CHINESE FULL-LENGTH DRAMA REVIEW
Melody of Golden Age / 长乐曲
Chinese title长乐曲
2024 · 40 episodes · Chinese Full-Length Drama · Historical / Mystery / Investigation / Romance / Arranged Marriage
Ding Yuxi as Shen Du · Deng Enxi as Yan Xing
Main Couple: Yan Xing × Shen Du
THE ROMANCE CHECK
Quick Answers
Relationship spoilers below.
- Does Melody of Golden Age have a happy ending?
- Yes. Shen Du and Yan Xing reconcile, marry again, and end the drama alive and together.
- Do Shen Du and Yan Xing break up?
- Yes. They formally divorce very late in the drama when Shen Du pushes Yan Xing away while trying to protect her during his effort to clear his family's name. They reconcile in Episode 40.
- When do Shen Du and Yan Xing kiss?
- Their first kiss happens around Episode 25 during the hot-spring scene.
- When do Shen Du and Yan Xing become a real couple?
- Emotionally and romantically, around Episode 25, even though they have already been legally married since Episode 2.
A PERSONAL VIEWING JOURNAL
🌸 My Review
Melody of Golden Age / 长乐曲
Status: Finished Rating: ⭐ 3.5/5
Melody of Golden Age is kinda like a mystery drama with romance woven into it, and honestly that is probably the easiest way to explain this one.
Yan Xing works with the Ministry of Justice and actually knows how to investigate things. She examines evidence, deals with corpses, questions people, and gets involved in murder cases instead of standing behind the male lead waiting for him to explain everything to her. 😂
Then her sister runs from an imperial marriage arrangement, so Yan Xing ends up marrying Shen Du instead.
And Shen Du has a whole reputation.
He is basically the scary “White Ghost” everyone is terrified of, while Yan Xing is over here poking around crime scenes like, hmm yes let me investigate this suspicious dead body. 😂
The drama keeps giving them murder cases, political conspiracies, kidnappings, old grudges, and one giant mystery connecting everything together. I liked that the mystery was actually important instead of being some tiny side plot they forgot about after Episode 3.
The romance develops alongside all of that.
They get married almost immediately, but emotionally they take their sweet time getting there. Their relationship starts out practical and gradually turns into trust, partnership, jealousy, affection, and finally actual romance.
So basically:
Married first. Figured out they were in love later. 😂
Their big romantic breakthrough finally happens around Episode 25, when Shen Du reveals that Yan Xing was actually the girl he had loved since childhood. He confesses, they kiss in the hot spring, and FINALLY we are getting somewhere. 😭❤️
After that he softens a lot with her. We get kisses, hugs, carrying, protective moments, domestic scenes, playing in the snow, and much more obvious affection.
My unnecessary irritation through all of this?
I really wished Ding Yuxi had just used his original voice.
His face is already doing enough acting for me. I did not need another man's voice coming out of his mouth. 😭
Shen Du was dubbed by Zhang Jie, while Yan Xing was dubbed by Qiao Shiyu. They are experienced voice actors, but I still would have preferred Ding Yuxi's actual voice.
And because apparently these dramas cannot just let a married couple stay married and solve murders peacefully, we get a real divorce near the finale. 🙄
Shen Du deliberately pushes Yan Xing away because he is trying to clear his family's name and thinks she will be safer without him. They actually sign the divorce agreement, so yes, I am counting that as a real breakup/divorce and not just an argument.
Thankfully, it is very late and does not drag forever.
By Episode 40 Shen Du is basically in his wife-chasing crematorium era 😂 trying to get her back.
They reconcile, marry again, and finish the drama together.
So yes:
Happy Ending. Married. Alive. Together.
Overall, 3.5/5.
The mystery kept the story moving, Yan Xing was actually useful, and the romance had decent payoff once it finally showed up. I just really wish Ding Yuxi had used his own voice. 😭
RELATIONSHIP MILESTONES
❤️ Relationship Timeline — Shen Du × Yan Xing
Arranged marriage in Episode 2; confession and hot-spring first kiss around Episode 25. Formal divorce around Episodes 39–40, reconciliation and marriage again in Episode 40.
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Marriage
Episode 2 — Yan Xing substitutes for her sister and marries Shen Du.
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Attraction / softening
Gradual through their investigations and protective moments.
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First major romantic moments
Develop progressively as they begin trusting and protecting each other.
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Confession
Around Episode 25 — Shen Du reveals Yan Xing is the girl he loved from childhood.
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First kiss
Around Episode 25 — hot spring kiss.
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Official romantic relationship
Around Episode 25, even though they were already legally married.
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Affection increases
Episodes 25–30 onward.
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Breakup / divorce
Very late in the drama, around Episodes 39–40. This is a genuine formal divorce, not merely an argument or temporary distance.
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Reconciliation
Episode 40.
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Marriage again
Episode 40.
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Final relationship status
Married, alive, together. Happy Ending.
Final Relationship Status
Married, alive, together.
💗 Shen Zhiyi’s Drama Reality Check
Finished all 40 episodes. Full romance, divorce and ending spoilers.
- 💕 Romance
- Definitely present, but the mystery and investigations remain a major part of the drama.
- 🔥 Chemistry
- Good, especially once Shen Du starts softening and openly falling for her.
- 💋 Kissing
- Decent. First kiss is around Episode 25, with more kissing afterward and romantic payoff in the finale.
- 🤗 Skinship
- Moderate — hugging, carrying, hand-holding, protective touching, playful domestic moments, and physical affection.
- 🌶️ Spiciness / Adult Intimacy
- Low-to-moderate. The hot-spring kiss is sensual, with later romantic/implied intimacy.
- 🚩 ML Red Flag
- Medium early on. Shen Du is intimidating and ruthless in his work, but becomes devoted and protective toward Yan Xing.
- 👑 Female Lead Competence
- High. Yan Xing actively investigates cases, examines evidence and bodies, questions suspects, and has her own career.
- ⏱️ Romance Timing
- Slow-ish. They marry in Episode 2, but the confession and first kiss are around Episode 25.
- ❤️🔥 Relationship Payoff
- Good once it arrives. They actually behave like a couple instead of saving everything for one final kiss.
- 💔 Breakup
- Yes. There is a genuine formal divorce very late in the drama.
- ⏳ Separation / Conflict
- Moderate overall. The biggest relationship conflict is concentrated near the finale rather than dragged across the entire series.
- 💍 Final Relationship Status
- Married, alive, together. Happy Ending.
- 📖 Plot
- Mystery/case-solving with an overarching political conspiracy and romance woven throughout.
- 🐾 Animal Harm
- Dog-related distress / fighting-dog material. Episode 1 involves fighting dogs used in an investigation; later dialogue references a dog bitten by a rabid/mad dog. No dog or cat death has been verified.
About these assessments
My impressions cover what I watched. Later research is labeled on dropped reviews. Kissing, affection and adult intimacy are separate; coercion does not count as romantic spice. Being apart does not automatically mean a breakup.
⭐ Final Rating
3.5/5 · Finished · Happy Ending
U.S. Availability / Where to Watch
Rakuten Viki — official platform
Rakuten Viki carries all 40 episodes with 100% English subtitle coverage, and the official series page is not region blocked in the checked U.S. response. Mandarin audio; Shen Du is voiced by Zhang Jie and Yan Xing by Qiao Shiyu.