I dreamed a dream. 

Winter Begonia is the Downtown Abbey of Chinese opera. To simply describe it as a BL romance would not do justice to the magnificent breadth and the depth of this unforgettable story. This drama sweeps you into the world of Peking opera of 1930s, where changing times challenge the way of life and traditions of the opera troupes. The mood of this difficult period of modern Chinese history is vividly captured in gorgeous cinematography with a muted, nostalgic, old world palette and lovingly detailed sets and costumes. The bittersweet stories of the dimensional surrounding characters puts the main relationship in brutal context; regardless of station, few have free will to follow their hearts and dreams. These were times where most life decisions are made under duress as a matter of expedience or survival. It is within this backdrop that a rare and touching affinity develops between a hard nosed business man and a temperamental Peking opera divo "dan". 

Warning - there may be mild spoilers in the following paragraphs.

Shang Xirui is a newcomer that takes the Peking opera scene by storm with his daring interpretation of classic operas and his ability to immerse himself in his female "dan" (旦) roles. Xirui is the ultimate drama queen - mercurial, fearless, unyielding, unforgiving, relentless, sentimental, kind and loyal - a brilliant wunderkind who is capable of both love and hate in equal fervor. Despite his theatrical genius, he is almost childlike in his simplicity towards human relationships and is not fully up to the task of managing his troupe or navigating the competitive and political headwinds of the time. This intense and multi-faceted character experiences the most growth in this drama and is incandescently portrayed by Yin Zheng. His "dan" breaths life into the Yang Guifei and other legendary beauties of Chinese history and literature in a way that rivals Leslie Cheung's iconic performance in Farewell My Concubine. That said, Chen Renxiang's (Tan Jianci) coy come hither "dan" moment was dazzling and that character's final act surely must have been written as a tribute to the movie. This is a testimony to the talent and diversity of the cast and the characters they portray in this drama.

At surface, Cheng Fengtai couldn't be more different from Shang Xirui. He is a charming, savvy and ruthless entrepreneur with a devil may care attitude towards danger. But underneath that devastating smile, he is the saddest, bravest character in the drama. He is someone who gave up his dreams in the name of duty and familial obligations. His was not a love match but he shares common values with his wife, appreciates her and does his best to be the man of her dreams. This character is almost too perfect - he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, tries to do the right thing and lives up to what is expected of him - as husband, father, brother, patron, friend  and... soul mate. He is swept off his feet by Xirui's genius and overcome with admiration for his single mindedness in following his convictions in the face of criticism, adversity and against daunting odds. Xirui is his muse and their Shui Yin Lou is his rich man's folly where he vicariously reconnects with his long forgotten dreams and aspirations. Only Fengtai can understand and pacify Xirui when he is his most rabid, unreasonable, irascible self. Without taking away from Yin Zheng's virtuoso performance in a technically very difficult role, Huang Xiaoming's Cheng Fengtai was equally powerful and evocative. Theirs is a higher love, a bond that goes beyond words and is much more cerebral than physical. The acting is superb and the chemistry is palpable with both actors conveying emotions beyond words in their actions and the brilliant glitter of unshed tears in their eyes.

The drama itself is well paced and strikes the right balance in mood between heavy and light scenes as well as triumphs and setbacks. It is extremely well written, with many wickedly funny and witty moments and characters that subtly mock the stereotypes of those times. The story is much bigger than the two protagonists and is given weight, definition and substance by colorful surrounding characters with layers of flaws and strengths. Fengtai's wife is an awesome character; a smart and capable woman who is limited by the social strictures and biases of her time. Yet at the end, she is able to surpass the norms of the day and embrace a broader, more generous definition of qin ren (亲人) or family. Fengtai's brother-in-law is just a clownish parody of an entitled dilettante and Xirui's rivals were perhaps a tad ridiculous as villains but they serve their purpose. My favorite couple by far was the bandit and the general - they were so humorous and dangerous at the same time my only regret was we didn't get to see them spawn an army of terrifying bandits in their mountain fortress.

