Drama digest
The silk, embroidering, and weaving trade is booming as China has became a major commercial economy. A few influential families have risen to the top. Gusu District in Suzhou, Jiangsu Provience, is the industry’s powerhouse. The Ren family is the greatest weaving dynasty of them all, which guards the enigmas of it’s weaving prowess. Males are the dominant force in the Chinese traditional culture. The head of the family is Ren Xue Tang who is a gentle-hearted soul with a love for poetry and philosophy. His wife, Shen Cui Xi is the polar opposite. She is fiery, opinionated, and fiercely competitive and keeps the family business on track. She has peerless embroidery skills. Ren Xue Tang gets into trouble when he tries to close the bet on a ring of smugglers and encounters the former love of his life, Zeng Bao Qin. Zeng Bao Qin finds herself in the Ren family and faces Shen Cui Xi, her bitterest love rival. As enemies circle, hard times are ahead for the family and the partnership between the two women can avoid a painful fall from grace. Will they put their rivalry aside or jealousy and love will stand in their way?
The feel-good part
From the premises, it seemed like a typical drama but it ended up being a quite thoughtful discussion. The drama follows a rare kind of storytelling. The way the actors used their voices was quite impressive and it the drama a lot more enjoyable. The muted colour tone in costumes was also amazing. The theme songs were lively and the best thing is that they were not overused.
The disappointing factor
The drama doesn’t have anything extraordinary but it was not disappointing. The story didn’t feel like it was a waste of time.
In-depth analysis
The drama revolved around the art of Chinese traditional weaving culture and how women in the era tries to defy the traditional norms. The drama aesthetics were visually stunning. The soft and muster colour palette was pleasing for the eyes. The cinematography was done beautifully and the fluid shirts will draw you in the story. The team also payed attention to the costume details. All the characters were three-dimensional. They didn’t feel generic and felt like real people with their stories. Zeng Baoqin belonged to an affluent family but it was ruined overnight. She was sold to a brothel and from then on her personality changed and her outlook towards life also changed. The female characters were all strong and independent. Both the female lead started as friends but they become love rivals and ended up being friends again. It was amazing to see how they worked together to protect Ren family. The personal growth and relationship between the characters were nice. Every single interaction between the women with the men in their households, men that control their destinies, and men in power was strong and impressive.
Star power
Jiang Qin Qin and Yang Rong were outstanding in portraying their roles. The other cast members did a great job playing their roles. The case is not stellar but every performance was stellar and worthwhile. Zhang Hui Wen and Mao Zijun were the most commendable actors. The female leads managed to be complex. Mao Zijun’s character as Wei Liangong was very fleshed out. The boy who played Xiu Shan was so adorable. The cast enhanced the drama.
Overall opinion
Overall, Marvellous Women is an average drama. The story is not compelling but it is visually stunning. The drama makes you feel like living and understanding the culture.
