Dark Clouds Are Passing, And the Wind Will Always Rise

I couldn't be more grateful to come across such a beautiful and impactful drama. This drama is simple, wholesome, and educative. It portrays the struggles of the ordinary individual living in the society that has been designed for us. Hardships, loss, death, and failure come in more than one way and will eventually affect all of us. And we will fall because we are human. But the sun will always shine brightly after a storm and hardships will eventually pass to become stories and experiences we use to grow and teach others.

The story is wholesome. It tells the story of a young woman who suffers a loss and loses the direction of her life. She decides to take a vacation to a beautiful village that changed her life forever, as she met people with similar struggles as her, she made friends with them, she found love, and she gained happiness. She proved that in this life, only you can choose your path to happiness, and happiness will find you where you never expected it. The story is also about a young man with great ambition for his home. He grew up watching families get torn apart because of poverty caused by a lack of development in their village. He came with the ambition to change the future of his home, and he did. Along the way, he met new people, who were merely passers-by, but turned out to be his dear friends. And he found love, in a woman who was willing to grow with him.

The Yunan village was a beautiful, ethereal, and calming setting. It brought the drama to life, and the actors were the wind that blew this drama to victory. Each character with a story. Each member of the village played a part in changing the future of their village. Each character that lived in the courtyard, served as a blueprint of the struggles of life and taught us that we can overcome them.

this drama did something to me that many dramas haven't, I won't lie and say it's my favuorite, but it is impressionable, it is beautiful and it was definitely worth the watch. It is another 100% romance drama because it goes beyond the love of two people, it is the love of friends, family, community, and country. And truly Love prevails.

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Sisterhood prevails once again, this is a gem worth watching

I never expected to find a gem as good as A Dream of Splendour, but I found a better one. This drama will always have a special place in my heart. I guarantee you it is one of the most beautiful stories you'll come across. I laughed, I cried and I smiled till my face hurt.
I have noticed recently the production of feminist Chinese historical dramas, and I'm glad to see that the standard is being set beautifully. We have passed the age of palace dramas where women kill each other for men. It's time to face reality and call out history for what it really was. It is also time for us to portray women as we are, people who cherish each other and support one another. In the women in this drama, I saw myself, my sisters, my best friends, and my closest confidants. I also saw the strength of familial love and the value of forgiveness. There is much to learn from this drama, and truly I have learned.

This is the story of a group of women who encounter the Yin family of Xin state and how they face many obstacles, and tackle the pressures of society. How they grow, learn, and become better people in life. It is a story about the importance of family and friendship, of sisterhood and brotherhood. It is a story about the virtue of patience, kindness, honesty, and most especially, LOVE. It is a story about empowerment and the fight for a better tomorrow.

This drama brings to light many important feminist themes. The solidarity of women, empowerment, the importance of breaking down the patriarchy, fighting against domestic violence and abuse, as well as tackling the issue of postpartum depression and many other issues women face. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for women then. The drama acts as a parody that mocks the ridiculous rules of ancient times. It also brings in modern themes to show what life could have been like if men removed their heads from their behinds and treated women like human beings.

This drama is what I will call 100% romance, it is not just about the romance of two people, but it is about the love and the bond of family. The drama teaches many important lessons, and I truly appreciate being able to come across this story.
A bonus is that the production quality, setting, costumes, music, themes, and acting are also high quality and impeccable.

This drama is 10000/10, and I hope to rewatch it again in the near future.

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Amazing drama, it will give you a sense of satisfaction

This is one of the best 2020 dramas I’ve watched so far. After many dramas this year this one had a very special touch to it. And let’s not forget about that ending( I’ll leave it to the viewers to watch) . This is one of few dramas that has given me a sense of satisfaction

If it’s reassurance you want then you’ve got it. This drama is amazing, the actors are perfectly fit for their roles and the production is outstanding.

A very beautiful love story that will have you on your toes, you won’t even believe it. This is by far one of the best and unforgettable dramas I’ve ever watched.

