This review may contain spoilers
A Masterpiece of Chinese Historical Drama
Plot and Storytelling:"Blossom" has emerged as a standout drama of 2024, weaving a tale of rebirth and redemption with exquisite detail. The story follows Dou Zhao, who, after a life marred by betrayal and loss, is given a second chance to rewrite her destiny. The narrative is both engaging and emotionally compelling, with a perfect balance of romance, mystery, and political intrigue. It's refreshing to see a plot that doesn't rely on unnecessary drama between leads, focusing instead on their mutual respect and strategic partnership. The drama's pacing is well-maintained, ensuring that each episode adds depth to the story without feeling rushed or dragged.
Characters and Acting:
Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui deliver performances that are both natural and captivating. Meng Zi Yi, portraying Dou Zhao, brings a nuanced depth to her character, showing her evolution from a woman scorned to a shrewd strategist.
Li Yun Rui as Song Mo complements her performance beautifully, embodying the role of a just yet tormented general with both poise and complexity. Their chemistry is palpable, making their scenes together some of the most heartwarming and intense of the series. The supporting cast also shines, adding layers to the story with their well-developed characters.
Visuals and Cinematography:
"Blossom" boasts stunning visuals that capture the essence of the Ming dynasty. The attention to detail in costumes and set design transports you back in time, while the cinematography enhances the storytelling with its artistic framing and use of color, particularly the symbolic use of purple. The first episode alone sets a high bar with its dramatic and beautifully shot scenes, promising a visual feast throughout the series.
Music and Soundtrack:
The original soundtrack of "Blossom" is another highlight, perfectly complementing the drama's emotional beats. The music not only sets the mood but also elevates key moments, ensuring they resonate with the audience.
Missed Opportunities:
While "Blossom" receives near-universal acclaim, there are mentions of some pacing issues towards the end and a slight deviation from the source material that might not sit well with all book fans. However, these are minor when weighed against the drama's many strengths.
Conclusion:
"Blossom" stands as a testament to what Chinese historical dramas can achieve when storytelling, acting, and production values come together in harmony. It's a drama that not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impression, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre. With its compelling plot, strong performances, and breathtaking visuals, "Blossom" indeed blossoms into one of the best dramas of 2024.
Whether you're a seasoned viewer of Chinese dramas or new to the genre, "Blossom" offers a rich, immersive experience that is hard to overlook. This drama not only redefines expectations but also sets a new standard for storytelling in historical settings.
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Q4 of the Last year was Bai Lu's and Q4 of 2024 is Meng Zi Yi's.
This is my first time writing a review in mydramalist. l couldn't but write a review of this extraordinary drama. The storyline is super interesting. This drama shows us something new. Also the casts are carefully selected and they nailed their roles especially the character SONG MO has a strong presence in the drama and I liked this character very much.Was this review helpful to you?
Thrive Alone, Flourish Together, Blossom Forever
#Blossom is a historical drama that focus on rebirth plot. The story navigates through the female lead's independence and self-reliance, along with a mutually supportive and healing relationship between her and the male lead. All other elements, such as court politics, and the male protagonist's quest to seek revenge serve the main storyline without deviating from it. Is it different from bunch of rebirth Chinese drama like SOKP, or TPR? yes. it is very different in the point where our FL and ML didn’t have a converged story line in there first life like in most of rebirth. Their faith intertwined on a fateful snowy night at last moment of that life. They both ended of dead and the FL experience her first life as a dream. What so good about this drama?#Rebirth sequence. I could say that it is the best rebirth sequence I've ever watched. She didn’t died and relive again like in a time loop or time reversal. The scene was spectacular and uniquely portrayed, also visually pleasing and emotionally captured. Watched it and you’ll believed me.
Character development. After Dou Zhao's rebirth, her goal in life isn't revenge or tormenting scumbags. Instead, it's about getting over the misfortune of her previous life and living well in the current one. She took all the measures necessary to change her first life. She tried to prevented her mother's death but she changed nothing. In her previous life, she was slowly poisoned which caused her chronic lung disease. But this time around she took the poison herself when she heard them talking about poisoning her. That led to her paternal grandmother taking her out of the family manor and and raised her in countryside. She engaged herself in a business, train her maids and got a knowledgeable man as her tutor. Smart indeed. For the male lead his life childhood exactly go as his previous life since he doesn’t have the knowledge of what happened.
Script was good though I was reluctant to continue through episode 2 as it felt like a short drama, since I'm not fan of that so called short drama. Every episodes felt like a single movie while some having a cliffhanger that you immediately clicked the next episode, pretty interesting.