If I had to pick at flaws, the drama had too many melodramatic romantic plot-lets around the low social status of the performers and their forbidden liaisons that cross class lines. In the second half, so many characters were killed off that it became a bit gratuitous notwithstanding the well known brutalities of the Japanese occupation. While not as overtly heartbreaking as the tragedies, the moments of slow burn despair in the first half made a much deeper impression on me.     

I will not pretend that watching this made me able to appreciate Chinese opera the way it should be appreciated but at least now I can see the beauty and appeal. When my grandma used to listen to it with a teary faraway look in her eyes, I also wanted to cry because it sounded to me like a cacophony of scalded cats. Without making a documentary of it, this drama delivered some achingly beautiful performances that captures the highlights of some of the best known classic operas and emphasizes its importance as a form of hidden social criticism and expression of the joys and sufferings of the masses. While I can't say I have become a die hard fan, I will never cringe again at the characteristically high pitched, occasionally piercingly sorrowful tunes. Indeed I may even have to confess to (somewhat) enjoying it.

This drama has one of the best endings that remains true to the book and is yet (to me) unambiguous. Fengtai and Xirui are kindred spirits zhi yin (知音) and if like Fengtai you have been listening to Xirui, then you will just know him; thus his choice at that moment in time is clear and requires no further elaboration. The future is still up to serendipity and destiny.

This is a very big and generous story that will pull you in and make you care about the many wonderful people in it and mourn the passage of time and events that have stolen their dreams. It is not perfect and falls just short of a masterpiece but it is by far the best drama I seen so far in 2020.

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STORY- This story is just amazing, I don't really have words to describe my feelings for it. The drama was at it best when it was with the opera troupe. The main two characters are so well written and developed, you just fall in love with them. There friendship (bromance) is so beautifully written. I felt that the director and writer knew and understood the source material, they tried to respect the BL elements as best they could considering censorship. The only parts of the story I did not enjoy were the WWII elements, I found these parts to be pretty boring. This drama is just stunning and a must watch for story alone. Also the production was stunning from the costumes to the lighting it is a gorgeous drama.

ACTING- Andrew Yin was AMAZING as Xirui. He really stood out to me, and I felt like he really captured the character of Xirui well. I was never the biggest fan of Xiao Ming but he did really well in this drama. The whole cast did a really great job.

MUSIC- I thought the soundtrack was really well done. The Peking Opera songs were so beautifully done.

REWATCH- I will most likely watch this show again. Even if this show is really heavy at times and can be a tearjerker, it just to stunning to not watch again.

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One of the best art/story/drama of 2020

Its been a while since I have cried buckets watching a drama. Iam a fujoshi so I was well aware of this novel getting made into a series but was really hesitant to watch it because its china and for sure, the plot would be altered to exclude anything homosexual. But then when I realised that the script writer is the same as the original writer, I felt like the characters will be given justice. And boy I was right. Iam so glad I watched this show. From production to direction to acting to storytelling....and the mesmerizing portrayal of art, war and history..everything about this show is beautiful and full of emotions. And the best part, it did not hurt my fujoshi heart as did some of the other chinese bl adapted novels.... The first thing I fell in love with is the characters. Mr Cheng and Boss Shang will forever live in my memory. Even the supporting characters hold a special place in your heart...you laugh when they laugh, you cry with their sorrows...you may hate some of the characters but still cannot dislike them. Like a relative of yours that you hate but cannot exclude them from your lives. Second, the actors......Ill flip my brains if Andrew Yin is not nominated for awards this year. He became Boss Shang!!. His dedication is amazing and I have utmost respect towards him for portraying Shangs love for opera, his work, his madness, his devotion towards Cheng and so much more. So did Huang Xiaoming . His portrayal of Cheng as a wicked in a good way, full of love but typical rich guy and maintening the emotions flowing from certain corners and his devotion towards Shang was on point. I must say every actor/actresses in this show have done a wonderful job. I really felt like they were the real characters....need I say more?. Next the production and direction, I was so happy that the production did justice to this show. Every antique, clothing, jewellery, architecture,scenary was so beautiful and did not look artificial. You feel like you are actually living in that era. The direction was clean, pacing of scenes and the storytelling was as if you are reading the novel. And yes beijing opera.....i did know a bit about it before watching it so it was easier for me but never did I thought I would love listening to opera tbh. Also the amount of knowledge they have portrayed via this medium is amazing. Yes... Opera is dying and I really wished people would pay more attention to it. And this show places this emotion/concept into the younger generation in such a subtle manner. Claps. And the music...I have always been into ballads, and traditional instruments so this was a heaven for me. I could listen to this music for ages. For me, I know that Iam really into a show, when I actually pay a lot of attention to each and every dialogue. I could not miss any.... And thats whats beaitiful about this show. Now the only issue I had with this show was the portrayal of the japanese. I know they did really really really horrible stuff and its something none of us can revert. Sadly this world is a cruel place and war makes you into a horrible beast. I can understand the emotions of the people as my own country had several attackers too but I really wished they would put some effort in bringing some emotions in the japanese cast which was probably chinese. I felt like i was watching robots sometimes(thats just a typical japanese stereotype)...and had trouble when they spoke in japanese...did they use vocaloids hah..jk.It was very plain be it fighting or their cruel actions. I could only feel emotions from kazuma at the end episodes. And let me mention that reporters wife too while iam at it who seemed to come out of a horror show featuring fox possesed humans. I also regret the ending a bit.... I wished they would provide us a ending scene with old shang and cheng after their separation..and a bit of post war insights and the opera culture impacts. I feel that would be wholesome. But yes, I knew i had to deal with such an ending in the first place before begenning so iam fine.

