胭脂雪 (Yan Zhi Xue) – Rogue Snow

Cast:
Fan Bing Bing as Wen Yu He
Wallace Huo as Xia Yun Kai
Liu Xue Hua as Gu Li Shi
Yu Xiao Wei as Gu Shao Tang
Li Qian as A Tao
Han Xiao as Gu Shou Zhen
Zhang Lei as Qiu Gui San
Zhang Tong as Ning Mo Xin

Genre:
Drama, Period

Plot:
Because her father had financial problems, he allowed his only child Wen Yu He, played by Fan Bing Bing, to become the daughter-in-law of the Gu family, the wife of Madam Gu’s third son. Madam Gu’s first son disappeared and her second son died of a weak body and of sickness, so all of her hopes were placed on Yu He and her remaining son. The third son, Shao Tang, is a playboy who spends his time in the brothel and gambles his money away. Madam Gu purposely chose Yu He because she believe that Yu He could change her son for the better.

Yun Kai is a school teacher who enters the Gu Household as a groundskeeper. Although he helps to keep track of the accounting and also the Gu lantern business, he hides his identity and lives as a servant.

When Yu He enters the Gu Family, she is constantly picked on and tortured by her older sister-in-law, or rather the first son’s wife. Ning Mo Xin is jealous of Madam Gu’s protectiveness and love for Yu He and is also afraid that she will be pushed away and the latern business will be given to Yu He and Shao Tang. Yu He is a kind, smart, and pure-hearted girl and she undergoes many challenges.

Will Shao Tang ever come back home and discover Yu He’s true devotion to him? What crafty tricks will Mo Xin come up with to push Yu He further away from Madam Gu? What is Yun Kai doing by hiding his identity and becoming a servant at the Gu Household? This is just the beginning. The Gu Family has more secrets than you can even imagine. What will happen as these old feuds and dark secrets begin to unravel before Yu He?

Review:
At first when I started watching this drama, I really felt that I wouldn’t finish watching it. I really love Fan Bing Bing. She is a beautiful and great actress. This was my first time seeing her in a period drama that isn’t Wu Xia or ancient and I really wanted to see what kind of character she played. Her portrayal of Yu He is both innocent and loyal and I really felt that she did a wonderful job. She suffers from so many atrocities that are not her fault at all but she never complains. She silently supports her family and is always thinking for others. She has never tried to find her own happiness.

The male casting was a bit iffy. I felt like they did a really great job but none of them were particularly spectacular. Wallace did a decent job but I felt that his character was very much like his characters in other dramas, except this time he fit it toward a more period drama. Shao Tang was a very emotional man and followed his heart and I guess that was my feeling from his acting. Madam Gu was very well acted out. She showed evil, craziness, compassion, and love all together and she managed to pull off a very good Madam of a rich household.

Side characters like Ah Tao and Gui San were also chosen well. Ah Tao did get on my nerves a little because it seemed like her personality did a complete 360 in the drama and it was a bit unexplainable. I couldn’t really believe that she would back stab her master like that. The other servants and supporting cast did a nice job too and I felt the whole drama was done very nicely. I was bored at a few moments but for the most part I watched through everything.

Rating:
4.6/5.0

Theme Song by Fan Bing Bing:
Streaming Rogue Snow Theme Song by Fan Bing Bing