The First Jasmine: a unique Cdrama with great character exploration. A no-spoilers review.
Such a simple scene, but so much emotion is conveyed in this little moment where Ye Li is running in the rain towards the carriage. Her whole demeanor screams, "Don't leave me alone!" (The lyrics for the song playing in the scene, if you're watching it with context, will make you go 😭). The director truly knows her stuff.
At first, you are confused by her. You think, "What a strange girl." She appears to be very strong, capable, and talented; in fact, she edges dangerously close to Mary Sue territory. However, eventually the truth comes out and is revealed to the audience. As viewers, we realize what is truly happening, and it breaks our hearts.
All in all, I am so satisfied with this drama. As usual, the screenwriter, Zhou Na, delivers.
She has written many dramas with complex character development and interactions, and I have wholly enjoyed all of them as a result.
Some of the dramas you may have heard of include:
Feud
A Moment But Forever
The Demon Hunter's Romance
Love and Destiny
Her dramas may not be critically acclaimed in the sense that they get Douban ratings of 8 and above, but one thing is for sure: she will give you amazing character highlights and insights, Even with the side characters.As a result, her characters are often very memorable, and you deeply, deeply feel what they're going through.
I have always found that she leads with her characters. She doesn't overly explain their motivations or actions, and as a result, you have free rein to interpret why they did this or that. This makes discussions really interesting! She conveys emotions through actions and behaviors.
Just like in this simple scene where Ye li is running after the coach, you can see the emotion in her expression and you instinctively know what it is all about.
For those who are curious and have not watched this drama, The First Jasmine is about a woman who descends from a mountain full of scholars and academicians called Ling Shan. That mountain has been sealed off by the order of the Dowager Empress, and she has only been allowed to leave after almost a decade because she was going to be engaged to a prince.
The prince, however, is disabled from war, bitter, and out of favor. In all appearances, she got the short end of the stick, but Ye li turns around and brings light to this household.
I really enjoyed this drama and the journey the characters brought us into. It is by no means a perfect drama; however, I was so deeply moved by some of the episodes, especially towards the end. I am sure that those who have watched this drama with me can relate to what I am saying.
P.S. Don't drop spoilers, please. Some of them can be quite devastating to the viewer's enjoyment.🙏