Now my biggest take from this show...... The light fluffy heart warming interactions between cheng and shang. So basically they are lovers in the novel but because of you know who, they made it soulmates and brought in a wife to fortify it. But it dint upset me becuase the writer gave us all the implied feelings and emotions. I personally hate the word bromance.... And frankly speaking, this story does not give you bromance nor BL.....it gives us more than that, the bonds. The bonds between soulmates...which cannot be broken be it in this life or other. Love can be in different forms and need not be just between lovers or friends. Its hard to explain what I feel but iam sure you guys will feel the same watching this. Its not empty, nor satisfying nor dirty.......its just pure beautiful in so many levels. Emotions and bonds, not just between shang and cheng but also the bonds with the shui house, cheng family, the opera circle and lives basically...is what holds this show together. Hatsoff to the writer, the creators and the actors.

I just hope in future we live in a place where the writer does not have to alter their contents to fit the society however iam just glad for now that BL novels are getting more achkowledged for their art and plots. Lets support the novel too. And Andrew Yin....I love you...you tore my heart apart during this whole show. Boss Shang and Mr. Cheng will forever remain soulmates in my heart.

PS: Everytime boss shang ran my heart skipped a beat thinking that he would trip.

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"I don't regret walking with you through wind and snow, or emptying those cups together.
On the stage, our souls face each other, and I'm a little bit ashamed.
Because even if I don't say anything, you always understand everything."
(–My translation of some lyrics from the ending theme)

TL;DR: if you're put off by the "Beijing Opera" theme of this drama, that may look old-fashioned and boring at first (it was for me), don't be. Watch it. You'll end up wanting to learn more about Beijing Opera and falling in love with the characters and their relationships. And crying too.

Winter Begonia is, in my opinion, the best long-format Chinese drama of 2020. This series does something that was never attempted before in any drama, and it does it beautifully: it takes us behind the scenes of the Opera world of Republican-era Beijing and lets us look closely at every exquisite detail that made up that world, from the precious costumes, to the colorful makeup powders, down to the clinking of the porcelains and the fuming cups of tea. And it takes us into the lives of people who lived in that world letting us taste their joys and their sorrows, always in such a vivid and evocative way that I've rarely seen in other dramas.

This drama has no filler scenes, no overused tropes; every character and every detail has a purpose and is treated with love and care. This level of care also applies to the technical aspects such as photography, editing, color grading and music. The music is especially beautiful, and the opera melodies are perfectly blended into the score. The costumes and makeup are gorgeous, and the Dan (female role) costumes and makeup look sooooo good on Yin Zheng. He's like a doll. And watching this drama is like looking at a series of paintings.

