Des Fleurs dans L'adversité (2024)

Visually appealing, poor writing, cringe cliches, characters with potential let down by the script

Maybe I'm just not the target demographic for these types of shows. I'm a huge fan of rom-coms and have seen a few chinese/historical shows before, but most of the time I end up dropping costume&period dramas. I stuck through to the end of this one just to see how things play out, but it was difficult.

The show itself is filmed well and looks better than most chinese dramas I've seen. I really liked the character Shao Yao (ML's sister). I think she did a fantastic job portraying her character and every scene with her felt refreshing. Even though her side romance wasn't the most developed, it still felt worth the screentime and I enjoyed the chemistry between her and Shen Huan (at times I felt I enjoyed their chemistry more than the leads). The main romance between the two leads felt okay. I think their on-screen chemistry definitely took a hit with the poor writing and cringe cliche moments, but they did their best and made it kind of work. The progression felt a little slow at first, but it wasn't too bad. Unfortunately it's hard to really feel that connection between the two when the script is so full of cliches.

It kind of seemed like the ML didn't really get that much screentime compared to the other characters. Towards the end he definitely got more scenes, but near the beginning and middle of the show I feel like I barely saw him at all. The show focuses more on the FL I suppose, but it felt weird calling him a ML at times when he just showed up for a few short scenes and then dipped for the rest of the episode. Like he would only show up to remind us that he's the ML, and then disappear again. Him and the FL didn't get as many scenes together until nearing the end, and even then it was kind of on-and-off. They would meet up, have some flirty heart-fluttering moments together, and then separate and go about their individual scenes. Kind of hurt the chemistry in my opinion.

FL is too perfect. I love the actress, so no hate towards her (or any of the actors/actresses for that matter), but I wasn't a huge fan of how they wrote her character. She was supposed to be the "not-you-average-FL", but instead they just made her completely flawless and strong to the point that there was nowhere left for her character to go. The writers couldn't find a way to develop her character because there was nothing to develop. She was forgiving, caring, responsible, everyone looked up to her, she helped others all the time, etc., so she had very little character development throughout the entire show. The ML on the other hand had some potential to be an interesting character, but he didn't get as many scenes and was kind of used as an accessory to the plot most of the time. Sometimes it seemed like he was only there to add the romance into the show but didn't really provide much outside of that despite being a commander. The whole commander plot could have been a very interesting one to pursue, but it was put on the backburner most of the time and not really utilized to its full potential.

Also, sooo many side characters. This wouldn't be bad necessarily if they were actually interesting or if I actually cared about any of them. It seemed like they introduced a new side character with their own problems every couple episodes, in which the FL has to find a way to help them. Many of the side characters over-acted a little too much at times as well. Exaggerated movements, yelling, facial expressions, etc., like that one mother character they introduced at one point (I honestly don't remember her name) who was just crying in every scene she was in. I wish they would have focused more on developing the main characters instead of introducing more side plots.

And as with most of these romance shows, there are quite a few cringe cliche moments. Ones that kind of break the immersion for me sometimes, but I suppose it just comes with the genre. I guess you can give this show a try if you think you might be part of the target demographic. If you are then you'll probably love it.

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A story of hope and resilience in adversity and a joyful fairy tale in wishful thinking

There is something intensely satisfying with stories in which the underdog overcomes unimaginable adversity to succeed against all expectations. Throw in well-paced story arcs, an incredibly smart, sensible, progressive, and courageous protagonist, supported by a cast of flawed but loyal and caring friends and family members, and we have a recipe I can’t resist.

Blossoms in Adversity is a wonderful historical drama that celebrates the strength and resilience of women by putting a spotlight on their incredibly oppressive lives in ancient China through the fall and rise of the once-illustrious Hua Family. I was willing to suspend disbelief and enjoy this magical and joyous fairy tale in wishful thinking, where the value of truth and the power of good will always prevails.

The Hua family patriarch is a high ranking court official of unimpeachable integrity who refuses to speak dishonestly simply to curry favour with the Emperor. Enraged by his subject’s impudence, the Emperor exiles the Hua men to the northern borders to do hard penal labour and confiscates the family’s wealth and home. The remaining family members -- the many wives and concubines of the four Hua sons and their children (boys under the age of 13 and all the daughters) -- are left to fend for themselves. Were it not for a rustic cottage outside the city bestowed many years ago by the Dowager Empress to the family matriarch -- best friends in their youth -- the women and children would have nowhere to go.

