Editorials 
A small comment after having watched almost 70% of the soap opera
Cui Ming Yue's character and her mother are horrible!!!! There are always characters like that!!!! How horrible! I'm on episode 27, but I had to stop for now. Soap operas are for us to have fun and not get so angry!But the story is quite interesting. It's time for a second chance after a dramatic and dark first time. However, in this second chance it doesn't seem like the heroine will come out on top. She is pursued by envy from all sides: by Ming Yue, by her stepmother, by her stepsister... Poor thing, will she finally have a good end by episode 40 with all the bad guys being punished?
The actors are excellent! The two evil characters mentioned above have actresses who convince us of the evil of their characters. The music goes very well with the rhythm of the plot.
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a premise with promise, but an ending that fell short
This show was a “happy accident”. I had it on my list for a while but I got impatient with my list and started several first episodes. From the first episode I was 50/50 about the show just because I wasn’t sure the direction it was planning to take. However, the acting was compelling and even after starting other shows, I chose to come back to Si Jin.The best parts about this show:
- Excellent romantic chemistry between the main leads. Jiang Si & Yu Qi / Yu Jin were a romance I ate up. I love when a man is smitten and Yu Qi walked so his Prince self as Yu Jin could run. When he gave her all his flowers, one by one I was a goner. His devotion to her was elite, but I will say I wish she had a bit more romantic gestures on her end. *Just a tad more near the end*. But still, I loved it and you can tell she loved him since she literally jumped off a cliff to save his life in their first lives.
- I love the relationship between Jiang Si, her brother, and her father. It was sooo cute and very sweet to see them support and love one another even with all their family drama
- The overall drama that happens *before* the imperial specific issues
- Jiang Si’s flashbacks. I am pretty against flashbacks, but these ones had me curious as heck
- Jiang Zhan was such a cutie patootie himbo at the start and even after he trains to become a fighter, he is too cute. I loved his pure heart for his family and ofc Lu Chu Chu. So happy he climbed up the ranks and became general of territories.
- While the sisters were pretty scheming and the grandmother was frustrating to say the least, I did like the character development and dynamics of the Jiang family. It was toxic but you see them all grow as Jiang Si fights for a better life for herself and every member of the family, even her insidious aunt.
The weakest parts about this show:
- Jiang Si as the Saintess. I get the use of it but I don’t feel it was used to it’s full potential in this show considering the “war” between the two countries.
- I am not sure I get the sacrifice origin story for the Saintess. Does that mean Yu Jin killed her in their first life on purpose? I was pretty sure he didn’t realize it was her when he shot her with an arrow her from behind. But then the ending of the show mentions: nán wū gǔ shù // ruò zhí niàn zhòng dié // kě yǐ zì jǐ de xìng mìng // huàn suǒ ài zhī rén wàn fēn zhī yī // zài shēng zhī jī // shì yù jǐn // shì tā dǔ shàng xìng mìng // huàn wǒ gǎi biàn // mìng yùn de jī huì // duì // tā fù chū de dài jià bù zhī shì xìng mìng huán yǒu chè dǐ wàng jì nǐ
- Even with translating the subtitles over it makes no sense how Yu Qi / Yu Jin triggered Jiang Si into becoming the Saintess. This is not a case of subtitles/translation, but I feel more poor execution of the overall Saintess plot and logic
- Jiang Si’s past. While the flashbacks made me curious to keep going, by the end I was still a bit confused because how was she with Yu Qi in her past life if she was married to Ji Chongyi who she spends the first part of the show trying not to marry? Also, curious if this means in her past life, when she fell into the water, Yu Qi saved her but went on his way because *she wasn’t the Saintess yet* which changed how her and his first life played out.
- I know villains are evil, but I like my antagonists with layers. Madam Xiao was supppper annoying but she had more layers than both Princess Rong Yang and Cui Ming Yue. I will say while Cui Ming Yue and her mother are pretty one dimensional, there are a decent number of antagonists with different personalities and roles to make the overall show interesting.
- The ending, while a HEA romantically, did not really feel complete nor make sense to me fully
- Princess Rong Yang’s death monologue pissed me off. She claims no one ever understood her and no one ever loved her, but she was able to get away with so much specifically because the Emperor saw her as a sister. Her husband didn’t love her, but that was her own fault for forcing an engaged man to be with her. Plus, she cries a river about her daughter, Cui Ming Yue, dying, but she gave 0 effs about the several families she broke and damaged. From killing Jiang Si’s mother, to forcing Consort Xian to abandon her son to the war torn boarders.
