Chinese historical dramas are many and varied and we have heard a lot about them this past year about "Fairy and Evil" or "Love Like the Galaxy". But there's one that came out in 2021, which is little known, and yet is a gorgeous romantic historical drama drama. Small bonus: Once you have seen and loved it, you can launch, something very rare, in a kind of modern suite, which is actually the continuation of the current times. Two slow dramas but to discover: "One and Only", then "Forever and Ever", available on the VIKI platform, and adapted from the novel "One Life, One Incarnation – Beautiful Bones" written by Mo Bao Fei Bao
The beginning of the story: " One and Only"
Synopsis
Zhou Sheng Chen is the emperor's brother but above all a great general who does not want the throne. Cui Shi Yi is one of the daughters of a large noble family, who is promised from an early age to become the wife of the crown prince. Her life is not easy as she is a target as the crown prince's fiancée and daughter of a large powerful family. Moreover, following the trauma of the loss of her father, she has been mute since the age of 10. As tensions were high around the emperor, it was decided, until Shi Yi could marry, to send her to become a disciple of Zhou Sheng Chen who would have to take care of her until her marriage. Despite their differences, they are getting closer.
History, fight, romance, it has everything to please.
Historical dramas are mostly very long, and can be filled with Kung Fu or Xianxa fights (Chinese fantasy genre. But here, none of that, it is one of the few dramas without these specificities. It only has 24 episodes, perfect for those who want not too long Chinese history. Level actions and fights, there are few but on the other hand, their realization is magnificent. It is a rather slow drama, dramatic, and romantic above all else. But precisely, all this makes it its strengths. Its poetry, its casting and its direction can make it a magnificent favorite. 
The romance that tells an impossible love story is conducted in the restraint and strength of the characters' interactions. Their alchemy works perfectly, they manage to make us pass all their emotions through the screen and everything, once again just, by scenes of proximity, gestures, attentions, which will make you feel without seeing it, the depth of their feelings. The costumes and music are perfect, and go hand in hand with the drama. 
The intrics, the tumultuous life of the palace, the fights, the emotions, everything is there. You will tremble, laugh, cry, but love this drama and these characters that are all very well constructed and conducted.
Cast and characters
In the role of Zhou Sheng Chen, we find the actor Ren Jia Lun, very present in the world of Chinese dramas and in particular in historical dramas where he excels. 
Her on-screen companion is Bai Lu, an actress who shines in every drama and character she plays. Both are beautiful and bring us into their feelings and history brilliantly. The other characters, and there are many, are just as striking. They will touch you in each of their roles. But we can still quote:
- Wang Xing Yue (Wang Tao): Beautiful as the crown prince, madly in love with his fiancée since childhood and full of dreams of power.
- Su Meng Yun : A general woman, with temperament, we like to find this feminization in the military ranks.
- Fu Jun : The faithful and loyal advisor, who will touch each of you.
And many more… 
In short, this drama is certainly unknown but we strongly advise you to go and discover it if you want a historical drama, slow, but beautifully realized, shot, and full of emotions. It will seduce you with its actors, its quality of production, direction and of course, its story. Do not be fooled, it remains full of twists and turns between the plots of the court and the battles that come here and there regularly remind us that this country is still at war. And its romantic story will remain one of the most beautiful of the year 2021.
And you want more? No problem!
The sequel: " Forever and Ever"
In the aftermath, something rare in Chinese dramas, a kind of sequel followed, again adapted from the same novel. Here we are again our main characters reincarnated, this time in the current world and for 30 episodes. Original, and when we were frustrated with the first opus, we are happy to find them in their new life. 
Synopsis
It is said that fate brings people together. This is how Shi Yi and Zhou Sheng Chen meet in an airport and cannot erase this memory from their minds. When fate reunites them in a restaurant, Shi Yi senses that something is happening and decides to try to get to know Zhou Sheng Chen better. Even if he is a great researcher, with a very high IQ and therefore very little talent with others, he is challenged by Shi Yi and can not help but become attached to her. Their story will still encounter many obstacles but they will not let themselves be done to go to the end of their destiny.
History, reincarnation and more
Don't expect fantasy, neither of them remembers their past lives. On the other hand, Shi Yi who plays the role of a voice actress in this drama, will dub the series " One and Only" from the beginning of the first episode and will be touched by this story. We will, in fact, have plenty of small allusions to the first drama and we will also have some winks, which for those who have seen the first opus, will make them smile. But everything is in parsimony, by small touches here and there. Out of there, the whole story is different, well anchored in real life, and especially in Chinese culture: arranged marriages, the weight of tradition and the perpetual struggle for all those who try to follow their own path. In short, it's a sequel, without being one, because it's a brand new story, but the first opus is still present all along. 
This drama is also all slow, restrained, in the same dramatic line as "One and Only". Even if he may be blamed for the character of Zhou Sheng Chen, who here is a great shy researcher, awkward, asocial, even if he remains touching. Fortunately, Shi Yi's character is there to take matters into his own hands.
Cast and characters
Obviously, we find here the same two actors, always as good and touching in their romance as in their personalities. Congratulations to them for leading the same characters but in a different way according to their new incarnation and current life. The secondary roles, however, are all different. Even if the stories are well conducted and the characters interesting, we regret the lack of a little wink compared to other characters of the first opus. That said, we all find the charm that are Chinese dramatic romances and we let ourselves be carried away all along without difficulty. We will also regret the absence of strong women like the general of "One and Only", a little forgotten in this kind of sequel. 
Nevertheless, when you do not want to leave this beautiful couple, this second opus will seduce you but differently, both by the story and the context, which is obviously no longer historical at all. Even if it is of a little lower quality, you will easily enter the story and will enjoy seeing this couple against all odds, manage to be finally reunited by fate.
So what?
In the end, it seems obvious that if you want to embark on this magnificent story, you have to look at the two dramas in order. Otherwise a lot of references in "Forever and Ever" from "One and Only" will not make sense and will have less impact on you. The first historical opus is one of the most beautiful of 2021, with all the qualities we have told you about. It will mark you for a long time, and it was important to highlight it because it really has nothing to envy in terms of quality of direction, story, costume, actors and music to other productions of the year 2021 or 2022. As for the second opus, it just brings the happiness of a beautiful romance, even if dramatic and therefore at times, emotionally strong, to believe that we have several lives and that we will always find those who are destined for us. Full of sweetness, but not only, it perfectly complements the first. So, we let you discover these two works and thus be carried by the magic of fate and reincarnation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8PJUDtzNGQ&ab_channel=iQIYI%E7%88%B1%E5%A5%87%E8%89%BA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGymduZZhqg&ab_channel=iQIYI%E7%88%B1%E5%A5%87%E8%89%BA
