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Destined – Bai Jingting, Song Yi

Destined is a historical romantic drama directed by Yin Tao, led by Bai Jingting and Song Yi, co-starring Liu Xueyi, Zhang Haowei, with Zhang Rui, and Zhao Ziqi in special roles.

The drama is based on the novel of the same name by Mo Shu Bai and tells the heartwarming story of Liu Yuru, the daughter of a cloth merchant in Yangzhou, who has suffered from hardships since childhood, and Gu Jiusi, a famous playboy in the local. They get married by mistake. In their marriage, they go from mutual resistance to mutual support and mutual healing.

Details

Destined

English Title: Destined
Chinese Title: 长风渡
Genre: Historical, Romance, Drama
Tag: Arranged Marriage, First Love, Playboy Male Lead, Overcoming Prejudice, Love After Marriage, Character Development
Episodes: 40
Duration: 45 min.
Director: Yin Tao
Screenwriter: BaI Jinjin
Producer: Yang Bei, Li Xingjian, Yu Fei, Feng Le, Lu Juewei
Product Company: iQIYI
Released Date: 2023-06-18
Broadcast Website: iQIYI

Cast

Synopsis

The daughter of a Yangzhou cloth merchant, Liu Yuru has suffered from her mother's illness, her concubine mother's unkindness, and her father's lack of attention since she was a child.

But she is arranged by her family to marry Gu Jiusi, a famous playboy in Yangzhou.

Gu Jiusi misunderstands that Liu Yuru is marrying him because he is a powerful man and scorns her.

Liu Yuru suddenly realizes that she cannot leave her fate to marriage and others, and decides to follow Gu's mother to learn the ways of business to realize her self-worth in a real, independent, and exciting way.

After working hard, Liu Yuru passes Gu's mother's test and gradually becomes more comfortable in the business. In the process, she changes her opinion of Gu Jiusi and discovers his pure and sincere side.

At this time, Wang Shanquan, the governor of Yangzhou, is so vicious and perverse that the people are displaced and the Gu family has no choice but to flee. Gu Jiusi grows up to maturity when seeing thousands of displaced people.

To put an end to the chaos and allow the people to live in peace, Gu Jiusi starts as a constable and become a minister of the Ministry of Finance, working with like-minded people to eliminate the problems and reduce taxes and levies.

Liu Yuru, on the other hand, built good schools internally and do trades externally, making the people prosperous and well-off.

Together, they "wrote" a great story.

Reviews

  • 2023-07-23 14:01:46

    "Destined"-Advantages & Disadvantages

    "Destined" has some strengths. First of all, the actors' performances are excellent, including the supporting roles, which are well-portrayed and satisfying. Secondly, the portrayal of the true couple is truly moving, as they manage to convey a strong sense of sweetness and affection even without intimate physical contact, impressing the audience on screen.

    However, there are some peculiarities in the plot logic within the drama, and the later part of the storyline becomes chaotic and lacks cohesion. According to book fans, these deviations are adaptations from the original work, and it is unclear how the original story unfolds.

    Additionally, the pacing of "Destined" also presents an issue. Personally, I prefer fast-paced dramas, but the show's pacing doesn't seem well-controlled. Many crucial plot points are rushed through, and sudden shifts in time catch viewers off guard. For instance, the segment about the couple's escape, the three years in Youzhou, the three years in Dongdu, and the Yellow River restoration are all treated too briefly, leaving an unsatisfactory impression. On the contrary, some everyday life scenes are overly detailed, leading to an inconsistent viewing experience.

    Furthermore, "Destined" suffers from character setting issues. The author's ambition is vast, involving romance, business, military, official careers, and even water management, making the overall scope too grand. The character development is also too perfect, with the female lead being a business prodigy and conveniently having a mother-in-law equally skilled in business. Meanwhile, the male lead is portrayed as possessing both literary and martial talents, excelling in his career with a smooth and successful ascent. These idealized characterizations come across as unrealistic.

    In the initial stages, the sweet atmosphere created by the true couple provided an enjoyable viewing experience. However, as the story progressed and the sugary elements decreased, along with the disappearance of the rosy filter, the aforementioned issues became more evident, resulting in a less engaging experience. In conclusion, "Destined" had the potential to be even better, but unfortunately, it failed to fully capitalize on its strengths and wasted the talents of a group of excellent actors.

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