- Princess Rong Yang did not deserve to have a post-humorous title. I don’t care that they were probably trying to cover just how messy she was but her and her daughter (Cui Ming Yue) both did not deserve to be given any good title, they should have been marked as evil and disloyal to the Emperor.
- We don’t hear anything about the two princes that died when Rong Yang usurped the throne
- The Emperor just decides to let the 7th prince be Emperor and everyone is okay with it after he was labeled bad luck by the woman that they post-humorously defended with a stupid princess title.
- The Emperor was ready to kill Jiang Si but then decides she can be Empress?
- Jiang Si is able to fix centuries of war with basic trade teaching? I think that whole thing with the Nawu fell flat at the end.
- The Elder is learning from Jian Si like she’s never heard of the words barter and trade which is highly ridiculous
- It looked like they are a community only made up of like 100 people so how have they been “beating” Zhou? They could have used all the extras to fill in the space or had the people on screen be just the “leaders” or something. Small nit, but after all the buildup it matters.
- Why are they kinda portrayed a bit like “savages” as if trade was never an option? I feel like it must have been at some point but Zhou must have cut them off of resources or something.
- I feel bad for Arong and worse for Aman. Aman was sooo cute, I think the actress did so good. I wish they at least found her body after she jumped off the cliff.
Overall, this was a very fun show with “twists and turns” but also emotion and heart. I loved the main leads as characters and their romance was moving. That said, the ending was a tad unsatisfying with how some things are just rushed over. The biggest weak points were the lead antagonist and Jiang Si’s role as Saintess. Both just felt underutilized and oversimplified as basic plot devices.
### Original Thoughts & Ideas
- This show does a good job with the narrative of evil acts being born out of misgivings and jealousy. The examples below are all different fonts of the same story: evil is not exactly innate, but when left unchecked can fester and cause more harm than peace
- Yi’s husband was led astray by the allure of being the husband to a princess and maybe finally appeasing his always complaining mother. His mother actually liking Yi (and defending her as a wife) was a fun twist lol. Jiang Yi’s husband at least has his redemption because a) he was stopped early on b) he confronted *his own* accountability in his downfall
- Aunt Xiao couldn’t stand the judgement and inferiority of being from the second branch. She redeems herself by finally finding contentment and no longer comparing herself to the first branch or with what she doesn’t have. Her death was actually saddening because she had finally grown.
- Princess Rong Yang killed Jiang Si’s mother for thinking an affair was happening (even though it wasn’t). Princess Rong Yang’s hatred was not only left unchecked but generationally passed down to her daughter (Cui Ming Yue). The two of them wreak havoc on society mostly for sick entertainment.
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Captivatingly good
ML & FL are strong actors with great and natural chemistry. Love all their previous works. This drama is so good and never boring. There are comedic moments to help keep the drama from being to emotionally heavy . ML is great at transitioning from serious to funny then adorable when crushing on his love. ML co-worker is developing unrequited love unfortunately with the help of his mother encouraging him. FL is strong and strategic. She loves ml but fears their past life incidents which reminds me of Blossom which is a terrific drama I am finishing up and will rewatch… This drama also reminds you of the The Story of Kunning Palace & The Double in some ways which are also great dramas to rewatch because I have them on my favorite list and have rewatched most of them❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥Looking forward to enjoying the rest of this fast paced drama… I love the way ML & FL communicate and love each other❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
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This is soo frustrating to watch
I had high hopes for Si Jin, especially with its intriguing premise of a female lead getting a second chance at life, but it ultimately fell short in almost every aspect. The scriptwriting is weak, with disjointed scenes, uneven pacing, and unnecessary filler, making it hard to stay engaged. The characters lack depth, and their motivations often feel unclear, which makes it difficult to connect with their struggles or root for their success. While the concept of a second life is rich with potential, Si Jin doesn’t explore it in a meaningful way, opting instead for superficial conflicts and predictable tropes. Overall, the drama feels generic and uninspired, and I can’t recommend it to anyone looking for a well-executed second-chance story.Was this review helpful to you?
