This review may contain spoilers
Worth every minute!
I enjoyed this series very much. The story was well-told, and the pace was pretty good. I didn't fast forward once. I particularly liked that there was none of the usual fanatical sinister plot, the lies and subterfuge, and most of all, the female characters were not portrayed as empty-headed and obsessed with a man. However, I would have liked the relationship between Shang Guan & Lin Qi to have been a little less combative, as many perceive her treatment of him as abusive. I personally did not - taking into consideration where her character was from - a state of warriors, so naturally, she was aggressive. Every couple had their story arc, and all the sub-plots wrapped up nicely. Karma was served graciously, and even the villains got decent comeuppance.The entire cast performed superbly. Some say there was no chemistry between the ML & FL, but I beg to differ. They were so sweet - and their relationship grew and blossomed into love for each other. At first, she was a little annoying, but there was no doubt she loved her Prince. The other couples were well-matched too - and all of the characters interacted well in their respective roles, making them a very believable and relatable family. Li Wei's maids were a hoot - I liked that they were smart and unafraid to speak their minds. But my favourite character of all was Su Shen. I laughed with him, I cried with him. He was the perfect interjection of humor and wit and sentimentality. The most touching scene for me was between Lin Qi and his father when Lin Qi comes to see his father when he is sick. This epitomizes what I think the heart of this drama is about. Family. All the different elements of this family and how its members co-exist and relate to each other. It is a touching story beautifully told.
I will certainly put this on my list of shows to rewatch.
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Not as good as I expected
The production quality of this drama was awesome. iQiYi production quality is much better than Tencent and MangoTV.I like the first 10 episodes of this drama because the acting skills of the lead actors are good and quite comical. The entire ensemble is good too.
However, I got so bored as the story unfolded about the fighting among the brothers, and it got draggy; hence I got bored and found myself fast forward some of the scenes.
Bai Jing Ting and Tian Xi Wei did a good job as the main CP, and their onscreen chemistry is quite good. I like Bai Jing Ting a lot and have watched many of his dramas and mostly modern dramas. I watched this first costume of his, and he did a decent job. It is a drama where he had multiple kissing scenes where he had not had many kissing scenes in the past, like Irreplaceable love, The ordinary Glory, etc.
This is my first drama with Tian Xi Wei, where she played the lead role and did a good job. I will give it a 7.5 or 8.0 rating if the drama is cut short to 30 episodes instead of 40. As it is because it was draggy, so I am giving it a 6.5 rating out of 10.
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Slice-of-Life Drama - Women Power and the Friendliest and Most supportive female characters ever!
As many have reviewed and commented, “New Life Begins” is a special drama. A drama that is full of positivity, humor, lovely sismance, hilarious bromance and friendships. In fact, the drama has so many cool, independent and friendly female characters that I actually feel slightly weird watching it. I kept on expecting something bad is going to come from the left field and derail this happy choo choo train. This is what happens when I watch too many C-dramas with too many evil and jealous second female leads.I was skeptical to try this drama out because comedies are a hit-or-miss to me. I am not a fan of over-the-top and slapstick comedy. I am glad I gave it a shot. The comedic moments are funny and not overly dramatic. I really had a great time watching it and laughing with and at the characters. It’s rare to see such a big cast with so many characters that you love. I want to hang out with all of them.
“New Life Begins” is more of a slice-of-life drama than a romance. In fact, the main romance is so slow-burn that I was getting a little bit disappointed. Curb your expectations if you think you will get many sweet and fluffy scenes. Even though the main leads are a couple for a very long time, they act like friends for most of the drama. I wish they would sprinkle some more sweetness throughout the drama, and not wait till the last 5 episodes.
But if you are into female friendships, sismance and strong women, this is the drama for me. There are many female characters with very distinct and interesting personalities. You will surely find someone to root for. This is a drama about girl power. I actually want to see more of the female business owners and not only the restaurant. The drama talks about some sort of Women Chamber of Commerce, a school, postpartum mother’s care and education, martial arts academy teaching self-defense, etc. But these are not shown but only mentioned in passing. I hope they have cut down on some of the palace politics and fight for the crown, and spend more time on the different kingdoms and businesses. The drama changes its lighthearted tone to a more serious tone in the middle and it lasts too long.
