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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.
✅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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