Shang Xi Rui, played by Yin Zheng, is undoubtedly the star of this drama. A genius performer who's only known a life on the stage, he's stubborn, hot-headed and has got the heart of a child– qualities that cause him to be unfit for a society made of rules and courtesies. When we meet him and for most of the story, he's like a cute puppy that turns feral when he's angry. But he also grows a lot and has great character progression, which is beautiful to watch.
At one point, Cheng Feng Tai says of him, "The other performers look like the characters they play. Mr. Shang IS the characters themselves." I think this quote also applies to Yin Zheng in his phenomenal portrayal of Shang Xi Rui. After watching him you won't easily forget the way Rui-ge runs, eats, laughs, cries, pouts or smiles. Or the way he speaks, with that unique, cute way of speaking and soft Beijing accent. It's a fantastic performance that will live on for the ages. A comparison with Leslie Cheung's Die Yi from "Farewell My Concubine" can't be avoided because of the similar roles, and Yin Zheng passes with full marks in my opinion. He's honestly just as good.

Dashing businessman Cheng Feng Tai (Huang Xiao Ming) is Shang Xi Rui's "god of wealth", patron, pillar of strength and his perfect counterpart. Where Xi Rui has his head in the clouds, Feng Tai has his feet on the ground; where XR is the reckless and pure-hearted child who always wears his heart on his sleeve, FT is the one who knows better how to navigate the nastiness of the world and keeps all the pain inside him. They also come from opposite social backgrounds as XR is basically illiterate and belongs to a profession that is treated as pariah, while FT is the richest guy in town who's studied abroad.
Cheng Feng Tai is not a really complicated role to play, but it would have been easy to slip and make this character too dull or too cheesy, or without chemistry with SXR. Huang Xiao Ming instead plays him as a well rounded character that balances the worldly, dashing hero part of FT with the conflicted, often flawed one. And the chemistry is there. He IS Shang Xi Rui's own beloved Er Ye.

The ensemble cast is excellent, and all the subplots and the background elements stand on their own and are never just filler in between the main leads' story, or wallpaper. But the dynamic between the two leads is of course the highlight of Winter Begonia.
知音 zhiyin is the word used to describe what they are to each other: closest friend, confidant, soulmate. Someone who can understand the other with no need for words. When others doubt Feng Tai's alliances, including FT's own wife, Xi Rui trusts him completely; when XR is hungry or hurt, FT is there to feed him or take care of him; when XR is lonely, the only thing he wants is having FT next to him. They're fully devoted to each other and would die for each other (this is not an exaggeration, it's what they really try to do). One of my favorite lines by Feng Tai to Xi Rui is "You think I won't be there to care about you [when everyone else abandons you]? Only when I'm dead!"
For them, the unspoken is heavier than the spoken. They never outright say what they feel about each other (of course, due to drama censorship too) but they still say it with their actions and expressions. XR says it singing on the stage, FT says it with THOSE LOOKS when he's looking at XR sing.

Finally, I won't say this drama has no flaws (that's why I couldn't give the story a 10/10). I think it has flaws in the stereotypical portrayal of most of the Japanese characters, in how some secondary characters could have been written better, in the not-very-clear passing of the time (it's always winter, the babies are always infants, the women are always pregnant). The execution of the story is also not flawless in terms of how the story beats connect to each other. But honestly, these things don't really matter when you look at the bigger picture. Which is an incredibly beautiful one.

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I had no idea what to expect coming into this drama. As if Peking opera and WW2 aren't already very general public unfriendly, it is a BL adaptation of a novel most people have never heard of before; and it is one that BL fans would reject bc the main character is canonically married to a woman and the 2 leading actors are not young fresh actors but veterans in their 30s, 40s. Plus the controversial producer. I personally first started watching bc I already have some affinity towards Peking opera, but how do I even go about promoting this drama to the casual viewer? their first thought would be "it looks boring", which I get it, I thought so too.

