#Sebrina Chen

[cnladies]

CHEN YAO 陈瑶 | New Year 2025

Chen Yao: more photos here New Year 2025: more photos here

[dramagifs]

Maiden Holmes | 2020

[sonderwrit]

I love it when c-ent dresses up actresses in gorgeous fits and have them dance and sing~

Featuring: Zhu Xudan, Chen Yao, Ren Min, and Hanikezi

[kdram-chjh]

Cdrama: Shui Long Yin (2025)

042724 罗云熙领衔主演玄侠电视剧 《水龙吟》一秒江湖宣传片: Fantasy wuxia Shui Long Yin starring Luo Yunxi as Tang Lici

Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALpE5kJ32Zs

[danmeigirl]

[ajaxbell]

Maiden Holmes: the jianghu Scooby Gang is on the case!

I picked this cdrama up simply because of Zhang Linghe's face and because I saw a gifset of the kisses. But what an unexpected delight!

The premise is essentially a woman, Su Ci, disguised as a man to become a cop with a secret agenda to investigate the false charges that killed her family. While investigating a case she teams up with war traumatized Prince Qi who has his own problems at court. But in a mistaken identity romp she doesn't recognize him (while she's also carrying around comics of his adventures lol). They are joined by young woman doctor/poisoner/coroner/forensic pathologist, and by the world's greatest himbo. Together they form a jianghu Scooby Gang and solve a bunch of seemingly unrelated cases that start to connect to each other, and conveniently connect to both Su Ci's ultimate goal and Prince Qi's problems at court.

The villain is obvious and over the top. The plot is wobbly at best. But the cast really saves this show. Zhang Linghe is way better than he has any business being in his first drama, just fresh out of engineering college. He outshines all the more established actors in the cast. But over all the cast has chemistry and the story hits the right notes of found family, of a team of experts competently doing their respective jobs, and manages the comedy they are given well (the more dramatic and intense emotional beats are as wobbly as the plot).

These characters are a group of kind, interested people who seem to do their best for the victims they encounter. But they also each go through their own emotional moments in realistic ways, shutting out their friends, and isolating. But every time the friends show up, offer true support, and receive apologies for not being initially trusted or let in. There's an ongoing theme of being both accepted for who you truly are and of being loved for it whether platonically or romantically. And this is really the core of what makes this show better than it should be.

There's something just very sweet and good-natured about their friendships and how they treat each other and everyone in need they encounter. It makes this show a joy to watch and honestly a bit uplifting. Like at the end of rough day sitting down to see these friends be nice and helpful and concerned just really felt like a balm. And while the rougher emotional points didn't always hit, a lot of them did, due entirely to this cast and how well they made me feel they were really friends. Most the comedy beats are right and truly funny, but also the comedy never hits a mean or punching down note either. Which for me ends up being part of what actually made this show great for me: it's actually really subversive.

Is it subversive on purpose or accidentally? I'll never know but it was really enjoyable. The first half watches like a good bl. Yes it's based on the misunderstanding of Prince Qi believing Su Ci is a man. But that does not stop Prince Qi from standing too close and looking sick with longing. It doesn't stop the classic cdrama underwater 'kiss' to share breath. Zhang Linghe plays this without any indication that it might be weird or uncomfortable for Prince Qi to be attracted to a man. While the show plays it for comedy, the comedy is Su Ci being really confused about what is happening, and in their friends' response to (perceived male) Su Ci and Prince Qi as a couple.

Even more subversive, while it's played (joyfully) for comedy, all the friends' responses are uniformly welcoming and supportive of these two 'men' becoming involved. Particularly the world's most delightful himbo character making an impassioned speech about his support of them. (Truly not just for this scene, but this himbo character is maybe one of my all time favorite TV characters? Just incredible work by the script and the actor.)

Eventually Su Ci's gender is revealed and Prince Qi takes it without blinking and goes to work to make this world more feminist and accepting so she can continue do her job as a detective for the court even after her gender is exposed. After this point in the show the script weakens a bit, sacrificing some character development to making people act the way the plots needs rather than totally true to the established characters. But throughout Prince Qi seems to not care about gender, or any outside perception of his relationship regardless of the gender of his partner. And it was just relief a to watch. What a good character he turns out to be. So supportive of anything his partner wants, in a way where he seems to truly enjoy anything she does, and just looks so pleased with how smart she is. He looks pleased for people to think he's in a gay relationship. He looks pleased when she does her job well. He looks pleased when she dresses up for him. And some of this has to be Zhang Linghe's acting work. Especially when he starts bring a level of smolder and longing that seems possibly (and I'm not complaining) overly steamy for the lightweight comedy level of this show.

Anyway I would absolutely call this show queer friendly and accepting in a way crossdressing deception plots often never achieve. That combined with these kind, good-natured friends, and the world's best himbo character really combined to make this a fun, sweet watch. So yes, I'd recommend, but don't go into expecting quality, or consistency, but it is sweet, light, and fun. Just a little treat to balance out the darker things in the world if you need distraction.

[justajacky]

If only my soulmate can come into my life with a bang.

Bonus point: he saved a kitten.

[natstarbuck]

[somanykdramas]

MAIDEN HOLMES

GENRES: Historical, Romance, Mystery

SUMMARY: Life is lonely trying to solve every case yourself until you find a group of true friends to share the good and the bad.

THIS SHOW HAS EVERYTHING: Family secrets, hidden identities, deplorable stepfathers, antidotes, poisoned fireworks, good food, playboys, silkworms, hypnosis, royal squabbles, amazing set design, and found families.

HOT TAKE: I was worried that this would turn into another 'I'm so glad you're a woman and not a man like I thought because I'm in love with you' drama, but I was proud of the writers for kinda dropping that trope with enough time to salvage a great mystery.

I enjoyed the cute flirtations of the MLs, the real-stakes mysteries they solved together, and the open-mindedness of the Prince when it came to same-gender infatuation, respect for those living non-noble lives, and women being strong enough and deserving enough to live their own damn lives.

[labseraph]

True love is when you launch a PR campaign for women empowerment and equality in ancient China so that the woman you love can keep being a cop.

[sangwuyan]

[cnladies]

CHEN YAO 陈瑶 in hanfu | 2024 Sohu Video National Style Festival

Chen Yao: more photos here 2024 Sohu Video National Style Festival: more photos here

[dramagifs]

Maiden Holmes | 2020

[sonderwrit]

via 陈瑶Sebrina's weibo:

#瑶有上镜心# 夏有凉风冬落雪，共赴前方江湖路。 ​​​

[kdram-chjh]

Cdrama: Shui Long Yin (2025)

【ENG SUB | Trailer】 罗云熙 《水龙吟》 杀青特辑 肖顺尧谢彬彬开启神州之旅 | Shui Long Yin (Starring Luo Yunxi) | MangoTV Drama

Watch this video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdhZVlp_1m8

[linggluu]

xiao jie who wants his ba bi ;;