The bad guys are dealt with properly and all problems are solved thoroughly. I give my hands to this drama

Rewatch value is a total 100/10

I absolutely loved it, from the costumes, to the weddings, to the music, the characters and the plot.

Totally amazing, totally worth it.

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It is an amazing drama. TOTALLY RECOMMENDED.

I will now give my final judgement for this drama

If you have read my previous reviews of the other seasons, you'll notice that my rating for this drama became higher because it met my expectations properly.

The story was filled with a lot of plot holes and in the process of trying to give us suspense, the author may have gotten a tad bit too excited but it wasn't anything bad enough to ruin the drama. In fact, it made the drama much more interesting for me. the story is really good and we don't expect any less from the writer of love me if you dare and when a snail falls in love.

- ACTORS/ACTING/CHARACTERS
The female lead was a good character. I think Yang Rong is a good actress. It's obvious the writer wanted her to be smart and intuitive but also have a soft and sassy side. I noticed that her sassiness annoyed people but I think that is where most of her charm came from. She was also quite talkative like me. I felt like I could relate so much with her character because it oddly reminded me of myself. Her relationship with the male lead was also amazing. (PS: you'll get used to the heels eventually, it's like a super power).

The male lead had a very masculine charm to himself. I absolutely hated Johnny Bai mainly because of his character in Love O2O, more reason why I didn't want to watch this drama but I did fall in love with him eventually. his character as Han Chen was really good. Although he is tease of a man and a big headed prick, he is very loyal not only to his lover and friends but also to his job. He's an upright man and quite the family man too. Totally husband material.

Now lets talk about the most controversial character in this story Xu Si Bai also known as S ( I personally call him doctor forensic chef guy). from the onset of the drama, he already gave us very off vibes. All our suspicions were eventually proven to be right and even expanded as he just happened to be the founder of the most psychotic serial killing group ever. Towards the end however, my animosity for him changed to a sort of attraction. I found him way more attractive when he was in serial killer S mode than when he was doctor forensic chef guy. I never wanted him close to the female lead, but the SML syndrome hit right at the end of the drama.

I absolutely loved the alphabet group. Each of them were amazing in their own way, the actors were really good especially Zhao Yi Qin who took the role of M. I was particularly attached to each of them and I even came up with cute villain names for them. (The Artist, Bomb boy, chemical guy, child bride, professor mind games, hacker and Sniper... lets not forget their leader Doctor forensic chef guy) LOL.

The other characters were good too. Cold face, little hacker and the other cute guy were really nice characters that you'll grow to love so much. Some people felt like cold faces relationship with the little nurse was out of place but I think it was okay, they were quite cute.

All in all, the characters were good. the chemistry between the leads was impeccable, the Alphabet group gave me the thrill I was looking for and the cute police officer friends were worth loving.

-MUSIC
there wasn't much to the music, I don't think they wanted us to concentrate on it anyways

- REWATCH
most likely, probably years later when I've forgotten most of it and need a good dose of love and crime.

All in all it was a good drama, a total recommendation. I think it will satisfy the needs of those looking for action and also those looking for a sweet romance.

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This drama will give you a satisfaction you never expected to have

RECENTLY REWATCHED AND I'M GIVING IT A HIGHER SCORE, THIS DRAMA IS FOOD FOR THE SOUL.
Before I watched this drama I read a lot of reviews and I saw that it actually received a lot of critical reviews, not negative but just very critical in the sense that a lot of people seemed to be bothered by the excessive cooking or maybe it’s just because it’s not like the other conventional historical dramas with big problems and a lot of misunderstandings and royalty and the lot ( love triangles and all). This drama however, brought a whole new light to historical dramas. I always wondered what the lives of commoners in historical dramas were like and this drama really showed me what it was like. the reason I love this drama so much is because

