Chinese Drama 2022
Our Times (Chinese Drama Review & Summary)
Our Times poster
- Genre: Life, Drama Anthology
- Release Date: 10 October 2022
- Origin: China
- Cdrama: 44 Episodes
Night Banquet in Tang Dynasty Palace
- Bai Bai He as Chen Ran
- Zhang Hui Wen as Ma Wen Yan
- Wan Peng as Lin Bei Bei
- Dong Si Yi as Wang Bao Yuan
- Lou Yi Xiao as Luo Bing Bing
- Zheng Xiao Ning as Director Sun
Episode 1
Musicality, Dancing, and other forms of arty entertainment were as old as time as evidenced by archeologists who dug up figurines showing these skills and talents.
The first episode is about life in the ballet world. If you are the principal, you practise and perform day and night. You sacrifice the greater portion of your life for your art and yet when someone who is better comes along you are dropped unceremoniously.
Anyway, Chen Ran came to supervise the Water Moon of Luoshen practise but not only the principal dancer was absent but also the understudy.
The principal dancer was Ma Wen Yan who was married to the principal male dancer. At first, the male dancer would not say where Yan was but as he was threatened with the police, he confessed that he had a fight with his wife. His parents had been haranguing them to have a baby as he is 32 and Yan was 31. Having a baby is not part of their career equation at the moment but the parents’ insistence created a gulf between husband and wife so she took off for a while.
When the understudy, Bei Bei, came late, she was so shocked to be tasked to become the principal dancer. She was not prepared at all and much too focus on chatting on the phone to her rich boyfriend.
Chen Ran and the Manager reminisced about how hard Ma Wen Yan work so she could become the lead dancer but they do sympathise that the career asks so much from the dancer.
As Bei Bei got to grips with the choreography, Ma Wen Yan turned up and told her husband to give her six months.
I really love the dancing and Zhang Hui Wen was so delicately entrancing as she dances.
Episode 2
This episode centered on Bei Bei who was determined to leave dancing and live the life of Riley with Liu Ning, her Masserati-driving boyfriend.
When she visited her parents, she realised how she loved dancing as a young child in front of her parent’s eatery.
She then realised that she actually loved dancing more than the good life she would have had with Liu Ning, who treated her more as a possession than his other half.
She asked Chen Ran if she could join the contest with the troupe.
Episode 3
Poor Baoyuan, the most desperate to become a dancer was told that she was pulling down the group because her technique was not up to scratch.
She was more or less resigned that she will not be part of the Tang Palace girls but Chen Ran made a promise to her that she will be taking her to the stage one day.
I love this episode. The dance was fantastic and fun.
Anyway, Chen Ran went to Beijing to consult with a dance aficionado on how to make her Henan group to compete and win the Lotus Award. The man said that she had to show something that is beyond expectation.
Baring this in mind, Chen Ran went back to her clay Tang Palace girls. With her fertile imagination, she was able to have a conversation with Yan, the palace musician.
With that in mind, Chen Ran completely overhauled her dance choreography which did not go well at first with their director as it would cost a further 80,000 yuan. But a director of culture and tourism happened to be visiting and gave them the extra budget.
In the end, they did not win the Lotus award or get in the first three, but it was acknowledged that their performance was the most fun.
However, the adjudicators think that it was too modern and did not show some of the traditional dance moves.
It was also Ma Wen Yan’s last performance because she just found out that she was pregnant. Bei Bei in now the principal
Episode 4
Loving the first story of this anthology drama. The dancing is brilliant and the story is well told.
Anyway, the Tang Palace girls dance at the Lotus Award got some buzz and Director Sun was contacted to have a popular chubby actress be a part of the dance which will be recorded for the Letu Spring Festival Web Gala.
Chen Ran was consulted about it, but she declined because it would be turned into a comedy for the fat actress. She said that she would not like her cute hardworking girls to become a faceless background for an actress.
Bing Bing was rather unhappy with her decision. She said that exposure would mean their dance theatre will get more attention and financial gain.
Chen Ran tried to compromise. It the fat actress will try to dance like the other girls then she will be for cooperation but if it would be for pure comedic exercise then it was a no.
There was better news for them, Director Chen for Henan Tv wanted to showcase the Tang Palace Girls for the Henan Spring Festival Gala.
This was welcome news. Chen Ran went to see Ma Wen Yan and invited her to return to dancing with the Tang Girls.
Mo Wen Yan agreed immediately. She said that she was past the danger time of her first trimester so she could dance again.
I must say I worried for Mo Wen Yan throughout this episode. It was so good she was greatly supported by her husband, who traveled with the group to ensure her health and safe pregnancy.
Baoyuan was so happy to finally had her excited family to see her on tv and Bei Bei was becoming a celebrity.
Meanwhile, Mo Wen Yan announced that she will return to full time dancing once she had the baby.
Their successful Spring festival got around so they were then invited for the lantern festival which was more rigorous as they have to travel in three major cities to perform. They were working 20 hours a day, sleeping a few minutes only here and there.
But they were all happily and proudly tired of doing what they loved and wanted.
Afterwards, Chen Ran returned to her old haunt and found the museum crowded with people wanting to see the Tang Dynasty figurines which inspired the Tang Palace girls.
Really love this first chapter.
Warm Love
- Bai Yu Fan as Zhang Lei
- Li Kun Lin as Chen Gang
Episode 5 – 8
Zhang Lei was attending a work expo. He was trying to get a job in sports. He said that his passion was football but he was asked what position he plays, he confessed that he does not really play the game much.
Of course, he can’t get a job with this kind of experience until Mr Chen, a secretary of a party committee offered him to join his school.
Zhang Lei excitedly agreed to the offer but then he asked where the school was.
Mr Chen said that
Front The Ocean
- Lin Yi as Ye Zhou
- Huang Zhi Zhong as Xiang Hai
- Gallen Lo – Ye Zhou’s father
- Ke Lan – Ye Zhou’s mother
Episode 1
Bright Moon In The West Country
- Wang Lei as Cheng Guang Hui
- Yang Shuo as Zhou Da Qi
- Hao Rong Guang as Zhang Yong Feng
- Kang Ai Shi as Zhou Ji Hai
Episode 1