After 17 episodes, Mo Li has completely captured my heart.
Every new episode leaves me wanting more, and the wait between episodes feels unbearably long. This is the kind of drama that makes you wish the entire series was already released so you could spend a whole weekend watching it from beginning to end without stopping.Bai Lu is simply breathtaking as Ye Li. She brings elegance, intelligence, vulnerability, and quiet strength to every scene. Her performance feels effortless, yet every emotion reaches the audience. Sometimes all she needs is a single look, and you can feel an entire storm of emotions behind her eyes. Ye Li is one of those characters who stays with you long after the episode ends.
What I appreciate most is how mature and beautifully written the relationship between the leads is. Instead of relying on childish misunderstandings, unnecessary jealousy, or frustrating love triangles, the story allows their bond to develop naturally. Their interactions are gentle, respectful, and filled with unspoken understanding. Every glance, every act of care, and every quiet moment together feels meaningful and genuine.
The OSTs deserve endless praise. Every song feels like it was written specifically for the soul of this drama. The music perfectly captures the longing, tenderness, heartbreak, and hope woven throughout the story. Not a single track feels out of place, and together they create an unforgettable emotional atmosphere.
Visually, Mo Li is absolutely stunning. The costumes are exquisite, elegant, and rich in detail, perfectly reflecting each character’s personality and status. The sets and scenery are equally breathtaking, creating a world that feels both grand and intimate. Every frame looks like a painting.
The director also deserves tremendous credit. The pacing, emotional storytelling, cinematography, and attention to detail make every episode feel immersive. The drama knows when to be quiet, when to be heartbreaking, and when to let emotions speak louder than words.
Seventeen episodes in, and I am more invested than ever. Mo Li is not just a beautiful historical drama—it is a story filled with heart, soul, and sincerity. I already know I will miss these characters when the journey finally comes to an end.
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Addictive!!
One of the best C-dramas I’ve watched in years. The plot is incredibly well-written and completely addictive. Unlike many other series that become predictable, every episode reveals another layer, with twists and hidden motives that keep you hooked. There’s always something new to uncover, which makes me genuinely look forward to the next episode. Highly recommended! ❤️Was this review helpful to you?
A gripping historical romance with leads who completely own the screen
I went into The First Jasmine expecting a beautiful historical romance, but I did not expect it to grab me this hard. This drama has everything I love in a good C-drama: political tension, emotional restraint, revenge, secrets, strategy, slow-burn romance, and two main leads who make every scene feel charged without needing to overdo anything.Bai Lu as Ye Li is absolutely magnetic. She gives the character so much quiet strength, intelligence, and emotional control. Ye Li is not a helpless heroine waiting for the plot to happen to her. She is observant, careful, wounded, and dangerous in the most elegant way. What I loved most is that Bai Lu never plays her as one-note. You can feel the pain behind her calmness, the calculation behind her silence, the madness beneath the intellect, and the softness she tries so hard to protect. It is such a layered performance.
Cheng Lei as Mo Xiuyao is equally impressive. He has such a strong screen presence here, but it is not loud or forced. His performance is all in the eyes, the stillness, the small reactions. Mo Xiuyao carries his own scars and secrets, and Cheng Lei makes him powerful even in the quietest moments. A very compelling male lead who does not need to dominate every scene to feel important. He just has that gravity.
Their dynamic is not the fluffy, instant-romance type, and that is exactly why it works so well. There is suspicion, tension, restraint, and this slow shift from guarded distance to trust. Every look feels loaded. Every conversation feels like a chess match and a confession at the same time. Their relationship builds with so much emotional weight that even the smallest moments between them are satisfying.
The revenge and palace intrigue drive the story forward and make the world dangerous. There are hidden motives, power games, old wounds, and enough tension to keep you clicking the next episode without realizing how late it is. I especially liked that the drama does not treat intelligence as simply “the character says clever things.” Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao are smart because they watch, wait, plan, and understand people.