Directing and cinematography. Not a single issue in that department, well done. All the shots are very exhilarating especially that episode 1, was perfect. I've watched some Ming dynasty dramas but I've never been a fan of their costume til now. LLTG and TSOM made me liked Han dynasty Song dynasty respectively. I like Ming dynasty because of Blossom. The decency, style, fashion of the costume made more ancient and that got me really into world setting. The themes and background tracks are really a fit for this type of setting, it was relaxing and mind refreshing.
Casting and acting. Meng ziyi is no newcomer in a Chinese drama, even if you didn’t ever watch her in a drama where she was the female lead you might came across her in a big budget drama as a second lead or a support. I've always been a fan of her since Ever Night. I clicked blossom only because of her. She portrayed Dou Zhao perfectly, I couldn’t asked for more. She embodied spirited, resilient, and self dependent Dou Zhao that you wouldn’t said that she doesn’t fit in that period but rather 21st century girl. You remember that look during competition when they tried to made her falk but she made one falled! I love it. Those her big eyes made me wonder is she really of Han descent? Li Yunrui, saw him first in LLTG, he was good there. But here, he totally shined as rebellious Yan tang and chivalrous general Song Mo, I want to see him more in that grey hair, but seeing him in that indicates that he is already poisoned! The chemistry is giving. I don’t mind them just showing them looking at each other for good 10 minutes. That scene in the ship when she recognized him as the masked man is the proof. What are you still waiting? Start blossom now, you won't regret it.
If the story didn't crashed, I would definitely give it 10/10. But hey! Its a Chinese drama, anything could happen. I have a good hunch it would definitely maintain its flow!
“Nine-layered wild flower can thrive on its own. But I believe with a little support, it can grow even more stronger”, she thrives alone and now they're flourishing together, I do hope their lives would #blossom forever!
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Consistenly good till the end
I tried to watch a lot of period dramas and every time i get bored or disappointed with either the story or the lack of character depth or sheer unbelievablility of the way characters are with respect to those times.Pros :
1. ML and FL - their character arc, their chemistry and the way they complement each other is one of the best. Both have their strengths and weaknesses and each try to work it out knowing that very well.
2. Good character arc for almost every character in the story surrounding FL and ML. Everyone are contributing to the story not just there for the sake of glorifying ML or FL. The way they act has valid reasons be it FL's uncle who just wants his family fortune to change, or even the useless Marquis husband of FL's sister. They are so believable. And everyone sort of meets a beffiting end in the story. I love so many characters in this show. Even a small scene between Crown Prince and his wife is so wholesome. So i did not find any scenes unncessary.
3. A real smart and brave FL without overglorification. The biggest gripe I have with period C dramas is that they say that women have little to know rights but then somehow in most of the shows FL is overglorified and she somehow gets away with anything and everything she does( ** cough Kuning cough** ). Strength of an FL can be shown even during those times befitting the period it is shown with but in many shows FL are simply overglorified with everyone being a fan of her. But in this case FL Is smart but she is also vulnerable when she needs to be. That makes it more believable. Best scene for me is she shooting the prince. She uses the gun during the bandit attack but fails to target and succeeds only the second time. Not like out of nowhere she take sthe gun and hits . Every female character are different but they all have their own strengths and weaknesses.
4. I like that till the end ML is sticking to the revenge plan and outright not forget about it as soon as he meets FL. At the end its the story where FL has to rewrite her fate and along with hers even MLs which she succeeds but it is also a revenge story for ML. His older life was driven by revenge which he took on wrong people but this life time he succeeds. So the story sticks to both FL's goal and ML's goal without deviating. And every character that was shown at the end of their first life contributes positively or negatively towards their goal in the second.
4. Pacing - You don't feel bored at any time.
Cons:
1. There are some scenes which i still feel is overly done. For ex: Everyone somehow coming to FL's rescue when she is punished to copy a book or the time when ML gets her mother's bangles for FL on the wedding day. These are small things which can still be explained so not a big problem for the feel of the show . It is really over the top scene which was not required. He could have gone and met his mother before she died instead of follwing the FL. It was too cheesy for my liking!
2. i do still see some modern values being juxtaposed to the olden times .
Overall a very good CDrama of 2024. Loved it !