Lackluster FL and plot flow
Having come off a great series previously, I wanted to check out another series with some repeat faces. Unfortunately, despite having a great cast of actors, the dialogue and pacing has been subpar in comparison.Sometimes despite having some flaws, there's still enough of a combination to keep the interest there. But while this one has all of the ingredients, the plot flow didn't blend well and the characters weren't very consistent. One of those situations where someone is supposed to be highly analystical and intelligent but then becomes ignorant the next. The FL in particular also hasn't grown on me yet. For such an evidently flawed character herself (with access to her past life and choices), she does way too much lecturing towards everyone around her. She lectures women victims by convincing them to do what she wants because it's what they "should" do and then spews some long-winded comfort words that comes off condescending. The acting in her constant flashbacks were also not great.
If the FL doesn't bother you the way it did for me, I think it would still be a decent watch just based on the rest of the cast.
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A TV Tropes Field Day
Nice production values, low budget script. You are consciously aware of watching a TV show, because what the characters say and do is so thoughtless and dumb, yet it always works out for them. If you hope for a show to provoke you to think and reflect, or a transport away from reality, this isn't the one; it isn't capable.Pros: pretty cast, ML is particularly pretty and is quite charismatic as we saw in "Are You The One?"
Cons: the script overestimates itself by taking on extremely weighty, serious, and triggering topics such as domestic violence, but it can't treat the topic with the weight and nuance that it deserves. This causes the show to dissolve into farce and exploitation. Are we exploring a serious topic, or are we triggering the audience to feel anxiety so they keep watching (cheap trick) and titillating an audience with lurid images? "New Life Begins" dealt with domestic abuse without being lurid or titillating, just as "Autumn Ballad" dealt with the topic of rape. But since "Si Jin" cannot clearly articulate a purpose or maintain suspension of disbelief, it dissolves into farce. I found myself rooting for the murderous husband to kill the morally compromised wife who attempted to feed her own sister to him like a cut of marbled beef. Seriously? We're only a few episodes in and the script and directing are this morally and narratively confused?
I would rather watch a vertical melodrama deal with domestic violence. Not only are their depictions more realistic, but they also aren't morally and narratively muddled.
I also don't think the FL is pretty. That's not a big deal if she can act, and so far she's been fine. But other characters overpraising her beauty is cringeworthy. The top half of her face is acceptable by ancient beauty standards, but not the bottom half, which is more akin to modern beauty standards, and the whole is not harmonious. Yes, looking like a melon seed is a modern thing; ancient beauties were supposed to have oval or round faces. It would be quite refreshing to see an ancient beauty in an ancient setting; CENT will only give us that as a side character with the exception of Jackie Li comedies. It's okay if a character is not an extraordinary beauty but an extraordinary mind. Own it. Lean into it. Instead, like with everything in this drama, it generates more "It's in the script" moments.
This script is just so full of dumb moments. Like two characters conspiring to overthrow a third one--by loudly and openly talking about it in their target's courtyard in the middle of the night. Sure, that makes sense. Or when the constables bring a corpse sniffing dog and search a manor court in one single location and only release the dog after the first location fails. Why? It's in the script. Or when the duke's minions resist court-appointed constables with violence and they discover evidence of capital crimes, but they don't arrest any of the servants who resisted the search afterwards. It's in the script. The levels of stupidity in this script are absolutely off the charts.
I haven't dropped yet, since this dumb drama does have its charms and will update if anything changes my mind later.
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1Perfect ⭐ 10/10
ซีรีส์ดีมาก ซีรีส์แนะนำ ประทับใจทุกEp. โครงเรื่องแข็งแกร่ง การเล่าเรื่องดำเนินได้ดี รวดเร็ว น่ารับชมน่าติดตามมาก ผลการนำเสนอเรียกว่ายอดเยี่ยมทีเดียวเกิดใหม่+การต่อสู้ในบ้าน+การสืบสวน+การวางแผนเพื่อให้บรรลุปัญหาอย่างดี+ถือว่าเข้าถึงความต้องการของผู้ชมได้เป็นอย่างดีเรียกว่าดึงดูดได้ดีมากๆ
การแต่งกาย สง่างาม เรียบหรูหรา มีเสน่ห์มากทีเดียว
นางเอกถือเป็นไอดอลของการเกิดใหม่กลับมาแก้ไขเรื่องราวต่างๆที่เคยเกิดขึ้นก่อนให้ดีกว่าเดิม เธอมีเสน่ห์และงดงามในการนำเสนอบทบาทของตัวละครได้อย่างน่ามองในความสวยแซบเท่ห์มากเสนห์ของเธอจริงๆ
พระเอกคือความกล้าหาญมากมายหลายด้านที่ทั้งไม่ปล่อยให้อำนาจชั่วหลงเหลืออยู่ และพร้อมที่จะปกป้องคนรักให้ปลอดภัยแม้ปัญหาน้อยใหญ่ก็พร้อมแลกชีวิตตัวเอง
เป็นเนื้อเรื่องที่ดีไม่น่าเบื่อเล่าเรื่องได้น่าดูน่าติดตามตัวละครสวยงามทุกอย่างมีเสน่ห์สนุกมาก
หวังว่าตอนจบจะงดงามและประทับใจกับเรื่องนี้.
