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7.4/10 Stars: A refreshing tale of rags to riches that didn't stop long enough to smell the roses of romance along the way.

The bi-annual Mango TV conference took place this week and Mango TV once again brought out their upcoming 89 Drama catalog under the banner of the 2027 slate. However, Mango TV only releases around 25 full length, scripted dramas a year, so don't expect to see many of these anytime soon. I've gathered up the highlights of the conference, but most of the material was just a repeat of the Spring/Summer showcase with new promotional material like posters and BTS. The big pull of

So... Youku has over 110 dramas in the slow cooker and on the shelf, and they brought them out Sept 16 to tempt investors, as that's the only way a drama will be released. We have SO much ground to cover, so I will not linger here.

9.1/10 Stasrs: An existential examination of idealism, conviction, and morality seamlessly embedded into a gritty Wuxia that packs a punch by unpacking human nature.

8.4/10 Stars: A surprisingly chill case study on gender equality packaged in a light hearted romantic comedy in which a foodie forced into marriage must square up against the patriarchy with the help of her girl squad, her farming know how, and her sickly husband. It's like the Barbie (2023) movie, but set in a Feudal Society.

5.9/10 Stars: My Heroic Husband is a story within a story, following a contemporary book character whose author transplants him into a historical webnovel with all his previous memories intact and gives him the role of Ning Yi, a useless matrilocal husband. Determined to make the most of his new situation, Ning Yi joins forces with his new wife, Su Tan Er, and they slowly fall in love as they franchise the family business... and fight off bandits to save the nation.

6/10 Stars: A teenage tinker is forced to marry a fearsome general who she must outmaneuver and friend zone so she can ride into the sunset with her handsome prince.

The Sleepless Princess is very cheesy, and looses its grip when it tries to be angsty and serious. A skip from me.

A famous Xianxia folktale visited that must have been visited by a dementor, because there was absolutely no life to be seen.

Perfect for fans of Eternal Love, but not for me. lol.

Dropped: A Beauty and the Beast adjacent Xianxia that felt like a Disney Channel Original movie, but went to zany for my liking.

A cotton candy Xianxia about a matchmaker and an immortal that was too fluffy for my tastes...

A claustrophobic and cinematic exploration of nomadic life for those who enjoy slower paced stories.

Dropped: A fantastic coming of age Wuxia with a weird romance that made me drop.

A Period Idol Mystery that was too easily solved with a lackluster romance.

Dropped: I'm so sorry queen, but this was real bad. There were no actors involved in the making of this production lol.

Dropped: Short and comedic. but too slapstick.

A very synthetic, kiddie Xianxia that melted my brain a little too much...

This was frustratingly bad. The trailers and promotional material wove a web of exaggeration that portrayed the drama as an authentic, grounded Period Romance that was trying to do more than the age old tropes. But it was just Gollum leading me to Shelob...

Assassins, angst, and trauma filled relationships...