I started Serendipity (榜上佳婿) with not much expectation. This is because the drama has been aired and gone by quietly without much fanfare as far as I know. If it was a hit, I’m sure it would have been a hot discussion topic. Nevertheless, I don’t mind giving it a try since I’m familiar with the leads. It has been a while since I watched them anyway. Thus, I picked to watch Serendipity over other titles this time around. If you are wondering how is the drama, please feel free to check out my Serendipity review below.
My rating: 7/10
Episodes: 40
Type: Historical romance
Aired: April 2025
Images Credit: WeTV Official Facebook
The Cast Of Serendipity
- Wang Zi Qi as Lu Chang
- Lu Yu Xiao as Jian Ming Shu
- Wang Hong Yi as Song Qing Zhao
- Snow Kong Xue Er as Yin Shu Jun
- Yang Shi Ze as Prince Rui
- He Qiu as Su Tang Li / Tang Sheng
- Roy Wang as Prince Yu
- Liao Hui Jia as Princess Wen An
- Shirley Dai as Zeng Yu Qing
- Qin Tian Yu as Ying Xun
- Lu Xing Yu as Lu Wen Han
Main Characters
Lu Chang
Lu Chang is a top scholar from Jianglin. He comes from a humble background as his father died when he was young and was singlehandedly brought up by his mother. Lu Chang is intelligent but aloof. He studied under Su Cheng Hua who was also a father figure to him.
Jian Ming Shu
Ming Shu comes from a wealthy family. Her father is a businessman and the family runs a jewelry chain. She is doted upon as an only child. Ming Shu is smart with a keen business mind. She is in love with Lu Chang.
Song Qing Zhao
Qing Zhao is a duke’s son with Prince Rui being his cousin on his mother’s side. He is a gentleman who is honest and kind. He has loving parents although his father is pretty strict with him to ensure he doesn’t bring shame to the family.
Supporting Characters
Yin Shu Jun
Shu Jun is the eldest legitimate daughter of the Yin family. Her father is the Imperial Censor while her grandfather was a Grand Tutor. She is betrothed to Prince Rui. However, Shu Jun is rumored to be a cruel and delusional young woman who kills animals. She has two younger cousins sisters, Liang Jun and Xian Jun.
Prince Rui
Prince Rui is one of the contenders for the throne. He is a fair and upright prince who wants to reform the government administration.
Su Tang Li / Tang Sheng
Tang Li is Su Cheng Hua’s daughter. Being a convict’s daughter, she has to masquerade as a man and calls herself Tang Sheng to escape from harassment. Tang Li is a person who is determined to get her revenge at all cost due to her bitter experience.
Prince Yu
Prince Yu is Prince Rui’s rival for the throne. He is a cruel and sadistic royal.
Princess Wen An
Princess Wen An is a county princess and Shu Jun’s good friend. She can be hotheaded and straightforward. She is engaged to Xie Xi whose father is a marquis. Princess Wen An is also Qing Zhao’s cousin.
Zeng Yu Qing / Madam Zeng
Madam Zeng is Lu Chang’s mother. She is a kind and warmhearted woman.
Ying Xun
Ying Xun is Lu Chang’s childhood friend. He is a constable.
Lu Wen Han / Director Lu
Director Lu is the Imperial Secretariat Director. He is an amiable fellow who prefers to play safe than rock the boat.
Synopsis
Lu Chang is a top scholar who wants to re-open the case involving his late mentor. He believes that his mentor was framed for corruption. Therefore, he has no plans to settle down and rejects Ming Shu’s feelings for him. Ming Shu has been in love with Lu Chang for a long time. He studied at her family’s academy and they have known each other since they were kids. However, Lu Chang wrongly assumes that Ming Shu is a typical lady without substance from a rich family.