The political plot is nothing special, if you’ve seen enough Chinese historical drama. We have princes fighting for the King’s attention and for the crown, the King trying to balance the power of all the princes, and sad childhood and background stories of growing up in the palace. The best part is probably the interesting personalities of the princes and their bromance.
The acting is pretty good. I was worried I might not like the female lead, but she turns out to be smart and very likable. I actually enjoy Bai Jing Ting’s scenes when he is at home and acts all shy and awkward. Unfortunately, I don’t get the princely charisma from him.
This is a perfect drama to watch to relieve stress. Nothing is too serious or angsty, and there’s plenty of humor. You will definitely find someone you like and want to root for. We have a collection of amazing and supportive women in this drama.
Other Random Observations:
1. Did they sneak in a same-sex couple in this drama?
2. 7th Prince and his wife have so few scenes, but their shy and awkward personalities are a scene stealer for me. They are so cute!
3. It’s my personal pet peeve, but I don’t like the way Tian Xi Wei (FL) speaks. Her speech is choppy and sounds like she’s mumbling a few words out instead of complete sentences.
4. I am glad the actors use their own voices, but the post-production dubbing is just OK.
5. Love all the food scenes!
Completed: 12/17/2022 - 500th drama!
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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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What A Fantastic Drama !!!
When I first read the Plot synopsis for this drama which stated:“Because of a marriage selection, girls from all over the world gather in Xin Chuan. Yin Zheng, one of the six young masters of Xin Chuan, who keeps a low profile, and Li Wei, who just wants to work hard and not get selected, live comfortably in this hometown. “
I didn’t know what to make of it I thought oh no not another force marriage but decided to give it ago because this was the first period drama, I’ve seen Bai Jing Tin and the first drama I’ve ever seen of Tian Xi Wei in and they both did not disappoint another with all the cast of this drama. I’ve loved every minute of this show so much. Many period dramas I’ve seen there’s always the women been very rivalry and competing against each other but not in this drama I love how the women always come together to support each other no matter what even when they were each going through difficult times, I love how the women in the drama are independent and how they break all stereo type of a woman in a period drama and most importantly I love how this drama has touched on so many social issues, like domestic violence, Post Natal depression. Great story, great acting, great cast, great pacing as well all in all amazing drama and funny. Highly recommended
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funny and sweet, love the feminism in the story!!!
this drama started off wonderful. i tend to stop watching drama's if their starts are boring but 卿卿日常 really had a good start. it also continued to get better as the story progressed. one of my favourite male actors, bai jing ting, who played the sixth prince looked awesome in his costumes. he looked really good when wearing darker outfits. there was a lot of elements integrated into the story such as comedy, friendship, family, politics, and feminism. the casting was wonderful, especially those of the princes. all the actors played their roles perfectly, making the princes quiet comedic. this was a wonderful slice of life drama and definitely satisfied my need for a sweet costume romance with protagonists who have great chemistry.Was this review helpful to you?
Unpopular opinion but the writing was a miss
Acting, directing and OST is on point. The only thing I felt writers got right was the humor, and the sisterhood. There were too many idiotic things that took place for me to score this higher than an overall 7.This show is not 100% romance, despite being classified as such. It features in the first 8 or so episodes- at a stretch, then returns at the end. What this is however is more a lengthy slice of life involving a massive cast, with varying issues that pop up along the way.
You could argue some plot elements were necessary for character growth, and I will give you that. However, I would have loved to have seen the romance not screech to a halt and find a way to further that love development around the challenges they were facing. What the main leads were handed was resl hard, but they just ignored it, which leaves viewer extremely emotionally disconnected in the end.
The main focus felt very feminist heavy, which I’m not sure felt realistic for the era, but this is a fantasy which means they can literally do what they want.
I loved both the brotherhood and sisterhood, and its sprinkled throughout with enough evil villian to add an edge.
The comedy however is top notch and many scenes will leave you smiling throughout!
Music is beautiful- I just wish these Cdrama OSTs would be available on streaming sites. They are incredible!!
Actors did a great job. There are a boatload of them, some more memorable than others (purely down to the sheer quantity of them). So much growth and development for the ones with the most script.