BUT if you’re reading this have some interest towards any of the topics presented in the this drama, I would strongly suggest giving it a try; it could subvert your expectations in a big way. The way this drama presented Peking opera is so vibrant, elegant, and romantic and it's so well incorporated into the story. Having background knowledge about the operas SXR sings really enhances the experience and actually motivated me to look at more Peking opera material (which I know is rather difficult without knowledge of Chinese, but again, narrow topic!). The sets, costumes, cinematography all just screams effort and quality. I don't think much need to be said about the acting. Anyone can see from the cast list that these are all the big guns. They're not gonna draw a crowd of fangirls, but you can expect on point acting from A to Z. The leads, the supporting actors, all did their job superbly. I do have to give special attention to Yin Zheng, bc Shang Xirui is a very difficult role; any role that involves a Peking opera singer will be, but SXR is extra crazy. tbh I found him unlikeable in the novel, but it was so fascinating to watch him grow and change. Yet Yin Zheng manages to express the duality of SXR's elegance as a opera singer and his rabid dog personality offstage. They aged the character up significantly (the immaturity of SXR makes more sense in the novel as he was only 17/18) but Yin Zheng somehow still made it work as an adult. And the fact that he is so visually gorgeous and mesmerizing in opera costume sobs.

For the aspects I'm not keen about, one is WW2 (which is a topic I don't think many drama viewers are keen about anyway lol). While I ate all the plotlines about opera right up, I did have to skip some military scenes. I know these 2 kinda have to go hand in hand bc history, but I'm glad the show kept a fine balance and the war stuff didn't feel too bogged down. I also felt like the "bad guys" could be more multifaceted and natural. I think they really tried with 2 annoying opera troupe boss coming around to SXR at the end and there's that ONE good Japanese person, but all those arcs felt too cheesy. I also don't dig the OST much, which is truly a personal preference. there are really amazing Peking opera fusion songs out there with perfect vibes for this drama, and they did use one for the opening song, but I just wanted more.

Lastly, I know a burning question people have is about the "bromance" or BL. Well the official answer is, it's there. They're the deepest of soulmates and there is no character in the drama that wouldn't acknowledge it by the end. ngl I was expecting just a true socialist bromance because of the synopsis: "Shang Xirui and Zhu Fengtai are moved to make sacrifices for their country". I can tell you now that's not what happened lol. Towards the end the plot moves solely by the constant sacrifices they made for each other. There is zero sexual motivation between them (which there was plenty of in the novel, and I know BL fans are at least looking for hints of that), but I felt like they encompassed the emotional depth of everything from romantic love, to familial love, to unconditional love etc. the kind of love that makes you free just by being in the presence of the other person. There are no daring fanservice scenes like kabedon or bathing scene or that much slowmo, but the script/dialogue is fantastic and if you really listen to what these 2 characters are saying to each other I promise you’ll get plenty of emotional fulfillment. I do admit that I don't think YZ and HXM have sparks flying chemistry, but it's enough and both of them are so good at acting that I'd eat up any relationship they want to portray.

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It's hard to find words expressing what a treasure this series is. Hotheaded artist and a suave businessman intertwine their lives against the backdrop of a bygone era. Beautifully made and brilliantly acted, all-time favourite!

I noticed this series is not very popular and I agree it may not be for everyone. It is not bingeable. It doesn't speed towards an emotional high-point (def. not a cute love story). There is no mystery that gets revealed at the end. This is basically two people from very different backgrounds and social classes meeting, getting into and bailing each other out of trouble continuously, and weaving their lives and the lives of people around them together. There's another layer to the story being told through the opera performances but that requires interest in the art. It also requires a certain mood and full attention, because it's very easy to get lost in the many characters and sidestories. I watched it at the pace of 3 episodes every few days.
Still, I wanted to write a few words for those who may be hesitating because of other reasons.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS below......,..,.....

First of all, I'd like to stress that this is not a bleak, tragic or depressing series.

Yes, it's set in turbulent times. But the (very well-written) story mainly tells of ups and downs in the lives of all manner of people connected to our protagonists or the Beijing opera circle. The Japanese soldiers arrive to occupy Beiping only after 30+ episodes full of Shang Xirui's shenanigans and funny or emotional side stories.

