Pearl Girl: It's A Tearjerker Period Drama

It can be realized that my reviews reflect a casual fan of just about anything. I watched Story of Pearl Girl but didn't write a review immediately. So sorry in advance to all the readers! The story is with Zhao Lusi (who I first saw in Who Rules the World alongside Yang Yang). Lusi plays the role of Duanwu/Su Muzhe (both one character) -- a woman who escapes the brutal conditions of an exploitative pearl farm. The Cai family of merchants get involved in dirty money -- using cheap slave labor and selling pearls at what may be ridiculous prices. 

The romance may seem forced for some. How could the leading guy Yan Ziying (Liu Yuning) have the time for romance? I didn't mind that part too much. It was interesting to see the family feuds -- especially with the Cai Family. Yu Shi (Tang Xiao Tian) is the secondary love interest -- even if he's the one with whom Duanwu (as Muzhe) does business with. Is it me or do bad boys tend to become more attractive? Muzhe's actually too sweet for Ziying. Meanwhile, slight spoilers, Ziying becomes terminally ill as he got poisoned along the way. Does Ziying make it? It's a Massive Spoiler! It's almost impossible to talk about Ziying without any spoilers!

What becomes interesting is this is female empowerment WITHOUT the wokedom. One woman's quest to expose the illegitimate business practices is one. Duanwu also shows that a woman can still be romantically involved AND do something. Duanwu doesn't play the victim. Instead, Duanwu goes from slave to businesswoman -- dealing with BOTH male and female villains along the way. A woman navigates political intrigue and REFUSES to be the victim. It's pretty much a model for female empowerment.

As I watched this, the story of the Zheng family and the Cai family is that of dirty money. People will do anything for money. The corruption involved weaves into a complex series of spoilers. It was nice to see how Duanwu (as Muzhe) manages to navigate. Duanwu also becomes a victim and has to be rescued. Duanwu also resuces men as well. It shows that women can be vulnerable yet be the heroine at the same time. Duanwu's empowerment is built while the Zhengs and Cais cause royal ruckus.

I might be a man but this is a tale of REAL women empowerment. Lusi proves that performance matters more than a pretty face. I don't find Lusi pretty BUT her acting wins. Seeing other unfamiliar cast members encourages me to still be open-minded -- as long as there's a good show!