- there are no scandals or unnecessary misunderstanding (problems are not too heavy weight and are resolved quickly, Xiaomai and Yuhuai really complimented each other well and were a very supportive and non toxic couple.
- this drama is totally about self development and the career of our Chef Hua, we see in this drama resilience and strength, it is a very beautiful story showing the value of friendship and family
- this drama also portrayed the beauty of simplicity. so there isn’t any real scandal or over the top drama, there are no wars, no kings and no officials trying to take over the throne, there is no harem or unnecessary killing, (there is no cross dressing) it’s totally different from the conventional Chinese historic, this just makes it so beautiful in its own way.
- I personally think the cooking in this drama was actually very amazing because they were trying to show us the beauty of the foods that were being cooked. I think that was one of the aims.
- let’s also discuss the fact that we should not expect actors to be so perfect in everything, they are actors for God sake obviously there will be expert Chefs hired because there’s no way in the world that they are going to actually be able to cook all those dishes themselves or find someone with exactly the same hands as the actors. If you are looking for perfection then I’m sorry but you are just being over the top. so there is really nothing there. I think the most important thing is that we were able to see and appreciate good food.

I also love this drama as much as I love The General’s lady because the actress (Tang Ming) is a really beautiful and talented actress. I loved this side of her. it’s very obvious that she’s a good actress.

Now let’s talk about our male lead. I initially didn’t want to watch his drama because of the male lead. He isn’t the conventional pretty boy, but I was so surprised by his acting and I actually found him very attractive and manly, much more attractive than most of the normal pretty boys. Also because there was just something about his role as a good husband and a wonderful man. he’s a great actor, you’ll be surprised by his performance.

The side characters are also amazing, let me tell you, you will love the mother-in-law, the sister, the brother-in-law and all other side characters and I love the fact that most of the bad people where either punished or they were redeemed. the end seemed a bit rushed because some people didn’t receive punishment for their despicable actions, I think that was because Chef Hua was graceful enough.

Let me tell you, Chef Hua will not disappoint you. this drama is amazing and the end is beautiful and if you are looking for something with purity and just beauty and the simplicity of life, this is the drama for you. it is realistic in its own way because it shows how life was then. It isn’t overly romanticised, but this drama will touch your heart differently. Just holding hands made me feel butterflies for them. Their love was so strong.
I fell in love with this drama, I fell in love with the actors, I fell in love with the food, with the side characters, with the villains. Everyone was beautiful in their own way and everything was done nicely, in a way that it will satisfy you.
This drama is not perfect and is definitely not the best but I think this is a hidden gem. I really want people to notice it. Rewatch value is a total 10.

Just watch this drama, it’s beautiful and satisfying.

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It has what many mini dramas lack, Wholesomeness

Of all the mini-dramas I've watched, this is the only one that has given me a wholesome and complete feeling. It felt like an actual drama but was quick and not draggy. The story, unlike other mini-dramas, is actually very well-written and concise. the conflicts are interesting and are solved quickly without any loopholes. my experience with mini-dramas though good, always leaves me very unsatisfied, the only feeling of dissatisfaction I got from this one is that I didn't want it to end because it was too good. The characters are very likable, and the romance is straight to the point and insanely cute. After watching Yang Ze in the killer is also romantic, I fell in love with him immediately, he definitely did not disappoint in this drama. I hope to see him in more dramas in the future.

All in all it's a really good mini-drama that will improve your mood after a stressful day. It has a very sweet and wholesome story and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. I'll definitely be rewatching this.

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Really good for a web drama

Like most people, I've also taken a fancy to these short-length Chinese dramas. They are easier to follow and quick, but too many times, the plot is usually weak with insanely low production value.

This drama is different from the short dramas I've watched. It was really engaging and the production was okay. Though not new or unique, the story is well-written, simple, and interesting. You also don't get bored because of how fast the whole thing is. It is light, cute, and sweet and the kisses are very nice. The chemistry between the leads is really nice and the side characters are pleasing.

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It is a story with a lesson.