Yes, it has an open-ending but it actually fits the story well and neither ML dies. Plus if you want a less ambiguous version, there's a 'gift ending' posted on bilibili by one of the screenwriters with an alternate cut of the last few minutes of the series.

I think the level of melodrama, or the sadness-happiness ratio, fits the slice of life genre. At least, there are no dramatics here for the dramatics sake.

Secondly, this is not some twisted heartbreaking love triangle story.

Yes, one of the MLs is married with a baby. It wasn't a love match though, but an arranged union in the past due to money problems. What this series has done incredibly well, is how well-written and fleshed out all the characters are, including Er Nainai. To me, the backstory fits the times well and adds an intriguing angle - the contrast between the two relationships in Cheng Fengtai's life. Not to mention, the curious interactions between the wife and the soulmate. Again, both from very different backgrounds.

Lastly, this may be worth watching just for the stylish visuals and artistic flare. I think this is the first series where I actually stopped the video to look at certain stills. There are so many insanely beautiful ones! Just take a look at the sequence in ep43 starting at 21:41. If I can get it in high-res this goes on my wall!

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Just finished Winter Begonia in English. Thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. Exceptional acting. I referred to internet many times during the episodes to understand what I was historically watching. I learned so much about Chinese opera, a topic I had no reference of. The music had so much to do with display of emotion in each episode. The costumes and makeup (which I looked up in the archives of Peking Opera on internet) were beautiful. This drama made me cry cry cry. Absolutely beautiful with a full array of emotion. Do not miss such an elaborate masterpiece that will teach you and well as entertain you. Zheng Yin and Huang Xiaoming displayed genius and mastery in their performance of these intense characters. Golden Rooster awards for both of them. (I had to look that up also. Still learning !) Watch this drama !!!

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I love this drama so much. The plot is amazing, never got bored with any episodes. The pace is perfect, move the story along well. The acting and relationship between CFT and SXR were eye-catching to see, and I'm always at awe whenever CFT looks at SXR; full of support and admiration^^. I also like how interesting Peking Opera is, and how I grew to love it as each episode pass by. This drama has great production in terms of acting, directing, dialogue, costumes, and actors^^. Everything is perfect. I especially watch this for CFT and SXR's relationship and it did not disappoint. Love their relationship/friendship and how they understand each other through their shared love of Peking Opera, support, and loyalty to each other. I cried, laughed, and will totally rewatch this drama again and again. It's one of my favorites this year.

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Absolutely brilliant cast and love the director's work

This is a true gem of Chinese drama. It does imply a commitment to watch a tv program of this length (49 episodes), especially when it revolves around Chinese Opera. BUT the payoff is really worth it. Let me start by the most obvious part which makes this serial so engaging... the stunning cinematography. Then, comes the simple story and how it unfolds. The ability of the actors to portray the emotions and to make us wish that we could find such a soulmate in our life...oh my God, how envious have I felt throughout the episodes, especially the last ones. Finally, the direction is mind-blowingly good. The director and his cast have been able to capture the very essence of what it is to be / have a soulmate and to portray it beautifully. THANK YOU.

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I just need to say how amazing this show is.

First of all the cast:
The acting *chefs kiss*
They fit their roles perfectly, I love how Andrew Yin can perfectly pull off both the feminine and masculine sides of his character. he's funny and his laugh is the best thing to ever exist, I could listen to him laugh all day.
Huang Xiao Ming as Cheng Feng Tai, I am in L O V E not only is he handsome and a great actor, but the way he can make Cheng Feng Tai seem so badass yet so childish in some scenes amazes me. He's just the perfect man.
Some of my favorite characters were Xiao Lai, Fan Lian and Shou Jiu Lang. Xiao Lai was so cute and perfect aunt/sister material, she was always there for Shang Xi Rui. The funniest character of this show was definitely Fan Lian, he makes some of the scenes so much better just by sitting there. Also when he's around the baby he turns into the cutest man, 100% husband material. Shou Jiu Lang was such a gentle old man, he just wanted to sing opera and to take care of his birds.

