Another appreciation post for #AgainstTheCurrent. The cast, acting, OST, cinematography, dialogue, costumes, & storytelling all came together beautifully. The dialogue & the lines were especially memorable. There were many conversations that carried so much meaning without feeling forced.

#AgainstTheCurrent will stay & linger with me. The cycle of birth, life, & death was so beautifully portrayed. Then there are relationships both biological & found that defines each character. Throughout the #cdrama the weaving themes of agency, free will, & hope to keep striving to live well.

#AgainstTheCurrent you will stay & linger with me. The cycle of birth, life, & death was so beautifully portrayed. Then there are relationships both biological & found that defines each character. Not to mention weaved throughout agency, free will, & hope to keep striving to live well. #cdrama

Where is the lie? #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama #LiuXueYi #TanSongYun

While I wait for work to be done & w new episode for #AgainstTheCurrent I do want to say this about Grandpa Lin. Initially I had him as a villain. However, he didn't choose between right & wrong. He chose between his family & his integrity. Whichever one he chose he was going to lose something.

I want to buy express to watch the last 5 episodes of #AgainstTheCurrent, but I also DO NOT want this lovely #cdrama to end. It has been such a rich, well-balanced, written, directed, filmed, and acted drama that I will have a hard time finding the next #cdrama that will captivate me like this.

The way the writer & director handled LX’s identity reveal to Jin Qi was appropriate to how their relationship has developed. He didn’t force her to acknowledge, but she said enough for him to understand. That past remains a painful memory for her & a stain on the Lin family. #AgainstTheCurrent

Can we smack this duo? Absolutely useless. If the Lin household was left to the Aunt they would be swindled out of everything & disgraced. Mother Lin knew this & that is why she left the household to LX. Only she can handle these waste of air people & Jin Qi’s father. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama

Back to ep 41. Again, a female-centric #cdrama running strong. When Yuan decided to take a concubine all for a title Xiuru made the decision he was no longer part of her happiness equation. He was no longer worthy of her love & loyalty. #AgainstTheCurrent

#TanSongYun is carrying the heavy emotional scenes like the professional & highly qualified actress that she is! If #AgainstTheCurrent doesn’t leap jump her into the top tier of actresses then I don’t know who else could have carried this role.

Ep 41 was the sweet episode to prepare us for the angst coming? Three marriages & the Marquis getting humbled was fun to watch. Third Sister showed him the reality of the mess he got himself in with the concubine & son nonsense. Karma will get him with no son I hope. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama

Thanks James for opening this 🧵! At the end of the day I appreciate #AgainstTheCurrent has given us so many opportunities to interpret it in our way. Shows how intelligent the writing & directing has been to trust the viewers to think through for themselves & formulate their own thoughts.

James@jamesdramac.bsky.social · 4d ago

I’m still very much loving #AgainstTheCurrent, but one reservation I have is how the romance has been handled Just when Jialan finally seemed to soften towards Jinqi, we got a time-skip - domestic married life & pregnancy - without really getting to see their new intimacy develop #cdrama

#AgainstTheCurrent (2026) – dir. huang ying xiang

Ep 40 of #AgainstTheCurrent picked right back up. Loved how the siblings rallied around their sister to help her gain a divorce & protect her 4 daughters. Love that she chose her dignity & refused to be married to someone taking a concubine. Episode 40 felt like a🖕to patriarchy. #cdrama

#Ash started off strong then lost its way the last 2-3 episodes. Spent way too much on an unnecessary love 🔺. I would have loved to see how these two merged their world to be together. We never got to see that process. Also, how does Fei Foon handle Leuk To’s family? So much potential wasted. #BL

I understand folx felt ep 39 felt flat after ep 38 & expected romance between Jinqi & Lan Xiang, but #AgainstTheCurrent central focus has been on romance. It was on women & their hardships, how women survive, & beating the odds to live well during this time period amongst other themes. #cdrama

💯 in agreement with what @danisdiary.bsky.social. #LiuXueYi & #TanSongYun have really brought these characters to life in such a deeply moving & nuanced way. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama

Dani✨@danisdiary.bsky.social · 5d ago

They really ate with this casting. Lesser actors would have not been able to understand the depth and impact of this story or the importance of portraying the characters in a nuanced manner that would allow personal growth through time. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama #LiuXueYi #TanSongYun

#AgainstTheCurrent (2026) – dir. huang ying xiang

So well deserved! The writing, directing, acting, cinematography have all been top shelf quality. #LuiXueyi & #TanSongYun finally have a #cdrama that allows them to showcase their acting chops. I love it is also female centric thanks to #HuangYingXiang. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama

cdramanews@cdramanews.bsky.social · last wk.

