One of the most accomplished historical dramas of the year.
The Road to Splendor gets so much right: the story, the performances, the production design and, most importantly, the absolutely insane chemistry between Deng Enxi and Ding Yuxi.
Director Deng Ke's decision to film extensively on location is one of the drama's greatest strengths. The architecture and natural scenery aren't just beautiful; they become part of the storytelling. The spaces occupied by the leads constantly reflect their changing fortunes, both personally and at court. As they fall, struggle and eventually rise again, the architecture visually communicates their changing status, power and sense of freedom. When they lose everything, they are visually confined and diminished by the spaces around them; as they regain status and power, the world literally opens up. Even at court, architecture becomes a reminder of hierarchy, isolation and just how dangerous their new position can be.
Deng Enxi and Ding Yuxi are fantastic. Deng Enxi gives Fu Tingyun intelligence, resilience and vulnerability without turning her into an impossibly perfect heroine. Ding Yuxi brings plenty of charisma to Zhao Ling while still allowing his character's ambition, wounds and moral compromises to show. And their chemistry is insane.
It's not limited to romantic scenes. They have the kind of chemistry where a conversation, an argument or simply a look across the room can feel charged. More importantly, they feel like intellectual equals: two people who challenge, understand and occasionally frustrate each other. What makes their journey satisfying is that neither of them emerges unchanged from everything they endure. Their personal rise and their rise at court are intertwined, and Deng Ke's visual storytelling constantly reinforces that connection.
The entire cast deserves credit. The supporting characters feel like people with their own ambitions, loyalties and limitations rather than simply obstacles placed in the leads' path. And I particularly liked that the drama doesn't pretend everyone can make the journey with them. Some people are inevitably left behind when you choose a different road. The leads' rise comes with consequences, and losing relationships along the way is part of the reality of the lives they're building, not every departure needs to be turned into a villain's betrayal.
What I particularly loved is that the drama allows all the characters to make mistakes. Those who rise and those who fall, it isn't effortless and relationships have to adapt, compromise and learn from failures. This is a historical drama that feels considerably more thoughtful than its “rise to power” premise might suggest.
All of these, make The Road to Splendor one of the most accomplished dramas of the year.
Director Deng Ke's decision to film extensively on location is one of the drama's greatest strengths. The architecture and natural scenery aren't just beautiful; they become part of the storytelling. The spaces occupied by the leads constantly reflect their changing fortunes, both personally and at court. As they fall, struggle and eventually rise again, the architecture visually communicates their changing status, power and sense of freedom. When they lose everything, they are visually confined and diminished by the spaces around them; as they regain status and power, the world literally opens up. Even at court, architecture becomes a reminder of hierarchy, isolation and just how dangerous their new position can be.
Deng Enxi and Ding Yuxi are fantastic. Deng Enxi gives Fu Tingyun intelligence, resilience and vulnerability without turning her into an impossibly perfect heroine. Ding Yuxi brings plenty of charisma to Zhao Ling while still allowing his character's ambition, wounds and moral compromises to show. And their chemistry is insane.
It's not limited to romantic scenes. They have the kind of chemistry where a conversation, an argument or simply a look across the room can feel charged. More importantly, they feel like intellectual equals: two people who challenge, understand and occasionally frustrate each other. What makes their journey satisfying is that neither of them emerges unchanged from everything they endure. Their personal rise and their rise at court are intertwined, and Deng Ke's visual storytelling constantly reinforces that connection.
The entire cast deserves credit. The supporting characters feel like people with their own ambitions, loyalties and limitations rather than simply obstacles placed in the leads' path. And I particularly liked that the drama doesn't pretend everyone can make the journey with them. Some people are inevitably left behind when you choose a different road. The leads' rise comes with consequences, and losing relationships along the way is part of the reality of the lives they're building, not every departure needs to be turned into a villain's betrayal.
What I particularly loved is that the drama allows all the characters to make mistakes. Those who rise and those who fall, it isn't effortless and relationships have to adapt, compromise and learn from failures. This is a historical drama that feels considerably more thoughtful than its “rise to power” premise might suggest.
All of these, make The Road to Splendor one of the most accomplished dramas of the year.
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