Ming Shu accepts the rejection and they agree to go their separate ways. But a tragedy then befalls her family. Her whole family is massacred while she falls off a cliff and loses her memory while trying to escape. Someone is after an evidence that could exonerate Lu Chang’s mentor and the evidence is believed to have been hidden by Ming Shu’s father. In order to protect Ming Shu, Lu Chang tells her that they are siblings.
After a few encounters with different people and cases, Lu Chang begins to change his opinion of Ming Shu and falls for her. But he couldn’t bear to reveal to her her past and thus, keeps up with the facade. But at the same time, another man is vying for her affections. All these are happening while someone wants Ming Shu dead to ensure the case involving Lu Chang’s mentor is covered up.
Serendipity Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)
Serendipity has a happy ending. Prince Yu’s rebellion is successfully put down with the arrival of Prince Rui and the soldiers. But Director Lu dies after smuggling out half of the symbol needed to command the Emperor’s army. He is stabbed by Prince Yu’s eunuch while handing it over to Prince Rui who has the other half. With the soldiers under his command, Prince Rui could counter Prince Yu. However, Prince Yu refuses to surrender. He wants to commit suicide instead. Tang Li stops him because she wants to kill him herself to avenge her father’s death.
Tang Li tells Prince Yu that she has never loved him but hates him instead. She stabs him. He hangs on to her before collapsing and stabs her back. Both of them die as a result. Lu Chang acknowledges Director Lu and calls him father before the latter breathes his last. The Emperor dies from illness and Prince Rui succeeds him. Shu Jun becomes his Empress.
Lu Chang requests to be the Prefect of Jianglin. He wants to test out the reforms on a small scale first to see its effects. Ming Shu also returns to Jianglin with him. She wants to rebuild her family’s legacy. They will only get married after 2 years when her mourning period is over. Wen An will manage their jewelry store in the capital. Shu Jun is now pregnant. Qing Zhao will remain in the capital to drive the reform agenda forward. He still pines privately for Ming Shu.
2 years later, Lu Chang introduces a policy to help the people to overcome flood disasters. He is appointed as State Chancellor to spearhead new laws and reforms. Ming Shu has opened a jewelry store branch in Jianglin. She and Lu Chang also finally get married.
When Did The Leads Get Together?
Lu Chang is uncomfortable that Ming Shu is getting closer to Qing Zhao in Episode 11. He finds it hard to let her go but also knows that he has to consider her happiness and not harm her. Ming Shu also thought that the vague man in her dreams is Qing Zhao and begins to think that she may like him. She tells Lu Chang that she doesn’t know whether she really likes Qing Zhao or not but is comfortable being with him in Episode 14.
In Episode 20, Lu Chang realizes that he couldn’t lose Ming Shu after she nearly died from an assassin’s attack. But he doesn’t want to hurt her by telling her about her past. Lu Chang even has to officially register her name as a Lu family member in accordance with the law in Episode 22. But when Ming Shu finds out that she is not related to the Lu family, she knows that the person who kissed her while she was unconscious earlier was Lu Chang rather than Qing Zhao in Episode 28. She feels that the stirrings in her heart for Lu Chang has long been there but just doesn’t know why he wants to bind her as his sister.
Ming Shu clearly knows the feelings in heart belong to Lu Chang and the vague man in her dreams all along also turn out to be him in Episode 29. He confesses his feelings and they begin dating in Episode 32.
Is There Any Breakup?
After Ming Shu regained her memory, she wants to avenge her family’s death. She knew who was responsible for her family’s massacre. Hence, she breaks up with Lu Chang in Episode 35 by using the excuse that they have already gone their separate ways before she lost her memory. Lu Chang tries to woo her back but gets rejected in Episode 36 because Ming Shu doesn’t want to drag him down together with her in her quest for revenge. She also registers her own household under her family name to break ties with the Lu family in the official records.
When Ming Shu tries to get Lu Chang’s mother to accept her as a daughter, Lu Chang objects. He tells her that he doesn’t want her as a sister but wife. However, Ming Shu still rejects him and leaves for Jianglin. They reconcile in Episode 37 after Lu Chang finds her laying the groundwork to kill Cao Hai who is Prince Yu’s henchman. He refuses to leave although Ming Shu begs with him. He says that he understands her choices and would help her instead.
