- Drama Title: Perfect Match
- Also Known As: 五福临门, Wu Fu Lin Men
- Director: Yang Huan, Bai Yun Mo, Ma Shi Ge
- Cast: Lu Yu Xiao, Liu Xie Ning, Wu Xuan Yi, Ke Ying, Huangyang Tian Tian, Wang Xing Yue, Chen He Yi, Huang Sheng Chi, Liang Yongg Qi, Winwin, Ni Hong Jie
- Screenwriter: Zhou Mo
- Genres: Romance, Comedy
- Number of Episodes: 36
- Date of Release: January 25, 2025
- Original Network: Hunan TV, Mango TV
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Mango TV
Dear readers, I hope that you are all doing well. The weather in my area changes constantly. When I wanted to leave the house, it was raining all day, and when I decided to stay home, the sun was shining. Anyway, every day is a good day for me to watch a drama, and this Perfect Match drama caught me off guard. Well…enough chitchat, let’s get down to business and review this drama. Happy reading!
Perfect Match Drama Synopsis
Perfect Match is Chinese romance drama, with 36 episodes and released in January 2025. During the Renzong Dynasty, a mother and her 4 single daughters moved to the prosperous city of Bianjing. The Li family of Luoyang has 5 daughters. They are famous for their beauty and unique personalities.
The first daughter, Shuo Hua, is a young widow. She returns to her family after her husband’s death. The second daughter, Fu Hui, was married to the wealthy Fan family. She now lives in Bianjing. The third, fourth and fifth daughters, Kang Ning, Hao De and Le Shan, were still single and in search of husbands.
Madam Li planned to take refuge with her second daughter after her husband’s death. However, things didn’t work out as she had planned. Madam Li and her daughters decided to rent a house and opened a tea house to support themselves.
It wasn’t easy to start a new life in Bianjing. But Madam Li and her daughters’ solid bond and strong personalities were the reason why they managed to overcome all the hardships.
In addition to running the teahouse, Madam Li also has to work hard to find potential husbands for her precious daughters. And the men she chose for her Li girls didn’t have it easy either. They must learn to win the girls’ hearts the hard way.
Perfect Match Drama Review
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wandering around Netflix and Apple TV. I focused on their shows. From Perfect Match, I Am Nobody (a re-watch before I start the 2nd season), to the new hit Kdrama, Trauma Code: Heroes on Call were on my watch list.
I also check out some western dramas like Gary Oldman’s Slow Horses and Silo. I didn’t forget to take a peek at old dramas like Who Rule the World, The King’s Avatar and Descendant of the Sun. I had so much fun that I almost forgot to visit the websites of iQiyi, Youku and WeTV 😆.
When I found Perfect Match, I thought it would be just another rom-com drama, but I was hooked from the very first episode. So today, on this review, I am going to talk about Perfect Match drama, why I like it, and what I think about it.
The Story-To Binge or Not to Binge
“Cousin, think it through… Think clearly. If you want a long life, don’t take a concubine”. Said Chai An to Fang Liang Han.
The opening scene of Perfect Match was the Li family entering the busy city of Bianjing on an ox cart. Inside the ox cart were Madam Li and her 4 out of 5 daughters. The first daughter is Shou Hua, third daughter Kang Ning, and fourth and fifth daughters Hao De and Le Shan.
The five went to the city to find Fu Hui, who had married Fan Liang Han, the young Fan family master. Unfortunately, Fu Hui refused to meet them. She hid behind the doors while her mother and sisters fumed at her servants. Thus begins the Li family’s long (but seemingly short) journey.
At first, my heart was broken when they were turned away by Fu Hui. I thought it would lead to another cliché of girls being oppressed by in-laws and husbands. But I turned out to be wrong. The main trope of Perfect Match is about how strong women deal with the world around them.
Madame Li is a widow. Her husband and her only son passed away at a young age. That left only the women. Her relatives thought that since they were just women and had no men to rely on, they would be easy to take advantage of. The relatives wanted the wealth of the Li family.
So Madam Li and the girls had to fight them. It was tiring to fight all the time. So she leave Luoyang and start over in Bianjing, while looking for potential husbands for her girls. It was not easy to find husbands for them because the Li girls were known not only for their beauty but also for their fierce personalities. Which I found entertaining.
This drama blends romance with family dynamics. The interaction between the characters is varied and each couple has its charms. And don’t forget the comedy. Even though it wasn’t THAT funny, it was entertaining enough.
The never ending problems made this fast paced drama feel even faster. You would know what I mean if you watched this drama for more than 5 episodes in a row. I felt a little overwhelmed because of the intensity.
However, I couldn’t bear it if I watched it every day because the story of Perfect Match was quite addictive. Every time I reach the end of an episode, I feel a strong urge to click on the next episode.