Second is the music, I listen to the ost daily, it's so freaking good. idk it's just something about traditional chinense music mixed with modern-day music, I love it so much. also even tho I already recognize all the tracks they use in the episodes, it doesn't feel repetitive and they blend in really well.

also, I just need to talk about how the set looks so amazing and all the costumes are so well done, they're still so pretty, especially the opera costumes. The quality of this show is out of this world, like how did they manage to do 49 episodes of this amazing show and how big was their budget cause damn.

This is also the perfect show for people who like lgbtq+ content and for people who just wanna see bromance. Even with the censorship it was easy to see that Cheng Feng Tai genuinely cared so much for Shang Xi Rui. Like CFT said himself he didn't want so see SXR suffer alone and wanted to see him smile and be happy. SXR was always grateful and cared for CFT just as much. They just radiate soulmate energy idk how else I could describe it.

I'm sorry I'm not really good at writing serious reviews, I just wanted to write how the show made me feel.

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"Do you know what a confidant is? I know... I've been listening"

From the moment I watched the trailer of Winter Begonia, I had the feeling that this drama was going to be amazing... and I'm so glad I wasn't wrong.

The plot is kind of simple: Mainly the story of Shang Xirui, a very carefree but passionate Peking Opera performer, and Cheng Fengtai, a charismatic and rich businessman, who are brought together by Peking Opera. Both main characters are so layered and well-written that despite their flaws, it is almost impossible not to care about them. Also, almost every single secondary character is three-dimensional, so they don't feel like fillers, but actual real people. Their character developments also add more to their complexity and uniqueness. The acting is fantastic; every actor and actress was born to play their characters. Yin Zheng (Shang Xirui) and Huang Xiao Ming (Cheng Fengtai) truly shined in this drama.

Since this drama was based on a BL novel, they had to tone down the relationship between the main characters because of China's censorship laws. Despite that, the chemistry between Shang Xirui and Cheng Fengtai is off the charts, so it's almost impossible not to feel how much they care about and love each other. Their relationship is so genuine, pure, and strong that the only word that can describe them is "soulmates." Plus, there are many scenes and dialogues that, in my opinion, have no heterosexual explanation, so I often found myself wondering how this drama passed censorship. I still hope that one day they are able to release all the deleted scenes and extended versions of some scenes that they couldn't include because of censorship.

The parts related to Peking Opera are so well done that despite never being interested in this form of art before, it made me become excited every time they showed a new performance. All operas are carefully chosen so that they are related to the plot, enriching the beauty of not only the main story of the drama, but also, the story of the characters that are performing them. However, I have to admit it took me a couple of episodes to get used to this singing style since it is very high-pitched. So I understand if some people don't like this aspect of the drama.

The opening and ending songs are so beautiful that I want to cry every time I listen to them; and the lyrics represents perfectly Cheng Fengtai and Shang Xirui's relationship. The cinematography is out of this world. You can literally take screenshots of every episode and use them as wallpapers. Furthermore, the costumes are gorgeous and full of details; every time they showed Shang Xirui wearing makeup and a new outfit for his performances, I lost my breath. The amount of detail that was put into this drama in every aspect makes it worth watching.

This drama has a lot of symbolism, parallels, and background story about Peking Opera, that make the story (between the main characters) even more beautiful. The sad and happy scenes are very well-balanced and the pacing is not too slow nor too fast, so it made the viewing experience more enjoyable. The ending is not sad nor happy; it is ambiguous. You can interpret it however you want. For me, it was a hopeful ending. If you decide to re-watch this drama, you will notice a lot of foreshadowing, and the character development will not only be more obvious, it will also help you interpret the ending in a different way.

Winter Begonia truly is, in my opinion, a masterpiece that deserves more recognition. It exceeded all the (high) expectations I had for it and has become my favorite drama of 2020 and my favorite drama of all time (for now).

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Unique and Special drama with Great acting and appreciation of Chinese Opera

Completed - 7/29/2022
Subjective Rating - 8.25-8.5
Objective Rating - 9.0+

“Winter Begonia is a rare treasure that most people probably won’t watch because it doesn’t scream hot young actors in a censored BL romance drama. Chinese Opera + Republican Era + mature male leads + Japanese occupation, do not really translate to instant popularity with the general audience. Growing up, I was NOT a Chinese opera fan myself. That’s why I was hesitant to watch this, despite its glowing reviews from almost everyone. Does this drama make me love Chinese opera? No, not really. But I learned to appreciate all performers’ dedication and hard work to this craft. It’s a beautiful part of Chinese culture that I wish it will continue on forever.