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This drama made me happy. The OTP was one of the best I’ve seen in a Chinese (or Korean) drama. After a brief rocky start (why do too many Male Leads in Chinese dramas start out wanting to kill the Female Leads?), the OTP quickly come to treat each other as true equals. The chemistry between the two lead actors is incredible and they radiate intelligence and competence--it’s no wonder everyone wants those two on their side. The music, especially the opening sequence, really grew on me. The pacing seemed nearly perfect. I was less impressed with the development of the royal intrigues, especially people's sometimes illogical motivations for doing the things that they did. I enjoy watching historical dramas for their political machinations and maneuvering so that was a little disappointing. Hint: Be sure to watch past the closing credits for the last episode. It explained something that I’d assumed had been dropped and made the whole drama make a lot more sense.
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may this kind of love and intelligence find me
All review title jokes aside. I wasn't expecting Blossom to work so well but it just... works. Captivating visual storytelling, an intelligent, strong FL I would die for, and an adorable romance.First of all, this was one of the best first episodes of a drama I've ever seen. The visuals?? Actually to die for. Please please just watch the first episode—even if you don't continue the drama (but you should), the opening scene alone is a treat. Also, Song Mo's long hair... it's a crime that it never makes a comeback.
I honestly really have to applaud the director and writer. I have to say the actors, while they did a commendable job, did not do the heavy lifting in the success of this drama—the director and the writer did. From the choice of scenes and editing to the overall plot, I truly believe they did a wonderful job of crafting an entertaining story that seeps into the watcher's heart, even if it wasn't necessarily unique or fresh. (There's this one scene where a maid reenacts an event in her memory to give the leads a clue that was so beautifully shot and edited.)
This drama's strongest suit? Its female lead. Dou Zhao is a force to be reckoned with: independent, strong-willed, stunningly clever, with a dose of cynicism in the first half that I personally enjoyed. I wasn't completely sold on her in the beginning, but her level of scheming and the poise she carries herself with while she does it is hard not to love. I love that she is more intelligent than the ML, and I love even more that he's proud of her for it. It's rare, at least in my experience, to see an FL save an already very strong and smart ML this many times. And Meng Ziyi's dagger eyes?? Standing ovation.
Dou Zhao's counterpart is Song Mo, a general bent on justice and revenge. I was surprised at the amount of charisma Li Yunrui had while playing the male lead. Song Mo is by no means the coolest character ever, but I have to say he had a pretty strong presence. And with just a tinge of ruthlessness, you know I'm going to like him.
The romance? Guys. This is slow burn done as well as it ever has been. Would I have appreciated more buildup to the confession? Yes. But they still did a great job of distrust to appreciation to allies to lovers. The tension before the confession was pretty darn good (they made great use of the distrust between them. good job). And their married life is adorable. One of the first times I've actually liked a romance past the chasing stage xD. True to cdrama fashion, it's less tension-filled and more wholesome, with so many sweet moments that just made me sigh at my singleness. My favorite part about the romance is honestly how well-matched their intelligence is. Song Mo calls Dou Zhao his female Zhuge (as in the strategist Zhuge Liang), which is just. This is what romance is meant to be.
On the topic of characters, Ji Yong was also a joy to watch. An enigma that might be smarter than both leads combined, he was such a compelling character in his ambitions and the blunt way he viewed the world. The twist on his character was not one I appreciated, if only in that it took away some of the more interesting parts of his story, but it made him no less likable (perhaps more likable, if less interesting).
I'm by no means the smartest watcher. I don't search for plot holes. So with that in mind, I had a lot of fun with the plot. Schemes, schemes, schemes everywhere. Family schemes among the women, and later, political schemes. With such smart main leads, watching the twists and turns in their plans was a treat. There were some subplots and schemes that didn't really get fully utilized, but overall, the scheming really made me fall in love with historicals all over again.
So is Blossom a masterpiece? No. The acting is by no means flawless; sometimes, it's slightly too formal and staged. The plot is by no means unique and the writing by no means one of a genius. But it's captivating and gives watchers exactly what they want. And somehow, it latches onto you until you wish the end didn't come so soon.
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Let's walk together. Move forward together.
A captivating and enticing drama that is rare these days. The way the leads and other characters changed their destiny is just brilliant. Hats off to the writer.Song Mo and Shogu are such a power couple indeed. I love how they didn't drag the story with the useless misunderstanding. This is how a couple would do it. Supporting each other until the end of their days. And the supporting characters were delighted to watch, especially Chen Jia, who had been an enemy in the past, become a great ally for our leads. Even Ansu, many viewers hated her, but understanding why she sided with her husband is a normal thing to do.
The ost was also great. What a wonderful drama to end this year. Definitely my favorite this year.