Is There Any Love Triangle?
Qing Zhao is also interested in Ming Shu. He gives Ming Shu a hairpin with the intention to confess his feelings after the imperial exam in Episode 18. Ming Shu accepts it but couldn’t feel any stirrings in her heart. Hence, she plans to reject him after his exam. When Ming Shu falls unconscious after being hit on the head in Episode 19, Qing Zhao takes care of her despite his parents’ opposition to the relationship.
Ming Shu decides she has no romantic feelings for Qing Zhao and tells him so in Episode 20. They agree to see each other as friends and he wouldn’t pressure her. But privately, Qing Zhao has yet to give up on his pursuit of Ming Shu. In Episode 22, Ming Shu wavers when she learns how Qing Zhao has sacrificed for her and defied his parents when she was unconscious. She knows he is a good man and thinks perhaps she could give it a try. Lu Chang reluctantly gives his permission since he can only be seen as her brother.
However, Ming Shu doesn’t want to complicate matters after learning that she is not related to Lu Chang. Hence, she rejects Qing Zhao’s mother’s gift that signifies the family’s acceptance of her as a potential daughter-in-law in Episode 26. Ming Shu also leaves a letter to reject Qing Zhao’s advances when she decides to go to Jianglin to try to recall her past in Episode 28. She also tells him that the man in her dreams is not him in Episode 30. They agree to remain as friends after Ming Shu got together with Lu Chang in Episode 32. She also rejects Qing Zhao’s request to a marriage after the Emperor issued a decree for them to marry in Episode 36.
Ming Shu’s Memory
Lu Chang first tells Prince Rui about Ming Shu’s identity in Episode 20. This is after Prince Rui has been appointed to oversee judicial affairs and could reopen investigation into Su Chang Hua’s case. Qing Zhao finds out that Ming Shu is not Lu Chang’s sister when he comes across Lu Chang’s details in the administration records in Episode 23. He then confronts Lu Chang who is forced to tell him the whole story. Ming Shu overhears their conversation and thus, learns she is not part of the Lu family.
Ming Shu quietly investigates her background and discovers that she may have come from Jianglin in Episode 26. Tang Li tells Ming Shu about her family and her past in Episode 28 in an attempt to get more clues related to her father’s death. She gives her the impression that Lu Chang is shielding her partly because she (Ming Shu) holds the key to his mentor’s case. Tang Li then brings Ming Shu back to Jianglin and hires a hypnotist to try to get her to regain her memory. But the hypnosis is interrupted halfway through by a band of assassins. Lu Chang arrives in time to save them but the interruption means Ming Shu’s past memory remains largely hazy.
Ming Shu regains her memory in Episode 34 after hitting her head when she falls to the ground during an escape from a burning structure with Lu Chang.
Lu Chang’s Background
Madam Zeng, Lu Chang’s mother, has always told him that his father has died years ago. But Director Lu turns up at their house in Episode 21 after learning Lu Chang is his son. Madam Zeng doesn’t want to have anything to do with Director Lu anymore due to his betrayal. They met when Director Lu had left home after a quarrel with his grandfather. Director Lu comes from a noble family but concealed his identity from Madam Zeng when they got married.
While working away from home years ago, Director Lu thought his wife and son have perished in a flood. He returned to his hometown and got married to another woman arranged by his family. 2 years later, Madam Zeng managed to track him down and found out his real identity and new marriage. Madam Zeng left and told Lu Chang that his father is dead from then on. Although Lu Chang now knows that his father is someone powerful, he is unwilling to acknowledge him due to the sufferings his mother went though. In Episode 31 Lu Chang also doesn’t agree with his father for keeping quiet when Ming Shu’s father sought his help on Su Cheng Hua’s case.
