Review of Dashing Youth: A Visually Stunning and Emotionally Rich Wuxia Drama

Dashing Youth

Director

Chen Zhou Fei

Screenwriter

Zhou Munan

Casts

Hou Minghao, He Yu, Hu Lianxin, Xia Zhiguang, Jiang Zhen Yu

Episodes

40 episode

Platform

Youku

Synopsis:

Baili Dongjun, the young master of the Zhenxi Marquis Household, has been mischievous since childhood. He has no interest in poetry, books, military strategy, or martial arts, but he excels at brewing wine, driven by a promise he once made to Ye Yun—a childhood friend who was killed—to become the “God of Wine.”

However, fate does not follow his wishes. Before entering Li Changsheng’s academy—the greatest master in the world—to formally study martial arts, he meets a new friend, Sikong Changfeng, who aspires to become the God of the Spear. Along the way, he gets to know Yue Yao and reunites with Ye Yun, who has now taken the name Ye Dingzhi. Influenced and encouraged by them, Baili Dongjun begins to reexamine his own identity and responsibilities. Together, these young people embark on their own journeys in the martial world.

Years later, Ye Dingzhi is manipulated into launching a war against the Central Plains. Baili Dongjun then leads a group of heroes to stand against him. This time, when faced with his closest friend, he does not retreat. He wants to save both the common people and his friend!

Review:

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As a prequel to The Blood of Youth, Dashing Youth (Kemilau Masa Muda) can be described as a wuxia drama that truly pampers the eyes. From the handsome and beautiful main cast to the supporting roles and even the extras, the visuals are highly appealing. The drama also delivers rich and convincing visual effects during its fight scenes.

Through this series, we see an animated world brought to life by the actors’ performances and the special effects used. Hou Minghao, He Yu, Hu Lianxin, and the rest of the cast showcase solid acting skills, even though a few scenes feel slightly lacking. Overall, however, the performances are satisfying.

One aspect that deserves particular praise is the chemistry between He Yu and Jiang Zhenyu, who play Ye Yun and Yi Wenjun. From the moment they reunite to the end of the drama, the audience is immediately convinced that they are true soulmates, torn apart by the cruelty of the world.

He Yu’s acting, in particular, stands out. He convincingly portrays the complex emotions of Ye Yun/Ye Dingzhi. This is one of the rare times where a main antagonist is written with a background and personality shift that truly make sense. Viewers can sympathize with what Ye Yun has gone through and accept the reasons behind his descent into villainy.

Hou Minghao and Hu Lianxin also deliver natural and solid performances. Unfortunately, their chemistry as a couple feels weaker compared to that of He Yu and Jiang Zhenyu. One notable strength, however, is Hou Minghao’s portrayal of Baili Dongjun’s character development in the middle to later parts of the drama. From a naive and optimistic youth, Baili Dongjun experiences life’s bitterness—losing his master and feeling defeated and powerless when his attempt to help Ye Dingzhi reclaim Yi Wenjun fails. From that point on, his personality shifts, and Hou Minghao conveys this transformation effectively.

Hu Lianxin does a good job portraying the dilemma of a princess cast aside by her noble family. On one hand, she wants herself and her people to escape the cold, barren land of Sky’s Beyond. On the other hand, she believes that war is not the solution. Hu Lianxin successfully conveys this inner conflict, as well as Yue Yao’s love for Baili Dongjun.

That said, the screen time for Hou Minghao and Hu Lianxin as the main couple feels limited, and as a result, they are somewhat overshadowed by He Yu. This is a common challenge for dramas like Dashing Youth that feature a large ensemble cast.

Some viewers feel uncomfortable with the amount of romance in the drama. Personally, I think the romantic elements are necessary, as they are part of the youths’ lives. The core theme of the series is about young people, armed with idealism and ability, striving to achieve their dreams and uphold justice. Love and friendship, as well as hostility and hatred, are all parts of youth that deserve to be explored.

The romance and political conflicts also add depth and dimension to the drama. In a world of politics and court intrigue, distinguishing right from wrong is not always straightforward. Characters such as Xiao Ruofeng, Xiao Ruojun, and Emperor Tai’an embody this ambiguity and help ground the story in a sense of realism.

One aspect that deserves criticism is the uneven distribution of action scenes, especially when compared to its sequel, The Blood of Youth. Early on, the drama delivers impressive martial arts sequences, but as the story progresses into the middle, action scenes become noticeably scarcer.

In The Blood of Youth, the characters’ martial arts levels or stages are frequently discussed, making the differences in strength and the struggle to level up very clear. This element—and the journey of growth through cultivation—is less emphasized in Dashing Youth.

Moreover, the drama’s focus tends to lean heavily toward Ye Yun’s efforts to reclaim Yi Wenjun. As a result, Beique’s quest for revenge feels less significant, almost overshadowed by the romantic storyline. This is something the production team might want to reconsider.

There are many other aspects that cannot be explored in depth here, including the presence of numerous compelling characters such as Baili Dongjun’s master Li Changsheng, Xiao Ruofeng, Sikong Changfeng, and others.

Dashing Youth has the potential to offer something more, much like its sequel The Blood of Youth. Unfortunately, it falls short due to weaknesses in plot structure and the distribution of scenes among its characters. The drama also loses some of its focus as a wuxia story, drifting too much into romance. Even so, it remains worth watching—especially for viewers who want to indulge in stunning visuals, elegant costumes, and a cast of attractive actors portraying engaging characters.

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