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expectations met!
started watching this with high expectations and im glad that my expectations were met. an intriguing show from start to finish with amazing chemistry between all casts!! no unnecessary characters, i love how everyone did something for the plot lol. the story felt well written and the pacing of it was genuinely good, i did not feel bored at all throughout watching all 34 episodes & that is rare since this show does involve court politics but it was rly well balanced i didnt feel like it was unnecessary or draggy. dont think i even need to talk about dou zhao & song mo because everyone knows how good they were portrayed and the romance between them. really worth the watch! its actually main character centric LOL not like some shows that puts the second leads out too muchWas this review helpful to you?
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Everything is great especially the costumes
Worth the hype, worth the watch everyone played and executed their parts excellently.The female lead and the male lead have very great chemistry, the supporting characters were on point too.
I was pained when one of the twins died and FL younger sister died. I really hoped she would have a better ending but it makes sense though because in other for FL to change her fate, she had to die. Her marriage was one of the things that caused it.
The costumes made it even more worth watching.
Including it in my top 3 best historical drama of 2024.
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The black horse of the year
With the current cdrama world being so watered down, this managed to go against the flow and captured its viewers heart by the captivating and fast paced story telling, and the good looking actors, plus CGI.There was very little to no scenes that I skipped, and that is the biggest feat of this drama for me. Each episode was covering a lot of background and story, with little but the perfect amount of 2nd and 3rd couples.
It might not be the best drama I have ever watched, but when watching I could see the crew's and actors blood sweat and tears embedded in it. The production felt very top notch, and there wasn't too much watered down scenes with random people talking that became irrelevant in the very next scene.
Overall, I love this drama for going against the flow, to prove that good drama can come with hard work, no need for top tired actors, or directors.
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must watch
this drama has many good things1) beautiful cinematography and beautifully shot (the fighting scenes, in the first ep the arrow scenes before they go back, the dream scenes, the shots with the petals, etc….). Well directed
2) acting was good from the leads. They did well for emotional scenes too. Also the supporting and older cast, I really like the portrayal of the emperor, I think the actor was great. Also other cast from the families of the leads.
3) the romance : it flowed nicely. them slowly falling in love, mature romance, trust, supporting each other. would do anything for each other and so much love. Good chemistry. I think compared to other cdrama, we got plenty of romance and cute moments. Also feeling confessed by ep 18 and married by ep 19 out of ep 34, I think that was very good. Less slow burn than many dramas this year. Absolutely no break or misunderstanding, strong couple till the end.
4) the transmigration/time travel was well written. I think « the dream » idea was very smart to pass censorship and very minimal since it was still obvious for us viewers that it was not a dream and they really went back in time. and only mentioned at the beginning of the story. I hate it when they do something like it was a novel or something, they add that at the very end to pass censorship.
5) I think the drama was well written in general, the plot was good, pretty fast pace, everything was going smoothly. as the story progressed, we were learning more about the villains, getting clues, etc… We got a bit of everything, some comedy, romance, action and more sad/emotional moments. ML and his uncle, mother (the pain from the deaths and seeing the flashbacks). When ML was dying, our sad couples moments, there was a pretty emotional ep, I don’t remember the number ahah but I was sad with the leads, they love each other so much. I think all the villains and their motive made senses. Like the 5th uncles who wanted his higher title (but still cared about the Dou family and his brother. I actually liked his death and I was almost sad. I think it was the scenes, the contexte and his brother/« lover » present. in the end, decided to do one last thing to protect his younger brother). The empress and her son, etc.. I actually enjoyed the political plot, I think it was interesting and I also think the villains were interesting.
6) great fighting scenes
7) Friendship. Between the girls, even the maids. ML and his guys, etc…
8) The character development of FL dad. how their story progressed and their reconciliation. He grow some bones, finally defending his daughter, standing up for his son-in-law (the drums moment), etc…
9) we got some diverse side arc/romance :
a)the sister and husband from the first life : I was feeling sad for Dou Ming. she was an asshole in her first life, but kind and gentle in her second life, she never did her sister wrong. But falling in love with the wrong guy. Not a complete trash in this life, but still a coward, a bad husband and a useless guy. Not gonna lie, they were kinda cute. She suffered a lot and her death was a bit infuriating. Dying like that and seeing her trash husband from afar drinking. Dying alone on the floor when she could have been saved. Anyway, I said KARMA when it happened, their bad deed in their first life and her mother sins. It was satisfying, the mom reaction and everything, learning she caused her own daughter’s dead. It was good how her dad didn’t even want to save her and she should be punished for her crimes. I laughed when he slapped her. Speaking of slapped, there was so many throughout the drama, that was hilarious to me.
