The Glory: Dropped Drama Diaries

Aug 15
2 min read

Title:	The Glory (2025) 雁回时
Platform:	WeTV, Viki
MDL Rating:	8.3
Genre:	Period (Ming) Idol Romance (ha)
Episode Count:	30
Last Episode Watched:	17
Parental Guidance Rating:	PG-13: Violence, Blood, Brief Torture
Starring:	Chen Du Ling (Ashes to Crown) Xin Yun Lai (Legend of Shen Li) He Hong Shan (The Double) Yun En Tai (New Life Begins) Wen Zheng Rong (Love's Ambition)

Synopsis:

Abandoned as a child, Zhuang Han Yan grows up in the southern countryside before returning to her family in the capital. She catches the eye of Fu Yun Xi, a deputy minister with a mysterious illness, who sees her as an ideal wife. As they navigate their relationship, they fall in love, and Han Yan reconnects with her mother while finding warmth and belonging with the Fu family. @MDL

Non-Spoiler Thoughts:

To start off, this is not the K-drama The Glory, nor is it the C-drama Glory, which is another Ming Dynasty drama funnily enough.

It is NOT these lol

2025's The Glory is a loose adaptation of the web novel, The Reborn Noble Girl is Hard to Find, written by the author of The Double, the highly anticipated Empress Reborn, and The Legend of The Female General. The vibes are dark and gothic, with a morally grey female lead who is out to right wrongs, and regain her footing after being falsely accused of being a jinx. There is a whole lotta scheming household politics, which I usually love, but there was NO humor or levity to bring balance to the drama. It also bothered me that after ever victory, the board would reset with the FL in the same position she was before, with no real gains.

Dare I say, my favorite Ming dynasty attire, if not my favorite styling of any Period drama...

This drama is really NOT a romance, which greatly disappointed me, and the acting was a little too varied. Weng Zheng Rong was acting her little heart out, perhaps too much at times, but maybe it was to make up for the ML actor's (XIn Yun La) cardboard performance. Chen Du Ling was just okay, but she looked the Ming Dynasty part. The outfits were a slay.