What makes The First Jasmine a 10 for me is that it balances romance, revenge, and political intrigue without losing the emotional core. It is not just about schemes. It is about two people who have been shaped by pain, learning whether they can trust someone else without losing themselves. That kind of romance always hits harder for me than simple love-at-first-sight stories.
No spoilers, but if you love historical C-dramas with strong female leads, controlled but intense male leads, slow-burn chemistry, revenge plots, and court politics that actually keep you invested, this is absolutely worth watching. Bai Lu and Cheng Lei are a pairing I did not know I needed this much, and now I need more dramas like this.
A full 10/10 from me.
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Two Fragile Characters.
What I like:The acting is right on point
The music and scenery are excellent
The story is engaging and unfolds slowly keeping you wanting more.
What I didn't like:
Some of the SL characters I felt are filler arcs I just skipped over.
The relationships with FL former sect mates take too long to clarify in the story
Too much fading in and out of characters in the story and leaves some questions as to what happened to them.
The Emperor and his mother are too ambiguous, knowing full well they are behind a lot of the conflict.
Over All:
I am enjoying this series and I am counting it as one of the year's best series so far.
Happy Drama Watching ♥
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Epic drama of the half year 2026
I have finished all 32 episodes because it just released 32, lol. A warning. If you are fans of the original novel, i'm so sorry because it's totally different. I think the novel's fans should try it as a whole new story having the same name of the novel characters. It is easier to accept it. I could say both novel and this drama are great in their own ways. The plot is really epic. It makes you dive deep down into the story itself. It's not like any dramas nowadays. The characters are built so dynamic, everyone has their own stories and secrets. It's a slow-burn drama, everything has been appealing day by day, episodes by episodes. I have to re-watch a lot to confirm my guesses, to please my curiosity and feel more about the schemes of the female lead. There was a scene making me confused because I don't know if it was the female lead's move or not (no spoil here, you need to watch with me,lol). Although it's epic, in my point of view, there will be many people find it too slow and boring. If you are chasing a high intensity drama immediately at the beginning, I think it's not. It takes time to feel the beat. This drama is a beautiful art piece to me. I believe it's worth watching and re-watching. I may edit the reviews after watching the whole drama.Was this review helpful to you?
Jasmine with barely any fragrance ?
This drama is the perfect example of how a terrible beginning can sabotage an entire story. Episodes 32, 33, and 34 were genuinely outstanding. They contained everything I'd been waiting for; the real emotional tension... Under normal circumstances, I would've been bawling my eyes out.Instead...I felt almost nothing~
Not because those episodes lacked impact, but because the first 31 episodes had already drained every ounce of emotional investment out of me. Sitting through ten soporific episodes followed by eleven more that were merely mediocre is no small task. By that time, I had already run out of patience.
If you're someone who enjoys melodrama for the sake of melodrama, you'll probably have a much better experience than I did. The drama serves plenty of noble suffering, sacrifice and emotional speeches. But if you like your stories seasoned and spiced...you might leave the table hungry.
The first ten episodes contribute almost nothing beyond a prologue, character introductions, and a handful of painfully uninteresting assassinations. The story doesn't begin to take shape until Episode 12, when the leads finally start moving in the same direction.
Episode 12...... In a 40-episode drama.... I mean come on ... !!!
"Writer clearly forget to light the fire"~
The only reasons I made it this far were Bai Lu, Ryan, and my respect for the friends who recommended it. Otherwise, this drama delivered absolutely nothing close to what its trailer had promised.
As for the cast...
Bai Lu once again proves that questionable script choices and acting ability are two completely different things. She can pick a drama that disappoints me, but she never disappoints me as an actress. She's effortlessly talented. That said, *Jadewind* and now this one do make me wonder how long I can keep liking her as my fav for her acting talent alone. Her scripts are not scripting to me anymore. She's at her absolute best when a feel good story gives her emotional moments to elevate. Watching Bai Lu cry during an otherwise engaging dull-plot drama is heartbreaking.