If that writing could have just continued a believable romance element throughout the hige chunk in the middle, this show would have been a 9/10 for me.
Set is lovely, I’ve seen it before on another drama, just can’t recall the name. China certainly has some beautiful architecture.
Skipped far too much for this to rank as best of the year (2022) for me. Love Like the Galaxy is hard to top in the Historical category. That show has it all!!
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Spousal Abuse Disguised as Comedy
I seriously doubt many here would find a man beating his wife to the point of breaking her arm, kicking her shins hard enough to leave her limping, giving her numerous bruises and a black eye, and then calling her "stupid" constantly romantic or funny. And yet that was the relationship between one of the brothers and his wife, with her constantly beating him even when they are supposedly happily together.Sadly, that was one of the better-written romances on the show. The ML and FL have zero chemistry together and are strongly in the friend zone in real life. When they are forced to kiss or hug, the awkwardness between the actors comes through on the screen. Fortunately, that only occurs for about half an hour in total in a forty-hour show. In fact, their screen time together is far less than half of the show overall.
It was toxic watching her constantly demand that he ascribed to her nation's ideals. There was no sense of compromise with a different way of life but endless judgmentalism.
The historicity here was atrocious. Princesses running businesses in ancient China felt like a cheap Disney movie. Not only did they run businesses, but they were ALL successful entrepreneurs. The only way that would have made sense would have been if their husband's influence was responsible for it.
The elitism was disgusting as well. They sat in jewels that could have paid for a family's food for a year whining about their oppression, but they never even considered the labor of the maids and major-domo who gave them all the free time to make that possible or the many vendors who needed to make a living that their privileged selves were doing unfair competition against.
Could have been cute but choose to go another route.
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This review may contain spoilers
The feel good series of 2022
You know how a series completely takes over your life that you end up impatiently waiting for new episodes to drop? That's what's happening to me with New Life Begins.I commend the creators of this drama for giving us genuine female camaraderie where even prior enemies are given a chance for reconciliation. With such a great and varied ensemble cast, we have many heroines to root for and even more life lessons to take away. I love the friendship that developed between Li Wei and Yuan Ying and how they supported each other without ever bickering or being hateful. Same with the Solar ladies and even Hoa Jia got a chance to reconcile with the Prince's first wife who had been previously adversarial. These women balanced each other while supporting those around them and also building an inclusive community where everyone was valued.
Funny enough, Prince An was my favorite character; so oblivious, so narcissistic, and yet so lovable while Prince Yin Qi and his wife, Shangguan, were my least favorite couple probably because their storyline was so boring or the actors playing the characters simply did not have the chemistry or acting ability to pull off a somewhat caring yet antipathetic couple.
Bai Jing Ting was the sole reason for choosing this drama, however, I ended up staying since the series was just so captivating and fun. Liu Ling Zi, as Yuan Ying (the sixth Prince's legal wife), made me laugh so hard when she unintentionally terrorized the sixth Prince and Li Wei with copious rules and regulations. I laughed so hard to the point of tears. What a great actress.
The ending was a tearjerker in a happy way and I can't say enough good things about this series. Ah-mazing
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Cup of flower tea
This is a drama you'll watch with special fondness. One I'll archive under watch again.From the opening theme, it already hints of what comes next: calm, pleasant, ingenuous.
FL checks a lot of the neither box. Simple but not backwards. Innocent but not naive. Lively but not obnoxiois. Silly but not stupid. She treats people with a genuine heart and that attitude wins people over. Shes one that draws and keeps people around her. Its just one of her many charming qualities.
ML is sharp minded but not manipulative. Strategic but not greedy. Noble but not arrogant. A bit sickly but able to fight and defend. He lacked love and warmth from his parents. But theres not a bone of meanness on him. He mostly masked his ability to safeguard himself in a palace riffed with powerplay, particularly those in cahoots or bowed to the 2nd prince.
ML-FL had a genuinely believable, well-paced relationship. From minor misunderstanding develops to an understanding, forming a cordial employer-employee existence. But far from mundane their interaction and day to day lives are peppered with hilarity and warm moments. That reliable companionship is almost like a form of courtship unique to them. Textbook case of "Familiarity breeds fondness".