STORY
I was very sceptical about this drama because of the Harem tag and the schemes because I'm not a fan of dramas with those tags. But this drama didn't disappoint me. The drama reminded me a lot of The story of Minglan, but it wasn't as good. The plot was okay, it wasn't anything special. The schemes were pretty lame and the romance was slow. However, the beauty of this drama came from the lesson we were supposed to learn. In a time when women are reduced to nothing simply because of their birth status, how can they prevail?
The story is about the daughter of a concubine who marries the husband of her late sister in order to save their families prestige. In this drama we see the highest form of women’s hatred towards each other. A situation caused by unequal polygamy, where concubines are treated like trash and main wives scheme against them. Mother in laws make life hell for their daughters in law, and children are made to hate each other from birth because of status. This plague is then passed on to the next generation of schemers. It is a game of survival of the fittest and only the strongest prevails, but not without regrets.

The romance in this drama though slow was very sufficient, there were moments I smiled so hard and couldn't stop. The development in romance was so natural and beautiful, I loved it very much. Seven and Wallace did an amazing job with this one. Their emotions were portrayed beautifully and we could see the love, as well as the struggles they faced to reach the place they did at the end. Luo Shiyiniang was a strong character who stood her ground and did not let anything get in the way of her dreams and ambitions. And Xu Lingyi, though with his faults for neglecting all of his concubines, was a very supportive and good man once he found love.
Each of the concubines in Xu Lingyis harem had a story of their own. Each woman turned evil because of their unfortunate fate. It may have been better if Xu Lingyi gave them the time of day, but he didn't and that amplified their greiviances. I couldn't find it in my heart to hate any of them, especially concubine Qin, because those women did not deserve what they went through.
I saw a lot of people call this drama the Mother-in-Law trials, but the MIL didn't cause as much trouble as I thought she would. Everything she did was for her family, and though she was wrong in too many cases and refused to admit defeat, her eyes eventually opened to see the truth. She caused many problems, but in the end it was to protect her family. I ended up liking her character very much
All the other characters were beautiful. I loved Daddi Tangs role as Ou Yanxin, he was an upright man who was late in love, but still did well. Amber was a good maid who went astray one too many times, and eventually paid for what she did, but she sought her happiness in the end. Dongqing, General Fu and the other boy were pleasing side characters too. I loved The Luo family once all the older women in the family died. Shiyi's sisters were beautifully portrayed, and Erniang's self development was commendable. The other members of the Xu family were also pleasing to look at. The villains were nothing special, but they kept the plot going.
FINALE
All in all it is a good drama. The plot is okay, villains are punished and self redemption prevails. It’s not the most impressionable, but it has its merits. It is worth the watch, but I wont settle for a rewatch. Give this one a go when you are ready to accept harems and you won't regret it.

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Exceptional, Max and Tul Outdid themselves

This drama is one I have been waiting for, because I prefer binge watching so I had to wait for this one and as expected,I wasn't disappointed. Firstly, this isn't the usual college/uni bl which is a relief. The chemistry between the leads and those kisses made me go crazy. Everything about this dramas was phenomenal, except acting of some side characters. The main actors were good, but some characters seemed really robotic to me, I couldn't see any emotion or action in their speech, it was like they were reading directly from the script. That aside and the drama was really a work of art that I appreciate.

Story : amazing and consistent ( I finished it in less than 12 hours)
Music: soothing
Leads: perfect chemistry (as expected from Max and Tul)
Acting: could have been better
Rewatch: I’m not one to rewatch a drama, but I will totally watch this again

Drama lords, actors and writer, good job with this one

Absolutely amazing.

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It's all about Cultural Appreciation

A Talented art restorer takes in a student and falls in love with her.

STORY
What I loved the most about this drama is the production. The drama is about cultural appreciation and the importance of preserving history in form of art. I loved all the artwork and the little lessons we got at the end of some episodes. They were really cool. The setting was also so cool. I loved the rural-urban area where the film was shot.
The romantic plot wasn't anything new, but I loved the lack of immature conflicts and misunderstandings, despite their huge potential. Every time I thought the drama was going to make a cliche move, they went all 360 on me and proved that characters in C dramas can be mature when it comes to romance. All the couples were so mature in the aspect of love and that gave it the realism that we never see in C dramas. Both the SML and SFL took their rejections very well, and did not let that ruin their friendships and relationships.

