The romance C-drama The Tale of Rose starring Liu Yifei is taking over Singapore. We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the cast, plot, where to watch it in Singapore, and our first impressions review.
Meet the multi-talented Liu Yifei. (Photo from: @yifei_cc)
Liu Yifei: age, fun facts, and more
But first, here’s a quick background about the show’s intriguing lead actress Liu Yifei. The youthful-looking 36-year-old Liu Yifei AKA Crystal Liu is a Chinese-American actress, singer, model, and a brand ambassador for luxury fashion houses such as Bulgari and Louis Vuitton.
She rose to fame after starring in fantasy TV shows such as Demi Gods & Semi Devils and Chinese Paladin and earned the nickname “Fairy Sister”. Beyond dramas, she also starred in films such as For Love or Money alongside K-pop star Rain and Disney’s live-action adaptation of Mulan.
Outside of her career, she’s known for dating K-drama icon Song Seung Heon (Autumn in My Heart) and made their relationship public in 2015. Sadly, they ended their relationship in 2018 due to their busy schedules.
The Tale of Rose: trailer, cast, and plot
The Tale of Rose is an ongoing slice-of-life drama adapted from the novel The Story of Rose by Yi Shu. It centres on the talented artist Huang Yi Mei — AKA “Rose” or “Rosie” to her family members — and portrays the highs and lows of her romantic relationships.
The series seems to be divided into three parts. She fatefully encounters her first love Zhuang Guo Dong (Peng Guan Ying). After they part ways, she moves on to wed Fang Xie Wen (Lin Geng Xin). When that doesn’t end well, she meets Pu Jia Ming (Wallace Huo) who seems to be her soulmate at last. However, if the reports about the drama’s synopsis prove true, there doesn’t seem to be a happy ending in sight for them too.
Witness Huang Yi Mei’s growth and journey towards finding her own peace. (Photo from: Viu Singapore)
On the surface, The Tale of Rose looks like a dark and heavy drama, but it also portrays captivating moments in which Huang Yi Mei finds strength beyond life’s struggles.
The Tale of Rose review
Here are three reasons to tune into The Tale of Rose. Spoilers ahead!
1. You will be enchanted by Liu Yifei's performance
Liu Yifei masterfully brought authenticity to the role of Huang Yimei AKA Rose who is a flawed yet multi-faceted female character. Rose starts off as a carefree and reckless personality, who matures into a resilient and courageous individual after experiencing life's joys and pains. Every decision she makes is a conscious step towards what she wants, whether getting a job instead of pursuing a master's degree as advised by her parents or becoming a working mum.
The expressions on Liu Yifei’s face are as clear as day especially during the times when other people belittle her work. She let out her anger and frustration when her husband sent in her resignation without discussing it with her and expressed a horrified look as his husband tried to explain himself. It was as if she had a feeling of deja vu since she also went through a similar situation with her first love when he decided to permanently move to France without her in the picture.
2. You’ll relate to the portrayal of womanhood in the series
Rose’s story follows a realistic pattern we see in a woman’s life — she passionately falls in love for the first time, goes through heartbreak, moves on, and meets someone new. She gets married and experiences the struggles of living with a controlling and traditional husband and mother-in-law as well as wanting to continue her career even after giving birth to her child.
The Tale of Rose does a good job of depicting the different roles a woman needs to play in her life — all while learning to maintain her own sense of identity. Rose is mindful of this, and the people who know her best affirm and support her as she goes through this journey.
3. You’ll cheer for the side characters’ stories
Tong Da Wei and Wan Qian.
As Rose goes through various depressing events in her life, the show doesn’t leave her on her own. She’s surrounded by several people who lovingly want what’s best for her but also give her room to grow such as her parents, her brother, and her mentors at work.
Rose’s brother Huang Zhenhua (Tong Da Wei) and his relationship with Rose’s mentor and friend Su Gengsheng (Wan Qian) will also keep you tuned into the show. Their loveline holds depth compared to other shows with “skippable” side stories. You’ll be rooting for their happiness too since they are both constant and dependable people who stay by Rose’s side.
The Tale of Rose: episode schedule and where to watch in Singapore
Stream Episodes 1 to 29 of the 38-episode series The Tale of Rose on Viu and WeTV. New episodes will be out everyday.
(Cover photos from: @yifei_cc, Viu Singapore)
This article was first published on 14 June 2024. Last updated: 21 June 2024.
On the lookout for more C-dramas? Check out our roundup here.
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