Tang Li & Prince Yu
Tang Li schemes to make Prince Yu falls for her with his bodyguard’s help in order to get her revenge against those who had framed her father. In Episode 27, Prince Yu begins to fall for Tang Li and requests her to stay by his side. He proposes to her and wants to make her his consort with a new identity. Although a conspirator involved in her father’s case has been killed, Tang Li believes he was just a frontman. Thus, she rejects Prince Yu’s proposal in Episode 28 as she wants to hold on to her identity as her father’s daughter until she gets her revenge.
The arrest of another accomplice reveals that Prince Yu is the mastermind that framed Su Cheng Hua in Episode 30. The latter had evidence that could have convinced the Emperor to initiate reforms which was opposed by Prince Yu with his network of corrupted allies. Hence, Su Cheng Hua had to be taken out. Tang Li pretends that she still doesn’t know about Prince Yu’s role in her father’s death to bide her time and remain by his side.
After Prince Yu’s crimes have been exposed, the Emperor merely exiled him. Hence, Tang Li tries to kill Prince Yu but fails in Episode 35. In Episode 38, Ming Shu manages to retrieve the evidence Su Cheng Hua had left to her father. It was slotted in a deity-like statue with the key hidden in Ming Shu’s bracelet. The evidence points to Prince Yu maintaining a private army which makes him a traitor.
Second Couple
Shu Jun decides to marry Prince Rui after finding out that her lover is a jerk. They have their wedding in Episode 11 and agree to treat their union purely as a marriage alliance. But Prince Rui begins to admire Shu Jun’s qualities after their marriage and falls for her. They share the same bed for a night after she fell drunk in Episode 18. However, Shu Jun is uncomfortable with it and Prince Rui later apologizes for the incident. He starts to try to get close to Shu Jun as his feelings deepen.
In Episode 21, Shu Jun assures Prince Rui that she will be a dutiful wife after he saw her being harassed by her ex. But he wants more from her now. Shu Jun also begins to admire Prince Rui and feels contented being with him in Episode 22. They get closer as more feelings are revealed in Episode 23. Shu Jun is happy when Prince Rui defends her in front of his mother and they consummate they relationship in Episode 27.
Serendipity Review – Second Male Lead Syndrome
After watching Serendipity, I can understand why it didn’t manage to attract a high rating among the audience. Its weaknesses are more obvious than its strengths and this is why it fails to resonate deeply with viewers. But let’s look at its strengths first. It starts off well with a young lady from a rich family escaping from killers after discovering an illicit affair between her father’s concubine and a villain. She loses her memory after falling off a cliff during the escape while her whole family is massacred. So, there is the mystery on why her father is targeted which gets you into the story.
The other positive point of the drama is the relationship among the girls. They didn’t start off as friends but grow closer after the female lead solved their cases and helped them out of their troubles. The strong bond between the female lead and the male lead’s mother is also a heartwarming one. The older woman really treats the younger one like a daughter.
Serendipity’s third strength lies in its investigative cases. They are not super thrilling or unique like The Demon Hunter’s Romance but each case will bring us a little bit closer to the ultimate villain. If you like this type of storytelling, then the plot will seem interesting with consistent pacing. Along the way, there will be a build up to the romance. While the second couple’s story is kind of sweet with good dynamics, the same cannot be said with the main couple.
Male Lead vs Second Male Lead
There are 2 main problems with the romance. Firstly, the male lead has boxed himself into a corner from the beginning by claiming that he is the female lead’s biological brother. He did it to protect her after she has lost her memory and is being hunted by villains. This goes on for more than 20 episodes and hence, the couple get together pretty late in the drama. For me, it is hard to feel a strong romantic vibe between them when they are seen as siblings. While he knows they are not related, she doesn’t. So, any attempt to showcase their feelings for each other when the girl still thinks that they are siblings just feels weird to me.
