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The First Jasmine: Dropped Drama Diaries

Aug 17
3 min read

Updated: Sep 20

The First Jasmine Poster featuring Bai Lu and Ryan Cheng holding red string in Tang Dynasty apparel

Title:

The First Jasmine (2026)

Platform:

Viki, WeTV

MDL & Douban Rating:

8.2 & 6.3

Genre:

Period Idol Romance/ Mystery

Episode Count:

40

Last Episode Watched:

26

Parental Guidance Rating:

PG-13: Blood, Violence, Fear

Starring:

Bai Lu (Unveil: Jadewind)

Ryan Cheng (My Journey to You)

Cai Zheng Jie (Shadows of Desire)

Yang Shu Yi (The Palace Stewardess)

Dong Jie (Flourished Peony)

Lin Mu Ran (Pursuit of Jade)

Cast From Left to Right: #BaiLu, #RyanCheng, #CaiZhengJie, #YangShuYi, #DongJie


Synopsis:

Li Ye marries Xiuyao Mo while her sister Ying Ye weds Li Ye's childhood friend Jingli Mo. Sealed on Mount Li for eight years, Li Ye secretly avenges officials who harmed her home. She and Xiuyao unite to help emperor defeat conspiracies. @IMBD



Non-Spoiler Thoughts:

The First Jasmine is not what I thought it was going to be and that's not necessarily a bad thing. The drama had the lack of spark I've come to expect from a Bai Lu led romance, along with copious amounts of fake hair and whiteout foundation, but the story was surpsingly complex with layered political motivations and mental health struggles that made the drama more than mindless Idol fare.


Tang Dynasty garden
Definitely used the set from Flourished Peony

Don't get me wrong, Bai Lu is still Bai and I would have probably finished the drama had another actress been cast in this role, but she did put forth effort and her character was intriguing. Ye Li (FL) is a mastermind hiding in Tang Dynasty ladies attire with motives that are unveiled slowly, but the actress didn't have the grit to make that part of her role stick the landing. Her mental health journey was quite interesting, as was learning about the Mountian she came from. The mystery was what kept me seated, but I guessed the secret far too early and there was nothing of substance to keep me watching after that.


Ryan Cheng and Bai Lu in a still from the C-drama The First Jasmine

The costumes, sets, music, and cinematography were high quality and on the same level as Flourished Peony, but the grandeur felt a bit wasted on a story that put all it's eggs in one mystery basket that the audience could too easily find.


Ryan Cheng as Mo Xiu Yao gave a pretty low energy performance, which did somewhat fit the depressed character, but he never caught my eye or added anything to a scene. And this man is usually a charming schmoozer when it comes to his leading ladies, but Bai Lu's powers of incompatibility are unmatched. This man had no chance lol. And his character wasn't that great either. I felt bad for the 2ML and didn't care at all about the 2FL, so the "romance" in Period Idol Romance was just not there for me.


Ultimately, though The First Jasmine had many merits, it wasn't the romance I was looking for, and the "secrets" were far too predictable.



Why I dropped:

  • Dragged out the Mystery

  • Not really a romance

  • Leads had NO chemistry

  • Acting was a bit stale


Trailer:


Director: #LamYukFan (Love and Destiny, Eternal Love, The Demon Hunter's Romance)

Screenwriter: #XiaoXiangDong Er (Love and Destiny, A Moment But Forever, Feud, The Demon Hunter's Romance)


*Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images used on this blog. All images belong to their respective copyright holders and are used for commentary and review purposes. All reviews, opinions, and statements expressed on this blog are my own and are intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. They reflect my personal thoughts and interpretations and should not be considered as factual.



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