I mean ..'Even her magic has limits'~
Ryan...My man is back with his trademark micro-expressions. So microscopic they should come with a complimentary microscope...... Except for scenes like thanking Ye Li for saving his legs or his first visit to the Mountain Academy, he wore almost the exact same expression throughout the series. The frustrating part is that I know he can act. He was fantastic in *How Dare You?* So why does he keep returning to his *My Journey to You* default settings????
Why~
As for the production, the costumes looked good, the sets were perfectly serviceable, and the visual effects were... fine. There wasn't much opportunity for them to shine anyway.
The OST wasn't particularly memorable, but I did love the background score during Episode 1, the entire bride departure sequence. Those sanskrit shlokas chant like BGM was unique ... In a nice way.
Would I recommend this drama?
I wish I could.
But I can't~
Three excellent episodes simply aren't enough to compensate for nearly thirty hours of waiting for the story to wake up.
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This review may contain spoilers
When I started The First Jasmine, I expected a beautiful historical romance with a slow-burn relationship and plenty of emotional moments. While the drama certainly delivers all of that, what surprised me the most was how much depth it gave its characters. The biggest strength of the drama is undoubtedly A'Li. She is one of the strongest female leads I've watched this year—not because she is fearless or invincible, but because she feels incredibly human. Her past has left deep emotional scars, and the drama never tries to "fix" her overnight. Instead, it allows her healing to happen gradually, making every small step forward feel earned. Watching her slowly regain confidence, learn to trust again, and refuse to let her trauma define her was one of the most rewarding parts of the series. A'Yao complements her perfectly. I really appreciated that his role wasn't simply to become her love interest. Yes, A'Li helps heal his injured leg, but in many ways, he is the one who helps heal her heart. He never tries to force her to move on or push her beyond her limits. Instead, he stays by her side with endless patience, quiet understanding, and unwavering support. Their relationship is built on trust rather than dramatic declarations of love, and I found that much more meaningful than many romances that rely on constant misunderstandings or exaggerated emotional scenes.
The chemistry between Bai Lu and Cheng Lei is simply wonderful. They don't need grand romantic gestures to convince you that these two characters belong together. A simple glance, a quiet conversation, or a shared moment of silence says more than pages of dialogue ever could. Their performances make the relationship feel natural, mature, and deeply comforting.
The supporting cast also deserves a lot of praise. While not every storyline received the ending I was hoping for, each character brought something meaningful to the overall narrative.
A'Ying, in particular, broke my heart. More than anything, I wished the drama had allowed her to find happiness through her own independence instead of tying so much of her journey to Mo Jingli. She had all the qualities needed to become an incredibly strong woman in her own right, which makes her story feel bittersweet.
Then there's Mo Jingli... probably one of the most frustrating yet fascinating characters in the drama. Mo Jingli never felt completely irredeemable. His obsession with Ye Li after marrying Ye Ying was undeniably unfair and often difficult to watch, but the drama also gives him enough emotional complexity to understand why he became the person he is. I didn't agree with many of his choices, but I could never bring myself to hate him completely. If I had to point out one weakness, it would be the final battle. After all the build-up leading to Mo Jingli's arrival in the capital, I expected a much larger and more impactful confrontation. Instead, the fighting sequences were surprisingly short, lasting less than a full episode. Considering how much tension had been built throughout the story, I would have loved to see more large-scale battle scenes and military strategy before the conflict was resolved. It felt like a missed opportunity, especially because the drama had done such a great job raising the stakes beforehand.
What I appreciated most, however, is that the drama never forgets its emotional core. Yes, there are political conspiracies, revenge plots, and palace intrigue, but at its heart, this is a story about healing. It reminds us that surviving trauma doesn't mean forgetting the past. Healing isn't about becoming the person you were before—it is about learning how to move forward while carrying your scars with you.
In conclusion , The First Jasmine is much more than a historical romance. It is a beautifully acted, emotionally rich drama filled with memorable characters, meaningful relationships, and one of the most mature love stories I've seen in a long time.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Tender Drama That Leaves a Lasting Impression
A historical Chinese romance that blends palace intrigue, revenge, political strategy, and a slow-burn love story.✅What works well
◍Strong female lead: Ye Li is intelligent, calm, and resourceful rather than relying on luck or clichés. Her quest for revenge is balanced by emotional depth, making her one of the drama's biggest strengths.