If you don’t love Chinese opera, this might be a difficult drama to watch because it's central to the plot, and there are many opera scenes and singing. But if you are a fan, or you don’t dislike it, you might grow to like it more. I will join the chorus of praises in the production quality of “Winter Begonia”. The opera costumes, accessories, hair and makeup = all top notch. So much effort (and probably research) is put into this.. I also really enjoy all the suits that our male lead, Cheng Feng Tai wore. Not only was he dashing and hot in all his outfits, I really like the subtle pattern and velvety (maybe?) quality of his suits. Shang Xi Rui also wears a variety of cheongsam/changshan, from the more modest white ones to the formal white ones. This might be the only drama I’ve seen all male characters wearing such thick wintery changshan.

The relationship between our two male leads is an interesting one. They are total opposites and it’s quite amazing how they have come to trust, care and ‘love’ each other. I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of sizzling, romantic chemistry between the two. I think the male leads in “Killer and Healer” have much better pure romantic chemistry. In “Winter Begonia’, Cheng Feng Tai and Shang Xi Rui are soulmates, they are more than friends/lovers/family. You can feel their deep affection from each other by the way they look at each other, and also through very casual, everyday conversations. You will not find the typical BL romance or fanservice in this drama.

It’s hard to tell if Cheng Feng Tai really loves his wife. Maybe he only cares for her as family because they have been together for so long. Yet, with the way he looks at her and the physical affection that he displays, he does seem to love her. In the second to last episode, while Cheng Feng Tai is facing danger, his last flashbacks are of his wife. Doesn’t that mean he truly loves her? But then, what about Shang Xi Rui? Does he love them both? Or as I mentioned, Shang Xi Rui is maybe more than merely a lover/partner. I guess that’s for the viewer's own interpretation.

The main reason why I did not give this a 9.0+ rating is because I got bored towards the 2nd half of the drama. The pacing is really good in the first 30 episodes. I enjoy the relationship development of the leads. I also really like the characters in all the opera troupes and see how they train, live together, and fight amongst each other. It was fun to watch the dance-off between Shang Xi Rui and Chen Ren Xiang. I also like the conflicts/politics of the opera troupes, and the respect the veterans receive from opera performers and audience. But when the drama turns political with the Japanese occupation, there’s too much talking and bad accents.. I understand the need for it but it’s not exciting or interesting enough, until the last two episodes. Even though the ending has a very strong political tone, I am interpreting it as a special way for the drama to demonstrate the unique bond between our male leads.

Lastly, you don’t really have to worry about the acting performance of this cast. They are veterans and they know what they’re doing. Big props to Yin Zheng for playing Shang Xi Rui, a multi-layered crazy genius. Huang Xiao Ming is very charismatic as Cheng Feng Tai and he is oh-so fine. I remember really liking him in “Nirvana in Fire 2”. The way he looks at Shang Xi Rui melts my heart. This is my first time seeing Merxat and Li Ze Feng NOT playing mature and sensible roles. I’ve seen them both in previous dramas and their roles here are so different and I’m glad they are taking different roles. As the female lead, Charmaine Sheh holds her own among a strong male cast. She’s wonderful as Fan Xiang Er.


Other Random Observations:
1. Yin Zheng looks quite old in this drama. He’s 9 years younger than Huang Xiao Ming but he doesn’t age as well.
2. Still some minor plot holes - what happened to Cheng Feng Tai’s nephew and brother-in-law in the end?
3. What happened to his little sister?
4. I like the opening theme song; it matches the feel of the drama
5. I appreciate the training that actors went through to perform on stage. Their mouths might not perfectly sync with the singing, but you can still see that they’re mouthing/singing those lyrics.
6. Yin Zheng, Tan Jian Ci and Andy Huang look beautiful playing the ‘dan’.

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