CHARACTERS
I loved Qin Zhiyuan's character so much. He was a total weirdo (The good kind that is cute and funny). His character first comes off as your typical cold and arrogant male lead, but with time, we see that he's actually the cutest guy ever. He had a cute and child-like side that only his closest friend and Qiu Yuan got to see. He was also extremely talented in his field.
Qiu Yuan on the other hand was such a sweetie. She was an ambitious and talented girl who was persistent for what she wanted. She had a massive crush on QZY from the start as he was someone she looked up to in the industry. After a few encounters and conflicts, she becomes his student and her feelings for him grew into love. She was such an authentic character, she had her bubbly personality which brought out QZY's child-like side, and they balanced each other perfectly as a couple. There were sometimes that I could really see the age difference between them, but that wasn't much of a bother.
Zuo Huairen is the first SML I can proudly say that I like. I'm someone who has never found an SML pleasing, but Huairen proved me wrong. He was a mature, level-headed, and kind guy who cherished his friends very much. His character was very pleasing. Gao Shuo and Liu Xuan were also very cute characters, I loved their relationship. Xixi and Youxian were also a cute addition to the drama, their stories didn't drag at all.

FINALE
This is a really good drama, you should watch it. The production, the acting and everything are perfect. I love the music too. Though the story isn't the most original, it has so many other good qualities to overshadow this flaw.

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A masterpiece created by women - There is great pride is sisterhood.

THIS DRAMA IS A MUST-WATCH.
It's the first drama I've watched where I've seen female solidarity. It is as easy as it is unrealistic and selfish to make women bite each other's heads off because of a man as usually done in dramas. Where sisterhood is treated as a myth and women only exist to be evil to each other. This drama respected women, it didn't demean us. The drama showed that women have suffered for centuries at the hands of the patriarchy, and we are still suffering till now. It shows female solidarity at its finest.
When I started this drama, this statement is what came to mind, “In a world where we have no status, all we want to do is live in peace, can they not still offer us that?”
Halfway into the drama, the answer to my question was "no, they can't"
and at the end of the drama, my answer is, "there is hope for us. "
Story
The story of three strong independent women who suffered at the hands of men who were supposed to be their protectors. No matter the obstacle they faced, no matter the conflicts, they always remembered their sisterhood and their bond. Along the way, they meet good men and women who formed friendships and romantic relationships with them. They meet people who respect them and cherish them. And for everyone who stepped on their pride, they fought back tenfold without hesitation. they fought for justice, their reputations, and for their futures.

Characters,
Character development was impeccable. this is the first drama where i didn't see a single bit of conflict between women. people need to understand that women can exist in this world without hating each other because of men, and this was portrayed by the characters of Song Linzhang, Gao Hui, the empress, and the famous singer. They had so much potential to be the worst, but they weren't. they thought for themselves, and they developed beautifully.

Zhao Pan'er was a beautiful, strong, and talented woman who advanced bravely in every situation. though beaten down many times, with the help of her sisters and her lover, she always stood up again.

Sunsaniang is the epitome of motherly love. who cared so much about everyone around her. she was the string that tied their sisterhood together and despite her husband and son's betrayal, she never gave up on herself.

song lin zhang, the most complex of the three, who had the greatest potential to derail, showed us that making mistakes doesn't mean you cannot be redeemed. as the youngest of the three, she was naive and innocent. but after suffering at the hands of men, she realised that only her sisters can give her the love and respect she desperately craved. and she earned both not just from her sisters, but from the public, because of her impeccable talent.

