Soben Brathna Bopha 3 Thong

I did not expect the drama that was A Dream of Splendor.

Actually, prior to the drama’s airing, all I knew about it was that Liu Yifei was in it and that it marked her long-awaited comeback. I was never one of her admirers, but this may thrill some of them. In reality, I was the complete opposite, and her appearance in movies generally made me decide not to watch them. But after watching the first teaser of this drama back in late May, my thoughts on it were altered. The graphics, the color scheme, and the scenes that resembled oil paintings caught my attention. This drama’s title really describes it, as it does have a dreamlike quality.

Let’s get on to the real drama. After watching all 40 episodes, this is by far one of the best Chinese historical dramas I’ve seen recently, even though I can’t say it’s flawless. Everything about the film—directing, photography, acting, soundtrack, etc.—is nearly flawless. The scripting of this drama, in my opinion, is its weakest point since, at the play’s conclusion, there are a few stories that seem superfluous and tension that is produced only for dramatic effect.

I was familiar with Yang Yang as a director from Ever Night,

and this drama has just helped me learn more about her. The drama’s strongest feature, in my opinion, is the direction. Her masterful use of extended tracking shots enhances the drama’s overall mood. Her skillful framing makes me think that these are characters rather than actors. She is also an excellent romantic scene photographer. Episode 5’s boat moment, Episode 6’s courtyard umbrella sequence, Episode 7’s tear kiss scene, and so on. The romance in this movie is its most selling point, and the directing is excellent. I’m very happy the performers deliver here because director Yang Yang loves to let the camera linger on the actors’ faces. The director knows that Chen Xiao in particular is a skilled actor, so he lets the camera focus on his facial expressions for a longer period of time in order to convey Qian Fan’s longing for Pan Er. Episode 6’s umbrella scene is a chemistry masterwork.

Beautiful cinematography is also present. The entire scenario has a lot of warm hues, and at certain places it almost seems like a moving oil painting. It is a pleasant diversion from the drab blue and grey color scheme that characterizes most c-dramas. Although the OST has drawn criticism, I believe the instrumental score of this drama is more noteworthy. The piano theme that appears in numerous Pan Er/Qian Fan sequences, or the major Pipa melody that Yinzhang plays, are both incredibly memorable. Since the instrumental score hasn’t been released yet, I’ve had to resort to looking out song covers on Bilibili.

And lastly, the performance

. I have already commended Chen Xiao, and based on his previous roles, I have always known that he is a talented actor. But Liu Yifei is the one who truly shocked me in this instance. I have expressed my distaste for her acting previously. Although she has never truly impressed me, she definitely carries ADoS. The three sisters and their struggles are the main focus of the drama’s narrative, even though the romance is one of its main selling factors. Pan Er is vividly brought to life by Liu. I haven’t felt this invested in a female lead in a c-drama in a long time. Though Pan Er possesses all the qualities of a contemporary strong female character—resilience, intelligence, etc.—she is not without flaws. Weeping, she tells Sanniang about her concerns over her upbringing. Liu does a fantastic job of depicting all these emotions, giving the character depth. I will now point out that her dialogue is her one acting flaw, but this is only apparent to those who speak Mandarin. It was not too bothersome to me, really, except during her lengthy rants.