With the exception of our heroine, the eldest granddaughter Hua Zhi, who had travelled the realm with her grandfather as a child, the remaining family members are spoiled and pampered and at a complete loss over their reversal of fortune and the harsh realities that come with it.

I was brought to tears more than once by the heartfelt joys and heartaches of this imperfect, but delightful family and their servants. I have never been so moved by the funeral of a secondary character, especially with the arrival of an unexpected, yet pivotal guest. But I spent much of the 40 episodes grinning and cheering in satisfaction and joy over the family’s remarkable successes. Despite grim family circumstances, Blossoms In Adversity is about hope. It also deftly showcases the many ways “hope” is defined for different women: independence, divorce, marriage, love -- even when they are far from ideal.

I have no illusions that the premise is filled with impossibilities. Hua Zhi, played by the lovely Zhang Jingyi (张婧仪), manages to pretty much single-handedly bring the Hua family back to prosperity -- twice -- within the short span of (but generously estimated) three to five years. I can’t describe it any better than MyDramaList reviewer PeachBlossomGoddess who wrote in her excellent review:

“...no feat is beyond Hua Zhi! She parleys a candied hawthorn business into a pastry and restaurant empire, picks up stray royal children, foils a few palace plots, build schools and a canal, rescues the Hua family men and even manages to find time to fall in love!”

That’s all!

Hua Zhi is a heroine for the ages, a role model in perseverance, unwavering integrity, hard work, with a sharp mind for solving difficult problems and a sharp eye for spotting potential threats and reading her adversaries. There is almost a Mary Sue-like quality about her achievements and seeming perfection. Unlike the ensemble cast of spoiled aunties, sisters, cousins, servants, and friends (such as the endearing Shen Huan) who experience great character development as they learn to adjust to a vastly different quality of life and social status, Hua Zhi undergoes the least amount of growth. Yet if she were so perfect, she would not be so stupid as to speak defiantly to the Emperor, having already previously witnessed the grievous consequences of doing so -- not only with her grandfather, but with the man she loves -- Gu Yanxi, stoically played by Hu Yitian (胡一天).

Under the Emperor’s command, it is Gu Yanxi -- as the commander of the much-feared Security Bureau -- who confiscates Hua Zhi’s home and takes away the men. But it is under his own free will that he becomes Hua Zhi’s protector, confident, and love. But this free will rankles and offends the cruel and controlling Emperor, who does not hesitate to demonstrate the lengths to which he will go to wield his absolute power and force his nephew to kowtow to his will. Gu Yanxi’s strength yet helplessness in the face of his uncle, who raised him like a son, makes him a complex and fascinating hero, but one we never get to know as intimately as we do the women in the Hua family.

A LIKABLE ENSEMBLE CAST

This was my first drama with Hu Yitian, and his depiction of a stoic prince really worked for me. I’ve seen some comments criticizing his unflattering period styling and that he can be a bit flat and expressionless in his acting, so perhaps his portrayal would have landed differently and felt more stale had I been more familiar with his previous roles. In any case, Hu Yitian did an especially fantastic job demonstrating his strength as a fighter during climactic fight scenes and evoked a certain presence in this drama. It did not take long for his character to grow on me.

At first glance, Caesar Wu’s (吴希泽) Shen Qi is so honorable and immensely likable that I worried I might develop “second male lead syndrome”. Despite his high billing, however, his character actually disappears for a good chunk of Blossoms. Much of Shen Qi’s character development was done early, so by the time he reappears later in the drama, he is relegated to a likable, but somewhat flat, supporting character. It is his brother, Shen Huan, who takes a surprising turn with the more interesting and very sweet story arc with Gu Yanxi’s sister. Bian Cheng (边程), who has been acting since he was six or seven, is just 19 years old and shined in the role of the earnest but spoiled and lazy rich second son with the kind heart.

Actor Hai Yitian (海一天) delivered an effective performance as the Emperor who ruled with Machiavellian cruelty without turning him into just another two-dimensional evil character. He trusted no one, had no tolerance for soft emotions or having his authority and judgment questioned, and yet he appeared to long for his nephew’s company and unwavering trust.