◍Complex romance: The relationship begins as a political marriage between two wounded people who slowly learn to love each other. Their romance feels earned through shared hardships rather than instant attraction.
◍Political intrigue: Court conspiracies, succession struggles, and strategic maneuvering give the story substance beyond romance. The revenge plot unfolds through intelligence and planning rather than constant action.
◍High production quality: The costumes, sets, and cinematography create an elegant historical atmosphere that suits the story.
◍Music/OSTs: The music in **The First Jasmine** is elegant, emotional, and perfectly complements the historical setting. The orchestral score and traditional Chinese instruments enhance both the romantic and dramatic moments without overpowering the story. Overall, the soundtrack is memorable and helps deepen the emotional impact of the series.
❎Weaknesses
◍I feel like they didn't fully utilize some of the characters. They had the potential to play much more important roles in the story, but their characters ended up being wasted.
◍Towards the ending episodes, it felt like they had cut a lot of scenes. For example, in the last episode, just when Ye Li was about to kiss Mo Xiu Yao, the scene was cut. The fight between Mo Xiu Yao and Mo Jingli also felt heavily edited, as if several parts were removed.
👩🏻Actresses👨🏻Actors/ Characters
◍Bai Lu was incredible in this drama. I was already a big fan of hers, but this drama made me appreciate her acting on a much deeper level. Her character, Ye Li, was so complex and beautifully portrayed.Through Ye Li, I laughed, cried, celebrated her victories, and even felt satisfied when she got her revenge. And when she finally got her happy ending, I was genuinely happy for her. It really felt like I experienced all of her emotions and pain alongside her. 🥹💖
◍Ryan Cheng also did an incredible job. I'd already watched some of his previous dramas, so I was really happy to see him paired with Bai Lu. Their chemistry was amazing. 🥹✨His character was incredibly intense and carried so much grief on his shoulders. I loved watching him slowly let go of the pain, melt the ice around his heart, and gradually open up to and accept Ye Li. Their relationship developed so naturally, and it was one of my favorite parts of the drama. ❤️
◍Cai Zhengjie also did a great job. I'd seen him in a few mini-dramas before, so I was happy to see him in this role. However, I personally feel that they didn't make full use of his character, Mo Jingli. He had so much more potential, but the drama never fully explored it. At first, I really didn't like Mo Jingli, but as the story progressed, I actually started feeling sorry for him. He deserved so much more. Yes, he was a calculated person from childhood, but I believe his circumstances shaped him into that person. He wasn't born a villain—the situations he went through turned him into one. He lost his father, his position, the woman he loved, and in the end, even his life. And all of it happened because of one power-hungry Empress Dowager. Yes, he was wrong for killing innocent people and wasn't worthy of becoming emperor, but I still believe he at least deserved the chance to kill the Empress Dowager with his own hands.
◍I also feel like they wasted Han Mingxi's character. I was really looking forward to Lin Muran's performance because I'd seen him in *POJ*, where I absolutely loved his acting. Unfortunately, his character didn't get enough screen time or a meaningful storyline, which was quite disappointing.
◍Well, at first I didn't really like the emperor. I thought he wasn't worthy of the throne and even hoped someone else would become emperor. I also felt that he couldn't rule without relying on the Empress Dowager. But towards the end, he completely proved me wrong. He showed that he truly was worthy of the throne and had the qualities of a wise and capable emperor.
◍One thing I really didn't like was how they handled the Empress Dowager's ending. I wanted Ye Li to take her final revenge herself, but instead, they let the Empress Dowager die peacefully while feeling guilty. I really didn't understand why Ye Li suddenly became soft-hearted when it was finally time to kill her and complete her revenge. That part made no sense to me because almost everything that happened in the story was caused by that power-hungry Empress Dowager. After everything Ye Li had suffered because of her, I honestly felt the Empress Dowager deserved to face the consequences of her actions directly at Ye Li's hands.