b) An Su and Song Han : that arc made me mad. I was very mad at her for choosing/siding with the guy she barely knows against her friends for years. She was very stupid and easily manipulated at first. Their story was not interesting and making her a princess made no sense as she was literally a nobody/commoner. At last, it was satisfying when she learned the truth and killed him herself.
c) Chen Jia and Zhao Zhang Ru (FL’s cousin) : brief interactions, but they were very cute. They got their happy ending
d) the little past with the princess (sister of the emperor) and 5th uncle
e) the crown prince and crown princess. brief interactions too, but they were kinda funny at time and seemed like a good match. That was funny when they were the 4 of them and she mentioned the idea of betrothal between their unborn child, CP and ML reaction.
f)…maybe there is more ahaha
10) plot twist :
a) the fact that the dad (ML’s dad had an affair and switched the babies), didn’t saw that coming. How they explained he never loved his wife and the son they had, why he preferred Song Han. It was sad when he said those things to Song Mu. The sister was actually dead it seems, I was waiting for some plot twist and she’s alive + plus reunion, but that never happened. Anyway I think we had enough things going on ahaha
b) Ji Yong who was actually not with Prince Qing, all of this was a plan from the beginning with the emperor
c) the nephew of the empress who didn’t betrayed them
d) even the thing with the cat with Song Han, I think it was good that he was actually keeping the cat because he was using it for testing poison. I didn’t thought of that
e) the scenes when they were searching for the letter with the girl who was the maid, the flashbacks and reliving the scene and the letter that was hiding so close to them.
f) all the villains who were working together
11) villains getting what they deserved and punishment.
12) ending : great and satisfying ending. Closure for everyone and happy ending of course. Cute together and happy couple moments. Dad with his promotion, grandma being happy and travelling, them with the leads daughter was cute. Crown prince ascending the throne and the little monologue about the politics. Chen Jia and the cousin married couple. An Su doing her things and « looking for a husband ». Ji Young who will become a monk in this life too. Even them showing the kid of ML’s uncle
13 : no love triangle. We can say some side guys on liked FL, but that was very minimal, that’s not considered a love triangle. FL only has eyes for ML from beginning to end.
But, I think the kissing scenes weren’t great. I don’t know if it was a director’s choice, censorship or because the kisses were not so good (so they made it that way), but they were somehow disappointing for most of them. Pretty much cut short or we see nothing. The lips touched and them it’s all these camera angles and editing. Anyway just an observation, I wouldn’t call this an issue, I’ve seen way worst.
Also, the character of Mu (I don’t even remember if that’s the good name, but the guy at the beginning who liked FL). I think this character and arc was just completely useless and non interesting. Why did we need this useless side guy who had unrequited love. He personally annoyed me. At least, his presence was short. Even when it seemed like Ji Young liked FL, that was very annoying, can’t they just be friend?
So, to conclude, I would recommend, I think it’s a good watch, filled with romance, actions, intelligent leads, interesting plot and characters
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A story about the power of mutual love and trust
Only when you have the power to move mountains, can you change your fate. That's what the old man tells our FL. She desperately wants to avoid the mistakes from her previous life. And so she embarks on a journey to conquer the intimidating ML, a man who became so obsessed with revenge it ruled his every choice, action, and thought, and save the kingdom along with her loved ones. This story is really good. Chemistry between the actors (leads and supporting) was absolutely top notch. I didnt give it a ten because of various plot holes, and near the end I wasn't really feeling the villain or their motivations. I got bored until we got our time skip and then I was invested again. They take the time to neatly tie up loose ends, which I really appreciate. I thought the FL was awesome, I loved her character. She is smart, witty, driven and determined. She cherishes her friends and allies, going to great lengths to lend a hand when they are in need. She even has compassion for the antagonists.One of the reasons I've rated 9.5 instead of 10 is because of the antagonist themselves. Some of them are alright but one in particular I had a big issue with. His motivation was flimsy and actually didn't make a lot of sense. But I can forgive that because of all the good things about this show. The ending felt kinda rushed but also made me a little bored.
Other than that, I thought the show was well-written and performances were spectacular across the board. I'm always a fan of time travel fix-it dramas, and while this one isn't as good as the princess royal (in my opinion), it's still really good, and has probably the best ending out of any chinese drama I've seen to date.
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