Among the wonderful ensemble cast of women, Lu Yuxiao (卢昱晓) perhaps stood out a little more as Gu Yanxi’s sister, while Fu Bohan (傅铂涵) stood out the most among the cast of children as the Sixth Prince.

I derived enormous joy and absolute satisfaction witnessing Hua Zhi's preposterous achievements. It didn’t matter if it was realistic or not. (In the real world, would the men of the Hua family have truly accepted their new role as passive husbands and allowed the women to continue to handle the family decision-making? I have my doubts.) Despite these flaws -- or perhaps *because* of them -- I can’t help but give Blossoms in Adversity a high rating as one of the best dramas of the year.

NIT-PICKS AND STRAY THOUGHTS

* My biggest production beef was the unnecessary dramatic echo sound effect whenever a character said something impactful. It was too cheesy even for me and very distracting.
* Similarly, during particularly climactic scenes they would momentarily freeze the frame like a photograph on multiple characters’ faces for dramatic effect, that also felt a bit cheesy.
* The Emperor knows all, yet we never see him actually conducting any court business! How did he have time for everything and still expend so much effort on his poor nephew?
* Given how little the Emperor trusted even those closest to him, it’s a marvel his closest eunuch managed to survive his leadership!
* Was Yanxi stupid for charging into the palace? It seemed too reckless even under the circumstances.
* Pretty sure there were several consistency errors, including one where the sister was shown sitting outside her second floor sanctuary -- after it had already burned down and they moved back to the Hua Mansion.
* Large fires can take a long time to extinguish even with modern firefighting equipment, but the family’s rented city home was already a pile of smoky burnt ashes the very same day and cool enough to walk through.
* The Hua women’s flawless skin and untanned face despite labouring under the hot sun for a year building the canal was hilarious.

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Formidable ML & Feisty FL

I am a (small) fan of both the ML and FL after seeing their outstanding performances in other dramas. Thus, I was more than happy to give this drama a go and boy, it did not disappoint and I am truly delighted about this!

What I Loved:
- ML was so tall, so handsome, so cute, so goddamn powerful and strong. I loved that he wielded such authority and yet, he did not abuse his power (in general). The fight scene where he walloped the previous Commander of the Security Bureau was extremely cathartic as well as both jaw-dropping and mind-blowing. Wow! That punch punch punch punch punch!!! Loved it!
- I loved that ML was also devoted and sincere to his lady love.
- Good chemistry between ML and FL. I loved seeing ML as well as both of the love birds on screen.
- I always love a feisty and intelligent FL and FL in this drama did not disappoint. (Of course, I suggest gently to suspend all disbelief and just enjoy the drama and the powers of what a FL can do.) She was supremely capable and plucky. She was highly intelligent and modern in her thinking. She was confident and yet, human.
- Acting was great from everyone in the drama. The supporting cast of four women acted by veterans was awesome. They definitely understood their assignment and was beyond great. Everyone else in the show like the lackeys from the Security Bureau, FL's grandmother, Shen Huan, Shen Qi, the maids, the children and so on delivered great performances. Thumbs-up!
- I liked that everything was paced very well. There was nothing draggy and there was nothing that was too quick that it was, to me, considered not properly explained or accounted for.
- Riveting and intriguing plot which made me want to watch on and on. So many interesting and suspenseful things were happening. There were elements of cute too. Great plot! Well directed!
- The music sounded very modern and catchy. I liked the tunes.
- Happy ending!

What I Didn't Like:
- The king was all sorts of crazy and had his own selfish agenda. He was also so paranoid about losing his throne and was so very bloodthirsty.
- Hua Jing was absolute nutcase number 1. She should have leveraged on herself and not constantly blamed others and desire for things out of her control.
- All the bad people such as all the abusive husbands.
(I mean I get the memo from the script writer. I'm just saying.)