Gu Qian Fan stood his ground, he loved unconditionally, he existed for her, and he loved her so much. He was a good man. he had his shortcomings and insecurities, and he was lost and in the dark. but a shining light came and brightened his path as he said to his father. Zhao Pan'er, his confidante and a woman he will always respect. he is a man who deserves respect.

all other characters including Zhao di, Chen Lian, Chi pan and his subordinates, Scholar du, the emperor, the empress, and Gao hui did amazing jobs. Ouyang xu was perfectly evil. actor did a great job.

the cinematography of this drama was impeccable. the art, the dancing, the music, and that performance in ep 32 was to die for.

a beautiful drama, with a beautiful ending and an important story. I've ranted so much because I love it too much. Truly a masterpiece and must watch for everyone.

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C-drama or Soap Opera, it's good either way

I actually enjoyed this drama a lot, though I understand why many don't. It is one of those over-dramatized family stories with lots of plot holes and questions, doppelgangers, family feuds, death, kidnapping, and all that fun stuff, haha. That's why I think it would qualify as a soap. It was a genuinely sweet drama with a fast-paced romance that keeps you going until the end. The characters are enjoyable to watch, and they fit very well into the story.
Shu Manning's character was admirable. though portrayed as weak, nervous, and anxious, she was not afraid in pursuing her love. And she loved that man with her whole life, she was willing to do anything for him.
Yan Xing Cheng fit the role of the Lethal Man quite well. His character was strong and unshakeable, yet showed his soft side to Manning, and he did love her very much. (PS: Their Kisses were the highlight of the whole thing )
The supporting characters were also pleasing to watch, they kept the story going.
the only downside of this drama would be the plot, it could have been written better though the story was interesting.
All in all its a good and recommended drama if you want a passionate romance with a bit of thriller, suspense, and drama.

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As troublesome as it looks, YOU WON'T REGRET WATCHING IT

A WELL EXCECUTED SLAP AND KISS. This drama was so beautiful
STORY
the story is one hell of a roller coaster and sincerely if you aren't patient enough, you'll probably miss a good one. Mind not the slap and kiss tag, it doesn't exist much in this drama I'll tell you that. I love the suspense, the angst, the action and the romance they all balanced each other so well. It even beat me at my drama investigation skills, and you'll definitely receive some pleasant and unpleasant surprises, and secrets . I love how the villains were portrayed in this drama, they were each others poison. They got what they deserved mainly because they kept setting traps for each other. They literally dug their own graves and it gave us the satisfaction of seeing all the enemies get what they deserve. The story was simply too good.

CAST AND ACTING
This is my second Mik drama, Sapai Import being the first which I watched a week ago, I just had to get a taste of his hotness again and he didn't disappoint. His character as Jet was a very beautiful one. His protectiveness, loyalty, love and respect towards Sophita and her whole family was just amazing. Sophita despite how batshit crazy she was for the first half of the drama, proved to be a very innocent and strong woman who just wanted the best for her family and the people she loved, she was just really horrible at showing it and had a hard time trusting people. I love how naturally her feelings for Jet developed. As for the side characters, Loyal secretary Tuptim, Cute and lovable best friend Pong and the others, they were all wonderful people. Their acting was also really good as I was immersed in all their characters. The villains, especially Kreetha and Rawin performed so well because I hated them so much. They raised my anxiety so good, haha.

Music
That song from enemies to the heart was so beautiful. This is one of those dramas that you'll be singing along even though you don't know the lyrics. I appreciate catchy music in dramas more than anything.

Re-watch value - Maybe years later when I've forgotten all about it

All in all, its an amazing drama and I advice everyone to please watch it. You wont regret it

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It was good, but not quite

I totally understand where the writer was going for this drama, however it wasn't well arranged which made half of the drama seem really boring and the other half confusing.
STORY: I totally understand what they were trying to achieve, but the packaging was not suitable for the parcel, which is why it broke on the way to it’s destination. This means that the story could have been portrayed better than this, but it is still a good story.
ACTING: despite his obvious fate as a supporting character in every other drama, Lai yi really outdid himself, he did a good job. Bai Lu never disappoints so we don't even need to stress. All the actors were splendid. All the servants were attractive which was quite refreshing and the villains did a splendid job being evil.
All in all, it was a good drama, I recommend you watch it but I wouldn't settle for a re-watch.

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