CostumeHEA

Compare the acting skills of two actresses at the same age, focusing only on their talent. One is talented. The other not.

Better?

Then remove my comparison and names. Keep the age.

Not an excuse. Zhao Lying was extraordinary at the same age

Douban rating….. 3.2

https://movie.douban.com/subject/36809858/

Douban score 3.2
17,423 people commented

5 stars 4.0%
4 stars 2.5%
3 stars 6.6%
2 stars 24.2%
1 star 62.6%

Perspective…. Mydramalist rated 7.5 with 578 users versus 1, 43 BILLIONS Chinese population (Asia is 4, 8 billions)

The script rushed through certain events, added unnecessary scenes, and neglected to focus on the four main characters—Chu Qiao, Fan Xun, Zhuge Yue, and Li Ce. It failed to portray the emotional bonds she shares with the three men who are madly in love with her. Overall, it's a disorganized mess. The general audience isn't blind; it has a 3.2 rating on Douban.

This isn't about negative critics—it's never been that. Over 4 billion Asians have access to dramas, including those who rate 'Pursuit of Jade.'

Honestly, it’s disappointing. I love the novel and Princess Agents. Rebirth? It’s a major letdown—everything from the cast and directing to the script. As usual, the only commendable aspects are the martial arts actors and the visuals.

https://koalasplayground.com/2026/04/20/princess-agents-sequel-drama-rebirth-with-li-yun-rui-and-huang-yang-tian-tian-flops-hard-and-gets-lowest-douban-ratings-of-the-year-with-3-2/

https://dramapanda.com/2026/04/rebirth-flops-princess-agents-nostalgia.html

https://www.tonboriday.com/2026/04/chinese-drama-rebirth-called-out-for.html

https://www.tonboriday.com/2026/04/rebirth-slumps-to-32-douban-score-as.html

He also died in the novel… and I cried rivers. He love Chu Qiao so so much but never told her. She knew only after his death. She save his 2 kids and one of them became the next emperor.

Not surprised.

However, princess agents improved its ranking to the top 20 or top 30 on Tencent...

China is not the only audience. As of April 2026, Asia's total population is approximately 4.86 billion, which makes up about 59% of the world's total population.

Southern Asia: around 2.1 billion (home to India and Pakistan).
Eastern Asia: about 1.65 billion (home to China and Japan).
Southeastern Asia: approximately 700 million (includes Indonesia and the Philippines).
Western Asia: around 300 million.
Central Asia: roughly 80 million.

Add in Western countries...

So, the audience extends well beyond China. Outside MDL, which has fewer than 494 users voting 7.6 and is just a tiny (dust) part of the bigger picture, check other major platforms for more accurate reviews. These are the same viewers who voted for Pursuit of Jade, etc.

Change was inevitable, and most of the audience accepted this and was excited for a sequel. The result is disappointing, and the age gap is only a minor issue in the overall feeling of dissatisfaction.

😂 You are funny and passionate about this fictional TV drama. Keep it up!

So everyone can cry in front of their screen?

No clue. It's purely fictional and written for drama only.

The novel's events and drama events are rarely identical.

That's why I mentioned they met, but it wasn't memorable. Their encounter was brief, lasting only a few minutes without them expressing their feelings. It was a silent exchange, and the chapter of their past was closed. The empress he chose was physically very close to Chu Qiao, but he never loved her. She fulfilled her purpose.. He ended up alone in his palace, surrounded by hundreds of people, concubines, and others, yet feeling lonely, mixing a complexity of regrets and no regrets of his choices.

This is visual and must have a strong immediate impact. That's why they select the most dramatic scenes from novels and craft the story around them. SML are used as accessories for scenes, including romantic ones. For some reason, audiences often enjoy seeing SML jealous, humiliated, and villains. Rarely are they portrayed as good, decent people in costume dramas—if they start out? They usually turn villain after the main couple's feelings are exchanged.

