Distined is a good Chinese historical drama but feels boring in the first few episodes. You have to be patient to enjoy it because the initial tempo feels slow and the plot is still being built. See the full Destined Chinese drama review below!
Drama Details
Title: Destined ( 长风渡 )
Episodes: 40
Release Date: Jun 18, 2023
Genres: Historical, Business, Comedy, Romance
Country: China
Original Network: CCTV, iQiyi
Available On: iQiyi
Synopsis and Plot Summary
The storyline of the Chinese drama Destined follows the story of Liu Yu Ru, a woman and the only legitimate daughter of a former cloth merchant who has experienced many trials in her life.
He had experienced many hardships as a child because his birth mother was seriously ill, his stepmother was not well, and his father paid no attention to him. Liu Yuru had no choice but to act like a perfect woman for fifteen years.
Once upon a time, due to a misunderstanding, Liu Yu Ru was married off to Gu Jiu Si, the famous son of the richest Yangzhou family. Gu Jiu Si was famous for his idle lifestyle and lazy ways.
At first, Gu Jiu Si disliked Liu Yu Ru, believing her to be calculating and cunning. But as Liu Yu Ru adjusts to her new life, she begins to learn the business from her amiable mother-in-law while growing closer to Gu Jiu Si.
A seemingly normal life takes a turn when Commissioner Yangzhou creates endless terror and forces the Gu family into unimaginable circumstances.
As Gu Jiu Si and Liu Yu Ru face hardships together, the two grow closer. This good-natured couple was destined to be great together.
Destined Drama Review
Destined is a Chinese historical drama that is quite fun to watch. When I first watched this, I thought it was a middle-ground drama with predictable and boring characters and storylines.
But as I went through the first few episodes, it was interesting that you quickly start to see and appreciate new depths and new hope.
The plot is so-so, our female lead starts out very soft and is forced into marriage because of a “prank” made by the male lead.
However, once he was in the family he had the best in-laws ever and in no time he started to change and grow. He found himself and what his ambitions are. Impressed with the plot of Chinese dramas in general, but the excellent execution makes it not boring and interesting.
Other than that I like the pace and plot planning in general is good. Starting from the battle of the two main characters to a true love story that is quite funny.
It then progresses to the circumstances surrounding their family, and the business ambitions of the female lead, at a natural pace. It’s not the tightest of plots but it’s fun enough to follow.
As for her character, Liu Yu Ru is a kind-hearted woman who is gentle and ambitious. Even though she married out of necessity, Liu Yu Ru remained obedient to her husband. He also has the best family and in-laws that makes him adaptable.
Meanwhile, Gu Jiu Si is a man who is a bit spoiled and lazy at first but he is not a bad person despite being born with a silver spoon. Once he falls in love with his wife, he becomes motivated and excited (the transformation is amazing).
These two are a very good match to play as friends, annoying at first, but when it comes to the real stuff, they will make you love them.
The genuine and romantic relationship between Gu Jiu Si and Liu Yu Ru is very sweet, although a bit idealistic. The side characters here are pretty good too like Gu Jiu Si’s likable mom and dad, and others, who are also villains.
For acting, Bai Jing Ting is very good here. He superbly displayed the growth of Gu Jiu Si’s character. We can always tell he is a good person but his excellent character development holds the storylines together, even when the plot is weak.
He is as charming as he portrays Gu Jiu Si’s childish side as his heroic side, without seeming naïve. His expression, tone of voice, and weak demeanor when he tried to say something were to the point.
As for Song Yi, she was also very good at portraying Liu Yu Ru’s shining maturity and ambition. The chemistry between Bai Jing Ting and Song Yi is also very good, they managed to make our main character very real.
The cinematography and costumes are very beautiful and show the high budget of this drama.
What I don’t like is that the pace of the first few episodes can be a bit slow, if you’re impatient it gets boring. But past that part, it’s definitely bingeable.
Also for Song Yi, her acting is good, but for me, her character is sometimes boring. Finally, the political conflict drama that emerges around episode 15 or so is a bit over the top, and almost unrealistically tragic.
Apart from these things, this drama is still fun. Then is Destined worth watching? suitable for those of you who like Chinese costume dramas with excellent main-character chemistry and supporting actors.
Destined Ending Explained
Destined Chinese drama has a happy ending. In the last episode, Luo Zi Shang was killed by Jiang He. After that Jiu Si persuaded General Zhou not to fight in the capital to take revenge against Fan Yu who was involved in the execution of the Zhou family.
This was because the country couldn’t afford another round of war. General Zhou then agreed to ascend the throne as Fan Xuan wished. However, Jiu Si considered General Zhou’s son, Zhou Ye, a more suitable ruler.
Jiu Si also said it and was honest with General Zhou about it. General Zhou himself preferred to be a military commander rather than an Emperor.
So, he agreed to appoint Zhou Ye to be the Crown Prince and leave the latter to manage the country’s affairs while he went to war to unify the country for the next generation.
Meanwhile, Jiu Si and the company became Zhou Ye’s trusted senior officials. Meanwhile, Yu Ru decides to go into business and benefit from her charity work after learning about Luo Zi Shang’s hard life as a child.
After 5 years, Yu Ru and Jiu Si already have a son who is as naughty as Jiu Si before. But Yu Ru still wants the next princess. Yun Er instead married Shen Ming and gave birth to their child. Meanwhile, Ye Shi An was single and a workaholic.
Having no intention of marrying anyone else, Zhou Ye still missed Qin Wan Zhi and decided to appoint his eldest son to succeed him in the future.
The screen also shows General Zhou winning the war and uniting the country. He later abdicated due to illness and handed over the throne to Zhou Ye who was assisted by Jiu Si and his friends to lead a peaceful and prosperous country.
Destined Chinese Drama Cast
Main Role
Bai Jing Ting as Gu Jiu Si
Song Yi as Liu Yu Ru
Support Role
Liu Xue Yi as Luo Zi Shang
Zhang Hao Wei as Ye Shi An
Ray Chang as Zhou Y
Zhao Zi Qi as Jiang Rou
Sha Yi as Gu Lang Hua
Hu Ke as Zhang Yue E
Mickey He as Jiang He
Zhang Shao Gang as Wang Shan Quan
Zhang Yan Yan as Su Wan
He Zhong Hua as Fan Xuan
Zhang Cheng He as Zhou Gao Lang
Cheng Zi as Princess Yun Shang
Zhang Wei Na as Ye Yun
Li Xin Ze as Shen Ming
And More
My Verdict
In my opinion, Destined is a good Chinese drama and made me watch it all the way through. It has good Chemistry between the main cast, Plot, and supporting cast are very good
I’ve seen someone compare this to some other great dramas of this genre in the comments section, I said this is good but no way to compare it to “The Story of Minglan” or any other big and grandiose sagas. I recommend this. My rating for the Destined Chinese drama review is 7,8/10.
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