It was easy to guess that this drama would have a happy ending and that every daughter would get married. However, every couple has their own problems. Whether it was love that came a little late, jealousy from coworkers, or horrible in-laws.
But one thing we can say is that each daughter married a good man who loved her and cared for her. And no matter how proud they might be, each of the Li girls’ husbands would kneel down in front of them to show how much he valued his wife.
The Story-Every Character Has Charm
Cdramas usually did not have many main actors in their cast. Most of the time they have 2 to 5 main leads. But there are 11 main roles in Perfect Match. Lu Yu Xiao and Wang Xing Yue were at the top of the female and male leads.
As Kang Ning and Chai An, they played an important role in the family. Compared to the other main characters, their love story has a longer duration. Kang Ning and Chai An needed 10 episodes to finally achieve their happiness.
Madam Li has 5 daughters. So this drama is about 5 couples (plus one adopted daughter, Qiong Nu). Each couple has their own problems, which are solved with the help of their siblings and in-laws.
I have a soft spot for Madam Li. She would praise or scold her daughter or son-in-law with the same tone. After the men became her sons-in-law, she treated them as if they were her own sons. You could see the sincerity in her. To outsiders, Madam Li is a fierce tigress, but to her family, she is the hero. And I really loved seeing how protective she was of her family.
The all-female family members reminded me of the Blossoms in Adversity drama. In Blossoms in Adversity, there weren’t many strong women except for Hua Zhi and her grandmother. But in Perfect Match, every member of the Li family is strong. They refuse to be bullied by others and will always fight back.
The smartest people in the family are Kang Ning and her first sister, Shou Hua. They are always the ones who come up with a plan. However, all the girls have their strength. Hao De, who is always insecure about being the weakest, turns out to be the most determined. She is interested in law and government.
A perfect match for Shen Hui Zhao. Meanwhile, Le Shan’s strength lies in her bravery and determination. Fu Hui, the second daughter, is a very persuasive person. She can make people listen to every word she says.
The Li family may be humble, but Madam Li’s sons-in-law are no ordinary people. Chai An came from a very wealthy family in Bianjing. He was also a very successful businessman and was known as the most cunning person.
Du Yang Xi is the highest scoring scholar in the Imperial Examination. Shen Huai Zhou is a magistrate in the Kaifeng Court. He was famous for his upright and strict nature. And the last one is Yang Xian. He comes from a rich noble family. His sister is the emperor’s beloved consort.
Characters with smart minds and strong personalities were always interesting. Whether in dramas or in real life. To be with them is intellectually stimulating. And watching them is fascinating. In drama, smart characters often have extraordinary problem-solving abilities. However, an overpowered character could make me lose interest in the drama. So I preferred a more genuine character.
In Perfect Match, the Li family members have something in common: strong wills. Once the girls had made up their minds about something, it was very difficult to change their minds. And they would usually decide after meeting, whether it involved all of them or just a few.
It was a lot of fun to see them sitting together at the dinner table. Usually, Shou Hua would sit at the head of the table, with Kang Ning and Fu Hui sitting next to her, followed by Hao De and Le Shan. In the meantime, the sons-in-law would also gather at the Pan Restaurant to discuss a way to help each other out when they were in trouble with their wives.
Perfect Match is a war of the wits between the wives and husbands. 😆
At first, I thought I would fall in love with Kang Ning because she was so smart and beautiful. But after watching all the episodes, I found myself rooting for Hao De and Shen Hui Zhao.
Hao De is not as smart as Kang Ning or Shou Hua, nor as brave and beautiful as Fu Hui and Le Shan. She has her insecurities, but in dire situations she shows more courage than her sisters. She’s smart, eager to learn, and determined to win her husband’s heart. And it works.
At the beginning of the drama, I hate Chai An most. He’s a petty and cunning businessman. He did everything he could to make the Li family submit, like blocking their business. As if a small teahouse would be a danger to his huge Pan Restaurant. But the truth is that he just wants the Li family (read: Kang Ning 😆) to bow down to him. A proud man like him is in need of a good beating!
The Cinematography-The Daring One
One thing I liked about this drama, aside from the story, was the visuals. I like the way the directors used the lighting. It radiated warmth, especially in the house or the bedroom. Well, sometimes it feels a little excessive, but mostly I like the atmosphere.
Three different people directed this drama. Yang Huan (Lost You Forever 1&2, The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty), Bai Yun Mo (The Double, Scent of Time, Royal Feast) and Ma Shi Ge (The Double, My Kung Fu Girlfriend 1&2). I think each of them has different strengths in their abilities. But Perfect Match feels like a whole, and that could be a proof of how well they worked together.