++++
This series is excellent and highly recommended. Every episode is impressive. The storytelling is strong and progresses quickly, making it very engaging and watchable. The presentation is truly superb.
The combination of reincarnation, internal family struggles, investigation, and strategic planning to overcome problems is exceptionally well-executed. It genuinely caters to audience desires and is incredibly captivating.
The costuming is elegant, sophisticated, and very charming.
The female lead is an idol of reincarnation, returning to fix past events for the better. Her portrayal of the character is enchanting, showcasing her beautiful, fierce, cool, and charismatic presence.
The male lead embodies immense courage on many fronts, refusing to let evil power persist and always ready to protect his loved one, even willing to sacrifice his own life for both minor and major problems.
This is a fantastic storyline that is never boring, very engaging, and features beautiful and charming characters. It's truly enjoyable.
"I was so happy with the ending." "I really hope no one misses this excellent series." "really" !^^#MasterThepor.
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Beim zweiten Mal alles besser gemacht
Das Drama handelt von einer jungen Frau, Jiang Si, die wiedergeboren wurde. Sie erhält eine zweite Chance, das Leben ihres geliebten Vaters und Bruders zu retten, die unter dubiosen Umständen ums Leben gekommen sind. Mehr will ich nicht verraten, überzeugen Sie sich selbst und geben Sie es eine Chance!Die Geschichte hat mich von Anfang an in ihren Bann gezogen. Ich habe nur fünf Folgen gesehen, doch es war trotzdem spannend. Die Schauspielerin Jin Tian habe ich vorher noch nie gesehen und sie hat mich mit ihrer schauspielerischen Leistung wirklich überzeugt! Zhang Wan Yi ist mir von anderen Dramas bekannt. Er ist ein talentierter Schauspieler, doch leider bleibt er in seinen Rollen oft vorhersehbar. Ich wünsche mir , dass er mich mit etwas Neuem überrascht!
Dieses Drama ist definitiv seheswert!
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Simples, Gostosinho e Sem Vergonha de Ser Óbvio
Mesmo mergulhado até o pescoço em clichês — e não são poucos —, esse drama consegue a proeza de transformar cada um deles em ferramenta narrativa bem-vinda. A química entre os protagonistas é magnética, do tipo que segura a gente mesmo quando o roteiro se rende ao óbvio, e o elenco de apoio não apenas sustenta como também eleva o conjunto. A direção se mostra segura e consciente, e os vilões, ainda que dentro do esperado, são entregues com a medida certa, sem cair na caricatura. É uma produção que sabe o que quer: contar uma história simples, sem megalomania, mas com apuro estético e emocional que faz dela uma experiência, no mínimo, aconchegante.Was this review helpful to you?
No le tenía esperanza
La verdad, no le tenía fe a este drama, recuerdo que cuando me lo empecé odie qué tuvieran un conflicto los protagonistas pero dije hay que darle un oportunidad. Después malentendi la situación y pensé que ella tenía un compromiso can la protagonista así que ella lo iba a romper, pero no, ella estaba rompiendo el compromiso con el hijo de duque.En ese momento lo deje por esa confusión, tiempo después me vi una reseña en tiktok, y me di cuenta de la verdad. Así que, empecé a verme lo otra vez.
Me encantó. Ame este drama mientras más avanzaba más me gustaba cada capitulo te dejaba con mucha intriga. Y la relación entre ellos fue hermosa, los celos de él, fueron los mejores.
Simplemente esta drama esta muy divertido e intrigante. Vale la pena verse este drama.
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Une renaissance qui ne change pas grand-chose...