I am not a fan of rebirth stories. In Princess Agents, for example, the SML was very lovable for most of the drama. He only turned villain when his family was slaughtered, witnessing his mother’s suicide and having his family’s heads cut off. The sweet, kind boy became obsessive about regaining Yan Bei for his family. Chu Qiao was the only person who helped him stay sane and alive. She became his only anchor, and he fell deeply in love with her, placing her on a pedestal. When they were separated, he betrayed her out of jealousy and insecurity. He lost her, but no other woman ever replaced her. Sadly, rebirth stories don’t capture the depth of this relationship. They put him on a boring label, the madman killing everyone. He became an ordinary character that everyone will forget from this series.

A similar pattern appears in many dramas. They tend to stereotype the SML, which I believe is a major mistake. However, as you mentioned, some dramas break this norm and are very successful. I also think the role of the SML depends heavily on casting and script quality. I guess it is a matter of luck and the magic of chemistry: right casting, right script, right directors. Princess Agents had all of that even if it deviated a lot from the novel. Rebirth focused too much on unnecessary secondary characters.

I tend to prefer most SML characters over the ML (main lead). Princess Agents is a perfect example. I have a few others, each featuring complex yet lovable SML characters. They did not try to make the SML in Rebirth lovable, and from my perspective, it was a major mistake.

Princess Agents is season 1, and Rebirth is the sequel. If you want to avoid confusion, it's best to watch Princess Agents first. The downside is that Princess Agents is so excellent that you'll inevitably compare it to Rebirth. The initial episodes of Rebirth are average, but the series improves as you continue watching. (Some may jump to the conclusion that it is excellent... their opinion is as valid as mine... tastes differ.)

I read that season 1 significantly boosted Tencent charts (top 20?) and it was quite exceptional after 8 years.

I think this partly explains why the ratings are lower than expected. The major mistake with "Rebirth" was summarizing S1 in one episode and forgot to show the deep love the FL had for both ML, which confused the audience. If you check various forums, the common question is: do I need to watch S1 to understand "Rebirth"? That's a big issue. If viewers haven't watched S1 and decide to watch "Rebirth," comparisons are inevitable, especially since "Rebirth" is vastly different from S1.

Additionally, I believe the age gap (17 vs 29) plays a significant role. Even before "Rebirth" aired, half the audience was discussing their dislike of it, suggesting it wasn't well-received.

Personal choices regarding casting and the script, as well as a lack of chemistry, also impact the reception. The magic just isn’t there for many of us.

Therefore, the ratings are not surprising.

In dramas, typically only one couple is shown. In the novel, Chu Qiao loved Yan Xun, her first love, but he betrayed her and lost her affection. Her love for Zhuge Yue was that of a woman no longer in her first love phase. I have noticed your point many times, and I believe it is also due to censorship. Loving two men openly as per CPP China isn't allowed. You will never see the SML kissing the FL; instead, they often play the role of the obsessed, rejected boyfriend.

I understand your perspective. This series mainly revolves around palace power struggles, with little romance, focusing mostly on fights and battles. Many events from the novel were altered, but that's common—novels serve as inspiration, while scripts are tailored to highlight visually engaging main events. They also gave the empress and princess significantly more screen time than needed. Personally, I don't like this drama for several reasons, including the casting of the female lead and the script. Individually, they are probably okay, but as a group, it feels flat. However, I acknowledge it was challenging to create a sequel to Season 1. It's not a bad show, but the ratings—both here and on other Chinese platforms—speak for themselves. I personally blame the lack of chemistry between the actors/actresses as a whole (not especially the age gap). Something was seriously missing for me. (I insist on "FOR ME")

After deciding to "kill" Zhuge Yue, his only remaining task was to eliminate nearly all of his enemies with his army. As @anitfa observed, his role was essentially finished after the Lake incident. In the novel, he meets her only once more (several years later), and that encounter is uneventful. However, Yan Xun loved only her throughout his life. Despite having hundreds of concubines who resembled her, he never loved anyone else. She remained his first and only love. In the novel, he never pursued her after the Lake incident, nor was he as obsessed as in the drama, but his heart was forever torn between power (being emperor of Yan Bei) and his love and jealousy for her.