#AgainstTheCurrent received a S+ classification! The mega hit cdrama is considered a top tier productions for its performance, set and costume designs, directing, writing, performance, effective views (broke the 1 billion) and commercial success. Congratulations to the cast and crew!

We all suspected he was the one who collected the remains of all the Shen family, but my ep 38 was a tear jerker. Every time I think #AgainstTheCurrent can’t step it up another notch it does! #cdrama #LiuXueYi #TanSongYun

Li Conquin = Spoiled heir who can’t do crap & agrees to have XY be a concubine. Shen Run = Earned everything on his own after his family was wrongfully slaughtered. Got an imperial decree, gave her status, & lowered himself to marry her. No brainer for XY. #SpringOfTheBlade #cdrama

#cdrama recommendation for a newbie? As romance fan I can only rec within that 💕 #WhenIFlyTowardsYou (for someone younger?) #WillLoveInSpring (if you love Arthouse movies &looking for melo, feels the most "European" from my fav, that makesit a good intro) #LoveBetweenLines (fairy tale modern)

James@jamesdramac.bsky.social · last wk.

Turning MaeMae’s question in a slightly different geographical direction: if you had a friend completely new to cdramas, which accessible but genuinely good #cdrama would you recommend as a starting point? 🤔 Eg #PursuitOfJade, #Reset, #WhenIFlyTowardsYou & #LoveOfTheDivineTree?

If you had a friend completely new to cdramas, which accessible but genuinely good #cdrama would you recommend as a starting point? #PursuitOfJade - chemistry of leads #AreYouTheOne - enemies to lovers #WhenIFlyTowardsYou - youth #FakeItTillYouMakeIt - mature adults #MeetYourself - storytelling

James@jamesdramac.bsky.social · last wk.

Turning MaeMae’s question in a slightly different geographical direction: if you had a friend completely new to cdramas, which accessible but genuinely good #cdrama would you recommend as a starting point? 🤔 Eg #PursuitOfJade, #Reset, #WhenIFlyTowardsYou & #LoveOfTheDivineTree?

#AgainstTheCurrent is: - Written by a woman - Directed by a woman - Centered around women - One of Tencent’s TOP 3 highest Index Peak of all time.

#ThePrisonerOfBeauty (2025) – dir. deng ke and gao cong kai

Lady Zhao & Ji Er’s arcs are in some ways mirrors of each other. Both want to live as themselves, but patriarchy screwed their lives over & over. Although they were in different classes they never were given a chance. Luckily for Ji Er she was rescued in time by Lan Xiang. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama

Dani✨@danisdiary.bsky.social · last wk.

Lady Zhao’s rage was always justified. She never had a fighting chance and she didn’t deserved any of what happened to her. This is such a heartbreaking subplot, it shows how it doesn’t matter if you are born into privilege. The patriarchy still fvcks you over. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama #LiMeng

Deserved!!! #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama #LiuXueYi #TanSongYun

cdramanews@cdramanews.bsky.social · last wk.

The mega hit cdrama #AgainstTheCurrent just made history! It has officially entered the TOP 3 highest Tencent Index Peak of all time. Congratulations to Director #HuangYingXiang, actors #TanSongYun, #LiuXueYi and the rest of the cast and crew for this achievement!

In the end, Xingtan was ahead of her time but didn’t have a support system that would help her achieve the independence she dreamed of. Society took her life, piece by piece, day by day, with every disservice to her intelligence and ambitions. #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama #LiMeng #TanSongYun

#AProphet (2026) – dir. yang lei

#LiMeng you have outdone yourself as an actress! Wow episode 36! A #cdrama with already standout episodes this one ranks up there. What a well crafted character & phenomenally acted by #LiMeng. #cdrama land you NEED to give #LiMeng a leading role. She can nail it! #AgainstTheCurrent #cdrama