💜Final verdict
The First Jasmine is best suited for viewers who enjoy intelligent protagonists, court politics, emotional character development, and romances built on trust and less misunderstandings. If you're expecting constant action, it may feel slow, but if you appreciate layered storytelling and character-driven historical dramas, it's one of the stronger Chinese costume dramas released this year.
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Hooked from Start to Finish
From start to finish, The First Jasmine completely hooks you. By intertwining deeply personal struggles with high-stakes political intrigue, it masterfully strikes a rare balance between an intimate character study and a sweeping epic. From start to finish, The First Jasmine proves to be an utterly captivating drama that grips you and never lets go. It stands as a sweeping triumph in storytelling, effortlessly bridging the gap between grand world-building and deep human emotion. What makes the series truly unforgettable is how it delivers a perfectly balanced epic; it masterfully intertwines high-stakes political turmoil with the deeply personal, intimate struggles of its characters, ensuring that the narrative feels both monumentally massive and profoundly human all at once.Was this review helpful to you?
Absolute potty plot.
A family is executed for rebellion because they lost the royal edict rag cloth , which commands them to enter the capital, thirty thousand soldiers lose their lives in the conspiracy on the other hand the elite and students of a national institute are also targeted and exiled in this university itself, all this by a single man's command. How illogical.? And that's not enough cause even after all this logic might be in coma but it was still breathing, the rage took its life when these people struggling with sickness denied to get crocin pills from the mountain foot cause they apparently didn't want to be branded rebels. Wow! Forget about proper court representation of their case, but being known for the bureaucrats making machine they didn't even placed proper guidelines for their daily requirements during the punishment was something so stupid and unbelievable. On contrary we had our FL who is not even in her sane mind but getting perfect executions of ministers right after descending the hill, with no man power or martial arts, how convenient.Was this review helpful to you?
Great Chemistry and Beautiful Visuals
This show is perfect for you if you want a more mature vibe from a romance couple where the female lead doesn't act like a baby all the time or have a baby voice.I enjoyed the pacing of this story and the romance. I like how its not too quick and how we could see Mo Xiu Yao gradually warm up to her rather than just randomly have him flip and start loving her.
I also love how the story unravels from an unreliable perspective and how it gives hints as to how unreliable she is. We basically get to see the story unfold as he is discovering who she is on a deeper level.
One thing I think this show does well is the cinematography. The shots of the backgrounds and buildings are so pretty. The colouring is very nice and I LOVE how we can actually see the actors skin textures. I'm glad they opted out of filtering the actors and actresses heavily however their makeup is still typically very white. It's also very nice that they're allowing the actors to use their own voices because I feel like Cheng Lei rarely does in his projects and this just shows how much his voice can bring to his characters.
Both actors are well casted because they both have a face that looks suspicious in my eyes. They both look like they're hiding something when their face is neutral which is perfect for this show as it leaves a bit of mystery and suspicion for me. I also think they visually complement each other well as they both have this mature vibe to them. It shows especially in the later half of the show but they are wonderful actors and are able to portray such great emotions with their eyes.
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A light drama
I liked the drama, although it did not have many interesting or emotionally engaging elements. The story began by showing the injustice the leads had suffered. The female lead was sent to an academy when she was just a child. There, she lived with her grandfather (I think he was her maternal grandfather) and his disciples. She learned medicine and swordsmanship there.After growing up, she left the academy and returned to her father's house, where she was not treated well. Even the man she was supposed to marry ended up marrying her sister instead. She was then married to a prince who was physically disabled. He had become crippled after injuring his leg in a war.
The prince had also suffered injustice. His brother and his army were falsely accused and sentenced to death. However, he survived for some reason and later served under the king. Together, the prince and the female lead cleared his brother's name and eventually lived happily ever after.
The drama also had two or three cute romantic scenes. I liked the leads, and they looked adorable together.
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