By the time she finds out, the sibling relationship has gone on for far too long that you can no longer sense the passion when they switch to become lovers. It is also precisely because of this long sibling relationship that the second male lead becomes an almost constant fixture beside the female lead. It is like The Princess Royal whereby the second male lead also takes up a lot of screen time. After all, he thought the male lead is only the female protagonist’s brother and couldn’t be his love rival.
Personally, I don’t find the second male lead to be annoying. He is a nice guy who is devoted to the female lead. In fact, they are very comfortable with each other. But if you see him as a clingy third-wheeler, then Serendipity will feel like a long drawn love triangle saga that we could do without.
Amnesia That Goes On And On
An amnesia plot is not new. We have seen it in Are You The One as well as Romance Of A Twin Flower. In Serendipity, the female protagonist’s memory loss drags on for more than three-quarters of the drama. At times, it is tiring to watch. You know she is going to regain her memory but you will have to keep waiting and waiting. Even after she found out that she is not related to the male protagonist, she still has a blank memory about her past.
In the mean time, she is solving cases, enjoying her life, and spending time with both the male and second male leads. While some cases may have ties to the ultimate villain, they could also seem like one subplot after another. As a result, the main plot gets pushed to the background before it becomes the focus again towards the last 5 episodes or so.
Basically, the longer the amnesia part is dragged out, the less exciting it becomes to me. She also gets hit on the head once or twice before her memory comes flooding back. I suppose the script tries to create an anticipation that she will remember her past but the false alarm doesn’t really serve any real purpose to me. In short, the build up to her regaining her memory is overly long that it interferes with the romance and delays the main plot.
Acting & Chemistry
The acting of the leads is okay to me. They play their roles and get the story going but they don’t really stand out either. Wang Zi Qi of Once We Get Married fame plays a stoic and stone-faced Lu Chang. Perhaps the character requires him to have an impassive face but I can’t help but feel that his expression is too bland at times. It is as if the essence of the character didn’t truly get fleshed out. But he does exhibit the character’s traits of being a principled and dependable man.
I enjoyed watching Lu Yu Xiao in My Journey To You and I expected her to be better in Serendipity. Her character as Ming Shu is smart and resourceful. She is also generally a cheerful lady. But Ming Shu is not an extraordinary character that will automatically leave an imprint in the viewers’ mind. The actress did well to give the character a likable feel with her smiles and happy nature but nothing too impressive to make her memorable.
The chemistry between Wang Zi Qi and Lu Yu Xiao isn’t that great either. It lacks passion which could be due to the fact that they are both supposed to be siblings for a large part of the drama. Personally, I prefer the chemistry between Lu Yu Xiao and Wang Hong Yi who plays the second male lead. They have a more natural easy-going relationship although they are merely friends.
My Verdict – If You Have Nothing To Watch…
I think Serendipity would fall into the category of dramas that you can watch if you can’t find anything else that is more interesting. It is not horrible but neither is it a blockbuster. It is one of those average productions that would be quickly forgotten once you are done watching. Investigation, amnesia, power struggle, and romance are the main themes. But do take note there is a love triangle that is present throughout a large part of the drama. Not many people like love triangles in a romance but this one should be more easily acceptable due to the nature of the story. In fact, it is the main couple’s romance that feels weirder to me with their “sibling” relationship.
The second couple’s love story is the normal one with their own dynamics. However, they are not given enough screen time to really weave their magic. The third couple is creepy with a crazy prince and a woman hell-bent on revenge. The ending is expected and an anti-climax. There are no surprises and the villain is already known way much earlier. If you have watched enough of palace power struggle C dramas, you can already envision what the last episode is like.
So, for this Serendipity review, I would only give it a score of 7/10. 40 episodes is too long for this story. As a result, boredom sets in for me after a while with less than thrilling cases to solve and an extended amnesia arc which really dampens the romance. It’s watchable as long as you don’t set too high an expectation. Whether you will enjoy this would really depend on how you view the relationship between the leads since the amnesiac girl believes the guy is her biological brother for more than half the drama.
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