinely broke my heart. I went into this drama expecting nothing more than a comfort watch, so I was completely unprepared for how emotional that storyline would become.
Even though I already suspected there was a larger plan unfolding behind the scenes, Ming Tan knew absolutely nothing. Watching her desperately try to save her father while feeling powerless made me cry far more than I expected. For a drama I thought would remain light from beginning to end, this arc completely changed my perspective and added the emotional weight that elevated the entire story.
Jiang Xu became one of the biggest surprises for me.
As the King of Dingbei, he carried the authority of an imperial prince and the responsibility of one of the empire's most trusted military leaders, yet he never relied on his status to command respect. Instead, he earned it through calm judgment, quiet confidence, unwavering loyalty, and his willingness to protect others without asking for recognition.
He isn't the type of male lead who constantly makes grand declarations of love.
He simply acts.
There were many moments when I wanted him to explain everything to Ming Tan, but as the story progressed, I understood why he couldn't. Every decision he made carried political consequences, and revealing his plans too early could have endangered everyone he was trying to protect.
His love language wasn't words.
It was action.
Watching this respected prince become completely helpless while trying to win back Ming Tan's trust was honestly one of the cutest parts of the drama. For someone so composed on the battlefield and inside the imperial court, seeing him become awkward and almost clueless in love made him even more endearing.
Ming Tan also won me over far more than I expected.
She wasn't written as a perfect heroine who always made the right decisions. She was emotional, stubborn, occasionally impulsive, and sometimes allowed her feelings to cloud her judgment. Yet those imperfections made her feel human. More importantly, she learned from every hardship she experienced. Her growth never felt rushed or forced—it happened naturally, making it easy to root for her until the very end.
One of the drama's greatest strengths was its supporting cast.
Instead of existing solely to support the main couple, every major supporting character had their own personality, purpose, and emotional journey that naturally enriched the story.
I especially loved Zhang Huai Yu (Bai Shu) and Bai Min Min (Dai Lu Wa). At first, they brought warmth, humor, and a refreshing contrast to Jiang Xu and Ming Tan's calmer romance. Their playful banter and constant teasing made many of the lighter moments genuinely entertaining. But beyond the comedy, I appreciated how their relationship quietly evolved through companionship, trust, and unwavering support for one another. They never felt like a couple added simply to provide comic relief. They had their own story, their own struggles, and their own reasons to become memorable.
I also found myself becoming attached to Shu Jing Ran (Quan Yi Lun) and Yun Yi (Ke Ying). Compared to the lively dynamic of Zhang Huai Yu and Bai Min Min, their relationship unfolded much more quietly. Their story was built on loyalty, understanding, and shared hardships rather than dramatic romantic moments. It was subtle, sincere, and beautifully developed alongside the main narrative.
What impressed me most was that neither couple ever felt like filler.
They weren't simply following Jiang Xu and Ming Tan throughout their journey. Whether accompanying the leads during dangerous missions, participating in investigations, helping uncover conspiracies, or standing beside them throughout the Lizhou smuggling investigation, every member of the group had meaningful contributions to the story.
By the time the Lizhou arc unfolded, I realized I was no longer watching the drama solely for Jiang Xu and Ming Tan.
I had become emotionally invested in the entire group.
That is something I always value in historical dramas.
When every supporting character has a meaningful role instead of merely existing around the protagonists, the emotional impact becomes much stronger. Youthful Glory wasn't simply about one couple falling in love—it became the story of a group of people who laughed together, investigated together, fought together, protected one another, and slowly became a family through every challenge they faced.
The balance between romance, political intrigue, investigations, military affairs, and family relationships was another one of the drama's greatest strengths. It never became overwhelmingly political, yet it never abandoned its historical identity either. Every major case—from the Marquis Jing'an conspiracy to the Lizhou smuggling investigation—kept the story moving while naturally strengthening the relationships between the characters.
Visually, the drama was consistently elegant.
The cinematography was beautiful without trying too hard to be grand. The costumes suited each character perfectly and reflected their personalities and status well. The soundtrack blended naturally into the scenes, supporting the emotions without overpowering them. While the OST wasn't particularly unforgettable, it complemented the overall atmosphere beautifully.
As for the performances, I finished this drama genuinely impressed.
Song Weilong portrayed Jiang Xu with remarkable restraint. Instead of relying on exaggerated emotions, he allowed subtle expressions, quiet moments, and body language to carry the character's emotional weight. He made Jiang Xu feel dependable, capable, composed, and deeply sincere.
Bao Shang'en also exceeded my expectations. Her performance matured alongside Ming Tan's character, making every stage of her emotional journey believable. By the second half of the drama, I completely believed in her transformation from a sheltered noble daughter into someone capable of standing beside Jiang Xu through every hardship.
If I had one criticism, it would be that some political conflicts wrapped up a little too conveniently, and a few antagonists lacked the complexity that would have made the stakes even stronger. There were moments when I wished the villains had been written with the same depth as the heroes.
Even so, those minor flaws never overshadowed my overall experience.
Looking back, I'm actually glad I chose Youthful Glory before moving on to emotionally devastating dramas like Nirvana in Fire or Goodbye, My Princess.
It became exactly the emotional break I needed.
It made me laugh.
It unexpectedly made me cry.
It gave me a romance built on trust rather than unnecessary misunderstandings.
It gave me supporting characters I genuinely cared about.
And it reminded me that not every unforgettable historical drama has to leave me emotionally shattered.
Sometimes, a story filled with quiet love, loyal families, meaningful friendships, political conspiracies, and people who slowly grow together through every challenge is more than enough.
Youthful Glory may not be the grandest historical drama I've watched, but it quietly became one of the most heartfelt and unexpectedly memorable
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