Let’s talk about the costumes! If this drama reminded you of The Double, it happens because both stories have a background in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), which was considered the golden age in Chinese history. You could see the same hairstyle and you couldn’t miss the pearls. It was everywhere! The costume didn’t surprise me as much as it did when I first saw The Double. But it is still beautiful to look at.
One thing I admire soooo much about this drama is that the directors dared to not use filters. Some people might want their characters to have a flawless face with no pores or wrinkles. They like heavily filtered dramas or overly lit faces (as in Are You the One).
But for me personally, I like to see the pores and the wrinkles. It just feels more real to me. And although you could see some wrong shades of foundation (Wang Xing Yue has suffered from this in several dramas), I still respected the directors’s decision in this drama. Kudos to you, Perfect Match team!👍
Oh, of course, I won’t forget to mention the Li family’s tea shop. In the beginning, Madam Li decided to name the tea shop Shifu (Four Luck) Tea House. Madam Li has 5 daughters, but she chose the number 4 because she saved the best luck for last.
Shou Hua also said that full luck might not be a good thing. From this name alone, we can see that the Li family is not greedy. They were not gold-diggers, they just looked for a smooth and stable life. Later in the end, Madam Li changed the name to Liufu (Six Luck) Tea House because her 5 daughters finally got good husbands and she also has one more surprise luck.
The Characters
Madam Li
Madam Li (played by Ni Hong Jie) has six children: five daughters and one son. Unfortunately, the son has drowned in the river and is no longer alive. Her son, Fan’er, is Kang Ning’s twin brother.
After the death of her husband, Madam Li supported her family alone. Madam Li is a fierce woman. She speaks in a straightforward way. She never hides anything, and every emotion she feels can be seen clearly. Madam Li is not as smart as her daughters.
But their kindness definitely comes from their mother. Madam Li may be feisty, but she also has a weak heart, as she often faints when she is too excited or frightened. But on special occasions, she could be more powerful than a tigress. Her hot-tempered nature was directly inherited by the youngest of the family, Le Shan.
Li Shou Hua
Li Shou Hua (played by Liu Xie Ning) is the first daughter of the Li family. She is smart, wise, elegant, patient and soft-hearted. She could be called the Li family’s commander. Whenever the girls had a problem, they would run to her.
They would have a meeting and Shou Hua would be the main leader. She would be the one to consider whether a plan was good or bad. She calmed down the Lis whenever they got angry.
Shuo Hua is a responsible sister who would do anything for her family, especially for her mother and sisters. She would do anything for her family, especially her mother and sisters, and every mother would dream of having a daughter like Shuo Hua. She is skilled in writing, painting, embroidery, cooking, even weaving. Her gentleness was able to conquer the most stubborn husband like Du Yang Xi.
Li Fu Hui
Li Fu Hui (played by Wu Xuan Yi), the second daughter, was married and lived in Bianjing before her family arrived. She is fashionable, determined and hot-tempered. Truly a wild tigress. In private, however, she is a very kind sister and wife who would protect the family with all her heart.
Fu Hui is the informant and the one who negotiates in the family. She could easily get information about anyone or anything that happened in Bianjing because of her Fan family connections. She is also very good at persuasion. In the Li family, apart from Le Shan who always resorts to violence, Fu Hui is also very good at beating others, especially her silly husband.
Li Kang Ning
Li Kang Ning (played by Lu Yu Xiao) is the family’s strategist and war advisor. She is good at making plans and war strategies. Unlike Shou Hua, who was more rational, Kang Ning sometimes followed her intuition and emotions.
As one of the Li daughters, Kang Ning was born with strong determination. She is tough, but also compassionate and caring.
Kang Ning never gave up on something she believed in, and although she respected her mother’s wish that she and her sisters marry a good man from a good family, Kang Ning preferred to rely on herself. She is an independent person, and you can see that in her decisions. But she also has her vulnerability.
When Kang Ning falls in love with someone, it’s only him for the rest of her life. When separated from Chai An, Kang Ning was desperate and heartbroken.
Li Hao De
Hao De (played by Ke Ying) is the legal advisor of the Li family. In the beginning, Hao De has her insecurities because she realizes that she’s not as smart and lovable as her sisters. But I really like her because she is an independent, self-reliant, and determined person.
Moreover, she is the peacemaker of the family. Like Kang Ning and Fu Hui, who were closer to Shou Hua, Hao De was closer to Le Shan than her older sisters. The two youngest girls of the family often got into trouble together and had to face their mother’s punishment.
However, Hao De always tried to protect Le Shan, her baby sister. Hao De is charming and kind. She is playful, but also devoted and caring. One thing that stands out about Hao De is her perceptive nature.
Li Le Shan
Li Le Shan (played by Huangyang Tian Tian) is the hot-tempered vanguard of the Lis. If you need someone to lead the attack, Le Shan is the one. As the youngest child in the family, Le Shan is spoiled, carefree, outgoing, and rebellious. She looked like a child who would never grow up.