Overall, Blossoms in Adversity is a superbly wonderful drama and I highly recommend it! <3
It is well-made and the cast is all great! There is also a bit of a moral in place too that we should all blossom in adversity. Adversities abound in life. How we respond/ react to adversities and how we overcome them are more important. Problem-solve and continue to blossom and grow in adversity and despite adversity. <3

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My Favourite Watch in 2024

Adapted from the web novel “Xi Hua Zhi” (惜花芷) by Kong Liu (空留), “Blossoms in Adversity”, this drama isn’t a one man show. No, rather it chronicles the individual journey of each character. It could be the main leads, Hua Zhi or Gu Yanxi, each of whom had their own struggles; or it could be the female residents of the Hua Family whose sudden fall from grace led them to live a life of misfortune, something they could have never imagined before. Even though they had their disagreements, blood is obviously thicker than water. They argued, fought and yet stood together when the times were worst. How far can a bunch of women hold out when the Emperor of the nation is out for their blood? The story line beautifully weaves a redemptive recourse with a somber romance. Neither overpower each other, they exist in perfect harmony, blending through motions. For now, let’s talk about the main characters and their journeys!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/04/27/blossoms-in-adversity-series-review/

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One of my rare watch

this is a rare drama that i don't think(and I'm already dreading) i will see on any other drama. there were a lot of characters that they were only given a few scenes but I'm honestly surprised that their characters have their time to shine and was given their own character development. You wont see this kind of thing in many dramas. Another one is how the leads communicate. FL don't let her emotions cloud her judgement when it comes to the ML. They talk. Although I was lost when she can't do the same in front of the emperor😅 she did talk but she let her emotions win when facing the emperor. Although it ended well, I can't help but feel like they could've avoided this or that if she just stayed 😶. The music is good and is well placed. The atmosphere is good and all, although one scen made me laugh. The one and only kiss scene should've been romantic but I can't help but laugh out loud when they showed it in that hole in the tree. I don't see why they need to do that. For me, that's not romantic at all😅 well aside from that and other scenes, it was a great watch. I haven't been this hooked in a drama not after AJTL. So ❤️❤️❤️

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An entertaining story on how to be the ideal, empowered woman and find romance along the way. . .

In the first half, the enemies to lovers plot is extremely satisfying. Hua Zhi and Gu Yan Xi are both earnest characters trying to do their best and find some happiness despite the emperor and fate standing in their way. There's also a lot of endearing scenes as the women of the Hua family band together and become resilient and independent.

But in the second half the plot grinds to a halt. The emperor is not suited for ruling during peace time, and there is no way he will forgive Hua's family. Of course, Hua Zhi and Gu Yan Xi would never rebel, so they just . . . wait for him to change his mind ??? If you were hoping for political intrigue and machinations, there are none to be found.

The acting overall is so-so (Gu Yan Xi needs a lot of music and effects to be intimidating), but the chemistry between the primary couple and the secondary couple both is excellent. I was cheering both couples on and it's the only reason I kept watching the show. The music is fairly good nothing here to really rewatch.

In the end, there is no complexity of themes or plots, but I appreciated the emphasis on women being independent, and I enjoyed the romantic chemistry.

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It was fine

I'm coming to realize that most Cdramas have a lot of filler scenes (and this ultimately keeps them from being highly rated--in general-- by me).
The main couple had AMAZING chemistry and were BY FAR the best part of the show. Unfortunately, they just didn't have many scenes together.

The primary focus of the show is the heroine's family and their never ending drama / dynamics. I wasn't super interested in this storyline, but parts were okay / enjoyable. If the romance / main couple had been given as much screen time as the family, I think I would've rate this drama much higher.

Anyway, it's not really a romance. And it was fine for what it was.

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OH MY GOD! Such a loooong time since I felt that way towards a drama. I fell in love at ep 1. My fav actress is confirmed, bloody hell it is. I wasn't a huge fan of Hu Yi Tian and I changed my mind soooo quickly this is hilarious. What I love the most in this ain't the romance but the HUA FAMILY! How they try everything, how they put all their efforts in order to accomplish their goal, it was so beautiful to see. I will not say it was a roller coaster since it wasn't at all. There is almost no angst, everything is well managed with... COMMUNICATION. The romance was chief's kiss, really. A feared masked man as love interest who turns out to be a golden retriever and a strong willed woman who isn't scared by what people thinks of her ? I'M ALL IN. The cinematrography was so beautiful too... The only thing I think that could be better was the last part with the King who was fucking annoying. That part could be shortened or angstier for me to really believe it but still it was still ok with me lmao!

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