New Life Begins
卿卿日常
Completed · Premiered 2022-11-10 · 40 episodes · ~45 min/ep
About this drama
Li Wei hopes to return home after a marriage selection in Xinchuan, but an unexpected meeting with the sixth young master, Yin Zheng, changes her plans. Their growing relationship unfolds alongside the lives of an extended family.
Who this is for
Ideal for viewers who want a cosy, funny historical drama about women backing each other up inside a palace, with lots of food, side couples and a gentle central romance. Skip it if you want high-stakes palace intrigue, cunning villains, or a romance that dominates the screen time.
Our take
Reviewers enjoy it as a light satire of a feudal palace in which the wives cooperate instead of scheming against each other, and the sisterhood and humour are what people remember most. Bai Jingting and Tian Xiwei get steady praise for comic timing and chemistry, and the fifth-prince side couple is a frequent favourite. The usual criticisms are that it is too idealised to have real depth, the villains are thin, and the many side plots crowd out the main romance and leave some threads rushed. It was a big hit for iQIYI and later did well on TVB in Hong Kong.
Pacing & content notes
Many viewers found it brisk and easy to binge, but others say it drags in places because it juggles many side plots, and some felt the romance jumps from courtship to settled married life, saving its biggest moments for the end.
Heads up
- Ensemble focus means less screen time for the lead couple
- Polygamy and concubine setting
- Side stories touch on domestic violence and postpartum depression
- Some subplots wrap up abruptly
Where to watch
- iQIYI · Official title pageAvailability varies by region; check the platform.
- Rakuten Viki · Official title pageAvailability varies by region; check the platform.
Cast
Directed by Zhao Qichen
- Bai Jingting
- Tian Xiwei
Your Watchlist
Your personal rating (optional)
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Should I watch?
- Assessed as having a strong female lead
- Assessed as having no love triangle
- Romance carries the main plot
Story traits
- Romance
- 9 / 10
- Angst
- 3 / 10
- Comedy
- 9 / 10
- Pacing
- 7 / 10
Traits and editorial notes are researched from published sources with AI assistance and editorially checked (how we review).
Tags
- Comedy
- Drama
- Romance
- Hidden identity
- Political intrigue
- Slow burn
Ending
A warm, upbeat finish: the leads end together and most of the ensemble gets a hopeful resolution.
Ending classification & spoiler details (optional reveal)
Reveals the ending classification (happy, sad, bittersweet or open) and ending details if available.
Frequently compared with
- A Dream of Splendor
- Blossoms in Adversity
- Mengfei Comes Across
- Royal Rumours
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Ranked by traits in common with New Life Begins: setting, genres, tropes and editorial dimensions. A fit index, not a quality score, and the same for everyone.