Short Review: Youthful Glory (2025)韶华若锦
Summary: The Prince of Bei Ding Jiang Xu (ft Song Wei Long 宋威龙) sneaks back to the capital to investigate corruption regarding the funds for his army. While undercover, he encounters Ming Tan (ft Bao Shang En 包上恩), daughter of the Marquess of Jing An, who is trying to wiggle her way out of her arranged marriage. She is unhappy with this mysterious and cold stranger who seemingly is always in her way. Jiang Xu discovers that the corruption runs deep in the empire and must secure allies to continue the investigation. He sets his eyes on the Marquess of Jing An and the Ming family. Ming Tan and Jiang Xu face enemies from all sides as they try to save their families and the Empire.
Platform: MangoTV
Episodes: 30
Airing Date: May 19, 2025
Final Rating 6.2/10 [After 10 episodes]: A shallow period romance drama driven by a frustrating and hypocritical female lead. Fortunately, Song Wei Long holds his own with a solid performance as the clever, composed, and dreamy prince. He’s easily the most grounded and believable character in the entire cast.
Jiang Xu 江绪 Song wei long 宋威龙
Prince of Bei Ding and commander of the northern armies
Ming Tan 明檀 Bao Shang En 包上恩
Kind Hearted daughter of the Marquess of Jing An
Kun Lun 白敏敏 Ao rui Peng 代露娃
Cousin and best friend to Ming Tan. She's the daughter of a Duke
Zhang Huai Yu 章怀玉 Bai Shu 白澍
Nephew to the Empress and Jiang Xu's best friend
Final Thoughts
A light, brainless period romance drama that tries to do everything. It has espionage, palace intrigue, court politics, and romance, but doesn’t truly succeed at any of it apart from showcasing an attractive cast. The overarching plot is serviceable for the genre and I zoomed through the first ten episodes but ended up feeling more and more frustrated.
Song Wei Long delivers a solid if unsurprising performance as Jiang Xu, a character written to be the ideal romantic hero: handsome, intelligent, devoted, and with ambitions beyond just love. It’s clear why Song took the role. It’s tailor-made for a leading man and definitely is one to attract female fans. On the other hand, Bao Shang En’s Ming Tan feels flat and inconsequential. While Bao Shang En does her best, the script confines her to petty domestic squabbles, giving her little meaningful contribution to the larger narrative.
Despite strong promotional efforts by the lead actors, the drama has failed to resonate with audiences, both critically and commercially. A visually appealing cast can only do so much when the story fails to rise above tired clichés. Here’s hoping the next project gives them more to work with.
What I Liked
- Song Wei Long’s portrayal of Jiang Xu: Song Wei Long delivers a solid performance as Jiang Xu as the cold but kind-hearted prince archetype we’ve seen many times before. He manages to breathe life into it with a nuanced portrayal. His gradual softening as he falls for Ming Tan feels natural, and he effortlessly balances charm and emotional restraint. He convincingly turns on the heat in romantic moments, then switches to icy calculation when facing political adversaries. Jiang Xu also stands out as one of the few characters actually focused on politics rather than being consumed by romance. It’s just a shame the writing repeatedly drags him into rescue missions that undercut his otherwise capable image.
- Beautiful cast of men and women: The show boasts a visually pleasing cast of rising young actors like Dai Lu Wa, Ke Ying, Bai Shu, Qin Xiao Xuan, and Quan Yi Lun. They are familiar faces from other recent dramas. While the plot leaves much to be desired, this cast fully embraces the romantic comedy tone. If you’re in the mood for light entertainment and some attractive eye candy, this drama delivers on that front. The cast knows exactly what kind of show they’re in and plays their parts accordingly.
What's Didn't Work - Spoilers Ahead
- Bao Shang En as Ming Tan: One of the biggest letdowns of the drama is the character of Ming Tan. While Bao Shang En does a serviceable job with what she’s given, the writing fails her completely. It’s clear the writers were aiming to create a smart, kind, and tactful heroine, but what we get is a naive and hypocritical young woman who constantly walks into danger without a plan, only to be rescued time and again by the male lead. Her impulsiveness is painted as bravery, but it often feels more like recklessness. Worse, she’s the one who also tries to always have the moral high ground but then she’s the one spreading nasty rumors about the Prince of Bei Ding or sneaking away in the name of a “righteous cause”. Her antics, meant to be humorous or romantic, only highlight how out of depth she truly is. Ming Tan’s luck in landing a prince as a husband feels entirely unearned. If she weren’t the main character, she’d likely be stuck in a far more tragic fate.
- Disappointing waste of female characters: Despite being a period romance, it’s disheartening that this drama once again confines its women to the household. Every female character is singularly focused on marriage prospects, with no other ambitions or talents beyond managing domestic affairs. In 2025, it’s frustrating to see a cast of women reduced to sewing, cooking, and petty rivalries while the men handle the politics and plot. There’s so much wasted potential here. I don’t need the female characters to all be masters of something but at least have agency! These characters could have been dynamic and complex, but instead they’re stuck in outdated tropes.
- What’s up with the costumes?: For the most part, the costumes, clearly inspired by Tang Dynasty fashion, are fine. However, one glaring issue stands out: the visible shoulder pads on a key character’s outfit. It draws attention not only to the production oversight but also to a broader trend where actresses are expected to appear so thin that costume padding becomes necessary. In a show with otherwise polished aesthetics, this kind of slip feels especially noticeable.