My greatest praise for him would be how respectful he is of her. He learn that her valies are different to what is typical of his country. He does not force her to follow in his ways, instead every step of the way he lets her choose, gives her as much freedom as possible and backs her up even as it goes against palace norms and rules.
My greatest praise for her is her genuine personality. Whether it is ML or others, she stays true to herself but also treats others fairly. She can answer ML honestly and he can count on her for being truthful. I love how to takes her time in considering the ML and their possibilities. Entrusting your heart and the rest of your life to another is not sth done at a whim.
My greatest praise for the drama is the entirety of the casts and the stories they rell together. Unlike other palace dramas that can be hair pulling or super angsty but this one is done jus right. FL has this huge gang of sisterhood that was so remarkable and heart warming. Sisters of no blood relation that supports and helps out one another. Than theres the prince brotherhood that reluctantly forms through the ladies. Not to forget the head butler and chef of the 6th Prince that provided a lot of comedy. So many of them had such great comedic timing.
If you've not watched cause of the tag 'slow-burn', dont be. Its like a cup of flower tea. Enjoy the steaming and beautiful fragrance. And when steep just nice, enjoy the sweet cleansing taste and lastly savor the aftertaste.
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Damn! It is awesome.
I never thought there will be another historical drama this year that I would enjoy like I enjoyed Dream of Splendor and Love Like The Galaxy. These two just set the records way too high for me. Well Love between fairy and devil is close but I always prefer Wuxia over Xianxia. This show was nowhere in my mind. First I was not really familiar with the cast (except few older ones) and with the synopsis it felt like Ruyi pavilion and Who rules the world, kind of drama to me. People could say otherwise but I dropped the former one midway while latter I liked but someone who has read the novel might have a lot to criticize about.Moving on to the drama it did give me Ruyi Pavillion and Who rules the world vibes to some extent but much much much better executed and the cast is just everything. What you might find here:
Beautiful cast ✓
Lovely BGM✓
Amazing acting ✓
Mesmerizing cinematography ✓
Chemistry between leads✓
Well written and played Side character's arc✓
Comedy and engaging storyline ✓
Gorgeous dresses and perfect makeup ✓
Women power ✓
Bitchy female characters X
Harem fight X
Overdramatic or overacting. X
So that concludes it all. With each episode the drama is getting better and better. So don't be hesitant to watch this gem. It sure is one of the best shows of this year.
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Everything else but Romance
**Court problems, Sisterhood, comedy… miles away from romance**Good thing iQiyi classified this under comedy because if it was classified under romance IT WOULD BE A COMPLETE SCAM. 70% of the story revolves about court intrigue and how the women in the story always have a solution for it, 20% comedy, and 10% romance.
Bai Jin Ting and Tian Xi Wei got me to watch this but this should not even be called romance or them the main couple when the romantic scenes of all the other supporting couples are more than theirs! Their romantic scene is so little and few that even the romance of Prince Qi and Guan Jing and annoying stepsister is better. They are pulling another My Heroic Husband where the FL and the MLs scene together is so few that you’d think they’re strangers. In the MHH, the ML had more scenes with the 2FL in the second half while here the FL had more scenes with everyone else but the ML. Out of the romance only 30% of that is between the main OTP while the 70% is from all the other couple.
NLB had so much potential to be the younger version of Story of Minglan, but why did they have to take the same route as Tang Dynasty Tour?! Why? T.T I know it’s more than realistic for that time but why you gotta scar my Li Wei that way? AggH! I’m skipping the scenes now starting that episode and will just watch in normal speed if the leads are in the screen other wise NLB you are dead to me.
I don’t have a problem with the FL being a normal female using her own strengths and “street/food/farming smarts” but I have a big problem with weak ass MLs that couldn’t even do what they promised to the FL at the start. Which is why I like characters like Mo Liancheng in The Eternal Love and Dongfang Qincang in LBFAD, because they don’t let circumstances stop them from protecting their love. I would like to give plus points too to Prince Qi because even thoughe may be not be the most capable prince but he is honest about his feelings and doesn’t care if his actions will cause him a beating or two just as long as he’s protecting Guan Jing even though she’s more than capable of protecting herself physically.
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