C'est un énième drame de renaissance qui n'est pas si différent des cinq précédents. Néanmoins, Si Jin se maintient du début à la fin, malgré son scénario classique.Courageuse, Jiang Si (Jing Tian) profite de sa seconde chance pour changer les choses, notamment la perte de son père et de son frère. Coriace, réfléchie et patiente, elle n'hésite pas à défier sa famille ou des hommes pour protéger sa vie ou celles de ses sœurs.
Intelligent et minutieux, Yu Jin (Zhang Wan Yi) a son propre plan. Il n'y a pas tellement de surprise sur son personnage, toutefois c'est le genre de ML que j'apprécie : droit dans ses bottes, avide de justice et en paix avec ses sentiments. Cela donne vie à un couple agréable, honnête et confiant l'un envers l'autre.
La majeure partie de la famille de Jiang Si ? Exécrable ! Le père, le frère, sa sœur et une de ses demi-sœurs sont l'exception. Le reste n'apparaît que vénale, et avait de l'intérêt pour Jiang Si seulement lorsqu'elle apportait statut ou fortune. Cette famille maudite se fichait complètement de marier ses filles aux pires hommes (infidélités, mensonges, trahisons, violences domestiques et tentatives de meurtres) du moment qu'ils possédaient un statut, une réputation ou la richesse. La grand-mère était la pire. Jiang Si pouvait aller jusqu'à briser son propre cœur pour tous les sauver, mais cette famille méritait-elle tous ses sacrifices ? Non !
La famille impériale est étrange… Il y a une grande incompréhension autour de l'Empereur. Comment un homme de son statut peut-il ignorer toutes les manigances et les complots ? La sœur de l'Empereur est une folle furieuse qui a tenu son rôle jusqu'au bout, tandis que sa fille ne méritait pas moins.
Cependant, ma plus grande déception reste toute l'histoire construite autour de Namwu avant qu'elle ne soit chassée comme un grain de poussière. Pendant plus de 38 épisodes, on nous présente Namwu comme une sérieuse menace, en fin de compte, il ne se passe rien.
En revanche, j'ai adoré la façon dont les situations sérieuses finissaient par être désamorcées avec une légère touche d'humour. De plus, l'avant dernier épisode est l'un des meilleurs que j'ai vu depuis longtemps dans le genre. Un mélange de scènes méthodiques, épiques et chargées d'une action vive.
En bref, Si Jin n'est pas un incontournable, notamment parce qu'il arrive après de nombreux drames de renaissance bien meilleurs (sur le plan scénaristique). Cependant, il reste entraînant avec des épisodes dans lesquels il se passe toujours quelque chose et un couple attachant.
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Leggero e intrigante, divertente ed appassionante!
Gran bel drama che mai ha annoiato, soprattutto dalla ventesima puntata in poi, è un crescendo di situazioni che presto si risolvono fino ad arrivare al clou delle ultime puntate, che già potevamo intuire.Gli attori sono stati davvero bravi, ci sono state scene di grande recitazione come quella della disperazione della zia di Jian Si quando viene smascherata e della Principessa Reale quando poi morirà, bravissime attrici.
La coppia non l'ho trovata particolarmente affiata, non ho percepito il feeling che a volte c'è fra due attori che si intendono in scena, peccato perché è una gran bella storia d'amore.
Zhang Wan Yi l'avevo già conosciuto in Lost you forever 1 e 2, dove ho apprezzato moltissimo il suo modo di recitare, la sua voce vellutata, il suo modo di muoversi e guardare le persone a seconda del momento, molto personale. si è rivelato un attore di ottimo livello.
Jing Tian l'ho percepita ad un livello inferiore rispetto a Zhang Wan Yi sebbene sia stata molto brava, ma qualcosa non mi ha convinto.
La storia nel suo complesso è convincente, presenta qualche buco, ma si può perdonare perché alla fine ogni puntata fa venire la voglia di vedere la successiva.
I costumi sono bellissimi, cosi come le locations, le musiche carine ma non indimenticabili.
Cosa importante, il finale è assolutamente soddisfacente! Ed è una rarità per i drama cinesi che, se anche finiscono bene, risolvono il finale in pochi secondi a meno che non lo lascino aperto, cosa che non mi piace.
E' un drama da vedere perché non è pesante e appassiona.
Come sempre un grande grazie alla traduzione del team italiano!
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