[Hong Kong Palace Drama 2004] War and Beauty 金枝慾孽

[Guest DJG]

Details:
Chinese Title: 金枝慾孽 / Jin Zhi Yu Nie
English Title: War and Beauty
Genre:   Melodrama, Costume & Period, Drama
Episodes: 30
Broadcast Period: 2004

Cast:
Sheren Tang as Yu Yuet (Yu Fei) 如玥 (如妃)
Gigi Lai as Yuk Ying 玉瑩
Charmaine Sheh as Yi Sun 爾淳
Maggie Cheung as On Sin 安茜
Moses Chan as Hung Mou 孔武
Bowie Lam as Sun Bak Yeung 孫白颺

Synopsis:
Fifteen years after Qing Emperor Ka Hing (Qian Long) was crowned, the country appears to be in harmony. However, fights between the imperial concubines escalates. Beauty never lasts. All the imperial concubines, including the emperor's beloved Yu Fei (Sheren Tang), understands this and becomes nervous when the triennial imperial concubine election approaches. Yu Fei's position is threatened by an imperial descendant Yuk Ying (Gigi Lai), a powerful eunuch's adopted daughter Yi Sun (Charmaine Sheh) and an experienced imperial servant maid On Sin (Maggie Cheung Ho Yee). They are friends and enemies in the war for the emperor's love. Yi Sun later falls for imperial physician, Bak Yeung (Bowie Lam) who also stole the hearts of courtesan, Heung Fou (Patricia Liu), Lady Fuk (Jade Leung) as well as his lonely wife (Irene Wong) but Bak Yeung only has eyes for Yuk Ying, the woman who loved him the least. When she is still a palace maid, On Sin falls for imperial guard, Hung Mo (Moses Chan) but the latter keeps his distance from her when she becomes a Lady, the emperor's woman. Hung Mo then finds companionship with the lonely Yu Fei, who has fallen out of power.

OST:

 

Watch with English Subs:
https://www.viki.com/tv/28398c-war-and-beauty

Review:
I am not a big fan of Hong Kong dramas, but was splendidly surprised with this drama. Though it is an older drama, it has stood the test of  time well. After watching this drama, I realized one of my favorite dramas of all time, the very popular - Empresses in the Palace/The Legend of Zhen Huan, copied some bits from this story or at least seemed to have been influenced by this production. So if you are a period drama enthusiast, or like watching palace dramas this might be a nice watch for you.

Recommend = A-