However, Le Shan is a perceptive and sensitive person. She never hides her feelings and always speaks in a straightforward manner. She is confident because she grew up under the protection of her mother and sisters.
But when they were in danger, Le Shan didn’t hesitate to protect them. Her bravery and courage are admirable. Madam Li always thought that Le Shan needed a gentle husband who would obey her every word. But in reality, Le Shan needed someone who could match her energy.
Chai An
Chai An (played by Wang Xing Yue) is the only son of the wealthy Chai family. His father has passed away and Chai An has been raised by his mother. As a businessman, he is a smart man, a quick thinker, self-confident, and passionate about his work.
Chai An was willing to take risks when he felt it was the only way to achieve his goals. I believe that Chai An fell in love with Kang Ning at the first sight of her. But his rational mind told him to slow down and observe first.
Therefore, whenever Kang Ning appeared, he followed her with curiosity. Surrounded by those who are less intelligent than him (such as Fan Liang Han and his foolish servant), Chai An finds Kang Ning and her witty nature refreshing.
And Chai An is a perfect match for Kang Ning because they have the same way of thinking. They were both stubborn and determined. When they found something they wanted, both Kang Ning and Chai An would do anything to get it.
Fan Liang Han
Fan Liang Han (played by Huang Sheng Chi) is a spoiled brat. You could hear it in the way he called his cousin, Chai An, “Gegeeee~” in a spoiled, whiny, begging tone. He was so dramatic that some of the comedy in this drama was often related to him.
Fan Liang Han is a playboy who likes to be surrounded by women. He has a soft heart, which makes him easily taken advantage of by others. Fortunately, Fan Liang Han has Fu Hui as his wife. With a little beating, she would put him back on the right path whenever he goes astray.
Du Yang Xi / Yuan Ming
Du Yang Xi or Yuan Ming (played by Chen He Yi) was born into a poor family. After his mother died, a blind woman took him in as her stepson. Mother and child lived a hard life, but they took care of each other.
Du Yang Xi worked his way up to become a scholar. He studied diligently to pass the imperial examination and become an official who served the emperor and the country. Behind his modest but handsome appearance, hid high ambitions and a cunning mind.
Du Yang Xi was always scheming, but he hated being schemed by others. Too proud and selfish. He needed a mature woman to understand him, and also smart to keep him in check
Shen Hui Zhao
Shen Hui Zhao (played by Liang Yong Qi) works as a judge in Kaifeng Court. He is intelligent with high self-control. As a judge, Shen Hui Zhao relies on his logical and rational decision making. As a person, he is aloof and never shows his feelings to others.
Shen Hui Zhao lacked warmth and emotion. Although he was not the smartest when it came to love and family matters, Shen Hui Zhao’s job and position were the highest among the men in the family.
Yang Xian
Just like Fan Liang Han, Yang Xian (played by Winwin) is a spoiled brat. But Fan Liang Han was born into a loving family, while Yang Xian’s family focused on personal gain and wealth. He never received any love from the Yang family or his parents.
So Yang Xian grew up as an irresponsible, cruel and stubborn person. Every word he says is venomous. His friends are all of the same kind, and they have a high sense of superiority that makes them look down on other people, especially women. However, if you pay close attention, Yang Xian is just a pitiful boy. He is looking for attention and love from his parents.
Qiong Nu
Qiong Nu (played by Ling Mei Shi) is the adopted daughter of Madam Li. She was once betrothed to Fan’er. Qiong Nu had a hard life. Her mother took away Qiong Nu’s dowry before she ran away and remarried. Alone and poor, Qiong Nu didn’t have any other choice but to seek shelter in the Li family.
Fortunately, Madam Li treats her as her own daughter. Kang Ning and her sisters also regarded Qiong Nu as their sister-in-law. However, their kindness couldn’t dispel the insecurity within her. Qiong Nu is a good person. She is gentle, kind, and loves the Li family with all her heart.
The Conclusion
Perfect Match is a good drama about love, relationships, and family ties. Each character in this drama has its own charm. You might find yourself liking a couple or maybe all of them. The story is captivating and the visuals are stunning. The characters and their chemistry would keep you glued to your screen for the entire weekend.
This Perfect Match is not for a daily dose of drama. The story was fast paced and intense. You would find yourself eager to click the next button whenever an episode was finished.
I would recommend this drama to those who need a boost of energy when they are going through a difficult time. For those who feel alone, the bond of the Li girls would make you want to grab a phone and call your sister/brother/best friend and invite them over for a hearty meal. So what are you waiting for, dear readers? Go get your instant noodles and start the drama. Or, call your loved ones for a binge-watching party. Happy watching!
