Thank you, Lu Yuxiao, for introducing me to this C-drama gem!
I have loved Lu Yuxiao since watching her in Perfect Match back in January 2025, and I’ve been catching up on her dramas ever since. That is how I found Romance in the Alley. I loved every minute of it, a wonderful holiday from the idol dramas I usually tune into.
This show was a massive hit in China in late 2024 and won numerous awards. It features incredible veteran actors alongside talented young stars like Wang Anyu, Guan Xiaotong, and Fan Chengcheng , as well as Lu Yuxiao. Don't let the word "Romance" in the title fool you; romantic love is just one of many themes. This drama is a true slice-of-life story set between the 1970s and 1990s, beautifully depicting China's social and cultural transformations during a turbulent era. The drama delivers masterclass acting performances especially by the veterans (but also the child actors are great!), exceptional screenwriting, and a top-tier historical reconstruction. Also some beautiful songs in the OST ("Disappear" by Su Yunying is my favourite) .
As to Lu Yuxiao, she first appears at the very end of episode 12 and shows up occasionally throughout the remaining episodes. Her character, Li Jia, adds great value to the narrative by showing the realistic and relatable struggles of a young woman balancing love, ambition, and filial duty in a changing China. It is exactly the subtly complex role that every LYX fan would expect from an actress as sensitive and versatile as she is. Unfortunately, she was dubbed by a voice actress who sounds to me completely inadequate for the character, which is a real shame given LYX's nuanced performance.
At the moment, the series is available with dreadful automatic subtitles, often making it difficult to grasp the real meaning of the dialogues.
This show was a massive hit in China in late 2024 and won numerous awards. It features incredible veteran actors alongside talented young stars like Wang Anyu, Guan Xiaotong, and Fan Chengcheng , as well as Lu Yuxiao. Don't let the word "Romance" in the title fool you; romantic love is just one of many themes. This drama is a true slice-of-life story set between the 1970s and 1990s, beautifully depicting China's social and cultural transformations during a turbulent era. The drama delivers masterclass acting performances especially by the veterans (but also the child actors are great!), exceptional screenwriting, and a top-tier historical reconstruction. Also some beautiful songs in the OST ("Disappear" by Su Yunying is my favourite) .
As to Lu Yuxiao, she first appears at the very end of episode 12 and shows up occasionally throughout the remaining episodes. Her character, Li Jia, adds great value to the narrative by showing the realistic and relatable struggles of a young woman balancing love, ambition, and filial duty in a changing China. It is exactly the subtly complex role that every LYX fan would expect from an actress as sensitive and versatile as she is. Unfortunately, she was dubbed by a voice actress who sounds to me completely inadequate for the character, which is a real shame given LYX's nuanced performance.
At the moment, the series is available with dreadful automatic subtitles, often making it difficult to grasp the real meaning of the dialogues.
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