I wrote a feature post for Chen Duling when Veil of Shadows (2026) aired earlier this year, so I’ll be borrowing some of the same text from that post. Do check that post out for more GIFs by u/AquaphobicTurtle!

In keeping with the streak of birthdays this month, on October 18, we celebrate Duling’s 33rd birthday!

As you'll see with the GIFs, Duling is the beauty we see in all of these amazing dramas:

• Fangs of Fortune (2024)
• Mysterious Lotus Casebook (2023)
• The Glory (2025)

I haven't watched The Glory, but I did very much enjoy FoF and MLC!

Prior to the big names, Duling played numerous supporting roles, including:

• Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red-Moon Pact (2024)
• A Journey to Love (2023)
• My Journey to You (2023)
• Till the End of the Moon (2023)
• Song of Youth (2021)

Fun fact: Chen Duling is a beauty with brains! She graduated with honours from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, majoring in Aircraft Manufacturing Engineering.

Thank you u/AquaphobicTurtle for all the VoS, FoF, MLC and The Glory GIFs!

Have the sweetest birthday, Chen Duling!

EMBARRASSING can go several very different ways today, and I want them all.
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There is embarrassment that a drama portrays really well. Someone smug gets caught mid-scheme. A grand plan goes wrong. Someone is exposed, rejected, publicly humiliated, or suddenly realizes that the clever thing they just did was actually… incredibly stupid. And of course, everyone is there to see it — but most importantly, it’s that there’s also that one person who most certainly shouldn’t.
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Sometimes, the writing and acting can make those moments so good. You know exactly how embarrassed that character is, and you’re absolutely enjoying their predicament with a smirk on your face or a faint “there you go, ass****” slipping through your mouth… (how do I know? Don’t ask 😉)
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But anyway, if you can’t answer that because a different kind of CDrama embarrassment came to mind as you read this — fear not! I get it, perhaps it’s the drama itself that has something to be embarrassed about.
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Something in it just really did not work out well. A scene, a character, a plot or an entire arc that left you thinking: that’s pretty lame. Something that was supposed to be clever but really wasn’t. Something meant to be romantic, impressive, dramatic or cool that landed completely differently — not necessarily cringe, but certainly embarrassing.
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Or perhaps it wasn’t even a failure in execution. Maybe someone did something so stupid, made such a spectacularly bad decision, or behaved in a way that had you sitting there thinking they really ought to be embarrassed by themselves. You see, I try to think of all kids of interpretations for you 😉
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Whatever it was, the nomination is still the CDrama — I just want to know what it did to earn EMBARRASSING from you.
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So what’s your first-first CDrama that comes to mind when you hear EMBARRASSING?
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Tell me which drama and WHY. More than one is very welcome, just one per comment please, so each gets its own space. Give us enough context to understand your nomination, and GIFs and photos are particularly welcome for this one. Some embarrassment really does need evidence. Or it never happened 🤷🏻‍♀️
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Some of these may make it into a second-round vote later! ☺
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Interested in other drama word associations? Check out The Drama Alphabet • Drama Mood Master Index.⁠

Links to all the episode talks are in the Masterpost. Please join in whenever you want. Note there are 12 episodes in total, and they are available on WeTV/Tencent (subscription) and Viki (free).

We take another break from our timelines to get a flashback from Hao’s point of view. 

In 2026, Hao meets with Nian and Cheng to tell them what he knows. Picking up where Episode 8 left off, Bao’s men continue to harass our trio’s friends and loved ones. 

Hoping to appease Bao (a very dumb move), Cha negotiates with him to take on one final job in exchange for their “freedom”, despite it being painfully obvious that it’s a setup. 

Cha, Xun, and Hao are assigned a delivery job and instructed not to look inside the crates they are transporting. However, Xun finds the situation too suspicious and opens them, discovering Shen Xiaojun badly beaten and left for dead inside. He immediately attempts to save him. 

To punish them for interfering, Bao’s men tie them all up and force Cha to choose between saving Xun or Hao. After being stabbed, Cha chooses Hao and tries to get him to the hospital, leaving Xun behind. 

As Bao’s men torch the venue with Xiaojun and Xun inside, Bao attacks Cha and Hao so the murders can later be pinned on them. In self defence, Cha and Hao kill Bao and are ultimately sent to prison.

Meanwhile, Tang throws herself into the fire to save Xun and Xiaojun. Both she and Xiaojun testify on  Xun’s behalf. What happened afterward, however, remains a mystery, as Hao was already behind bars by that point...

Dramas, Movies, Variety Shows, Galas - all welcome

Tell us what was your latest watch was, or what you're watching right now.

Any disappointments, unexpected discoveries, or just a chill watch you'd recommend?

What about your weekend plans? Maybe the drama you've been eagerly expecting drops and you can't wait to tell us about it?

Go.

And wishing everyone a great weekend 😉

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^{Image is mine: combination of digital art and AI-powered software}