Behind Every Great Man, There’s an Ambitious Woman
*The Road to Splendor* is a character-driven historical drama about two people whose ambitions change as dramatically as their circumstances. What begins as the story of a man who wants little more than an ordinary life gradually becomes a story of power, responsibility, marriage, friendship, and the price of wanting more. At the centre of it are Zhao Ling and Fu Tingyun, whose paths continually intersect as they move from survival and uncertainty toward wealth, influence, and increasingly complicated choices.Zhao Ling and Tingyun's relationship is one of the things I enjoyed most. Their connection doesn't begin with romance. At first, Zhao Ling is simply someone who chooses to stand beside Tingyun and help her, even when neither of them has any real romantic feelings for the other. Their relationship grows through circumstances, trust, betrayal, and eventually genuine affection. I also liked watching Zhao Ling mature. He starts as a man who wants very little from life, but responsibility gradually changes him. He doesn't suddenly become ambitious; he adapts, learns, and eventually becomes someone capable of carrying the weight that comes with his position. Tingyun changes too, and that is where their relationship becomes even more interesting. The woman who once wanted more begins to value the simpler life, while the man who once wanted simplicity becomes increasingly ambitious. Their roles don't reverse overnight, but the change is noticeable by the end.
Fan Yake was the character I felt for the most. Her story is painful because so much of what she does comes from insecurity, pride, and her desperate desire to prove that she belongs. But even when I understood where she was coming from, I still couldn't justify the way she treated Tingyun. Her betrayal made their friendship particularly difficult to watch, because this wasn't simply a rivalry between two strangers. They had history. And Yu Jingxiu's treatment of her only made it worse. I never felt that Fan Yake deserved the way he treated her, especially after she had already sacrificed so much for him.
Madam Yu, meanwhile, was a completely different kind of character. She was intelligent, calculating and formidable, and for much of the story she felt like a far greater threat than her husband. And then there was Fourth Master Fu, who I initially took for nothing more than a proud and difficult man. The more I watched, though, the more I realised there was something seriously wrong with this man. His past actions, especially his involvement in Tingyun's mother's death, made him much harder to sympathise with. What made it even more complicated was that, despite his constant opposition, Tingyun never simply stopped seeing him as her father. Zhao Ling eventually became the one who killed him, but even though I understood why it happened, I still didn't particularly like the way it was handled. He was still her father, and that made the whole thing feel heavier than a simple case of an antagonist getting what he deserved.
The plot itself kept enough moving parts around the characters to make the journey worthwhile. Betrayals, family conflicts, business interests and court politics continually pushed the characters into situations where they had to choose between what they wanted and what they were expected to do. Some of the political developments were more interesting than others, but they worked best when they directly affected the characters rather than existing simply as background intrigue.
Visually, the drama is also a pleasure to watch. The historical setting, costumes, locations and overall atmosphere give it a polished feel, and the performances help carry the more character-driven moments.
For me, *The Road to Splendor* was not the most intriguing drama I've watched, but it was a good journey with characters that actually changed along the way. Some of the consequences, especially toward the antagonists, could have carried more weight, but I still enjoyed the overall experience.
**8/10.**
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Eight Hours Well Spent
Honestly, A Shop for Killers 2 was a masterpiece for me.I had taken a break from modern dramas, and coming back with this one was definitely worth it. I was invested from the beginning all the way to the end. The action, the tension, the pacing, and the way the story unfolded all worked really well for me.
I don’t remember much from Season 1 anymore, so before starting this season I went back and binged the last episode to refresh my memory. What I especially liked about the beginning of Season 2 was finally getting a clear explanation of what happened and why Jeong Jin-man left. That was something I had wanted after Season 1, and seeing the story address it properly made the opening even stronger.
And after that, I really enjoyed both the plot and the characters.
Lee Dong-wook was excellent as Jeong Jin-man. There is a coldness in his eyes that fits the character perfectly, and it still worked just as effectively for me in this season. Kim Hye-jun also did a very good job as Jeong Ji-an and deserves her flowers. Jung Yoon-ha was another standout. She played a ruthless, psychopathic killer who genuinely seemed to enjoy sending people to their deaths 😂. Even as one of the antagonists, she delivered that role with full commitment and made every scene of hers land.
I also really enjoyed the plot, even though some parts had me genuinely frustrated. Kim U-jin’s death actually hurt because I liked him a lot, and I still don’t fully understand why they chose to kill him off. The voice-recorder situation with Pasin also annoyed me. If the device was only picking up sound, there were simpler ways they could have communicated without creating so many unnecessary complications for the team. But aside from those moments, I remained fully invested in how everything played out.
I watched Season 1 before I started using MDL, so I never got the chance to leave my thoughts on it. Now that I’m here, I’m glad I can at least share my thoughts on Season 2.
For me, this was a very satisfying watch.
8.5/10
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