Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

"Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace" is a harem drama that shows the life of the emperor, his concubines, all the conspiracies, lies and secrets.

It's a spectacular drama, one of the best cdramas I've ever seen. I initially started it because it reminded me of "The Story of Yanxi Palace", because both stories are about the royal family and life inside the palace, but this drama is much heavier and darker, with lots of deaths, pain and romance taking a back seat. In fact, that's one of the main themes. Ru Yi's love is gradually fading away, as the emperor is becoming someone she no longer recognizes.

Ru Yi never wanted this life or the place of empress; all she ever wanted was Hong Li's love. The problem is that he never truly trusted her. The former empress had prevented her from having children since she got married and Hong Li did nothing. They framed Ru Yi for having an affair, and he really thought that was true. I can't explain how angry I was when Hong Li basically begged Ru Yi to make Xiang Jian sleep with him, because with her it was love at first sight... the constant humiliation never stopped.
I can't judge Ru Yi for her decision to let the disease kill her, because she had no reason to live anymore. Her two children died and the only one left was not being raised by her, and after everything that happened, anyone would be tired and want to give up, it's too much tragedy for one woman.

There are 87 episodes, but you watched it in the blink of an eye. I loved all the characters, especially the ones that were made to be hated.
Ru Yi and Hai Lan's friendship is truly beautiful, they are like sisters, helping each other through life.

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rare in chinese

I had little hopes for this drama; i was expecting a lavish set and terrible story-line HOWEVER i was proven wrong these are the few Chinese drama that are comparable to its competitor genre. Let me start with the plot, obv, this is gonna be tragedy but the plot line started strong and ended strong; there's no confusing villain every episode but just like a novel it has it's introduction, middle, climax, and ending. I love how the cast portrayed the main characters with the emperor down to the concubines, no cliche-devotion shz here sist. These are few of the Chinese drama that are definitely written well i'm surprised it didn't get the high rating it deserve. (I used to hate half-shaven head but boy oh boy the wallance hou didn't let me down) This drama lit ignited my interest toward my old-hate and now ignited curiosity about qing china. I love how every character has it's yin-yang and there's no cliche-ass female lead like the title suggest.

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Will turn you into a man-hater

The tragic portrayal of the reality of living as a consort in the emperor's harem. No matter your beauty or skill, a man in the ultimate seat of power is not one to be trusted.

It was refreshing to see a drama that chooses to paint the supposed ML, the emperor in a negative light. It was not a story of romance, but survival. His favor was not a reward but poison.

This is truly a story of female friendships. Ruyi's love towards her fellow sister-wives were definitely more tear-jerking than that bitchass king. I cannot put into words how much I hate that man. That childish, egotistic man. I wished Ruyi never showed up to the wife selection to be saved from that very long and painful journey in front of her. She did not deserve the ending that she got.

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I watched this drama like a few years ago and I am just now doing a review for it but I want to start off by saying that this is one of my favorite chinese historical dramas. I have rewatched this like two or three times already and i know i will rewatch more times. The cinematography is sooo soothing, refreshing and by that I meant like it just feels calm at some points. It is a long drama but it was executed very well with how they developed this story. No rushed ending. My favorite is the acting, all the actors did amazing with their characters!! And loved how some joined in later in the drama and how some got their punishment for the stuff that they did. Overall one of the best!

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Amazing but painful drama

I first tried watching this drama seven years ago when it was first released, but it was too painful for me to watch seeing how much the protagonist, Ruyi, toils. I didn't end up finishing it then.

Now I decided to give this show another try after having matured myself and I found it harrowing, but gripping, and I appreciated even the villains of the show and their motivations. This show is called Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace, but it should really be named Ruyi's Royal Disappointment in the Palace, because this show goes to tell you love will just end in disappointment. Out of the couples in this show, not many of them had lasting love.

The theme of this show is very similar to that of Empresses in the Palace/Legend of Zhen Huan, another palace harem classic. Women compete and vie for the Emperor's favor, our protagonist starting off believing in true love, and eventually becomes jaded. The emperor, who was once a lover, becomes an enemy due to his own character flaws. I read a little bit of history around the characters in this show, so I came in knowing what would happen in the end. However, I was curious to see how the show reaches there and the show reaches that point spectacularly.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but Ruyi's reaction to bad things happening is almost always a wide stare. People praise the actress's (Zhou Xun) grace and composure, but I found the wide stare reaction kind of bland. Also when she was playing the young Ruyi, it was pretty awkward. Wallace Huo did a great job as Qianlong Emperor, and his evolution (or devolution) throughout the show is very convincing. Ling Yunche's actor did a great job portraying his various states throughout the show. I loved all of the different personalities of Ruyi's allies. The villains were all convincing too, the casting was done very well.

As emotionally painful this story is, it is still an amazing show worth watching.

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Bittersweet Majesty: Love, Loss, and Intrigue in the Emperor's Court

This drama is truly magnificent, depicting the zenith of the Qing Dynasty under the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The plot unfolds smoothly, with each intrigue developing deliberately and tactically, ultimately creating a significant impact.
The compelling and intriguing plot ensures the audience remains engaged throughout the entire drama. Adding another layer of brilliance is the drama's skill full integration of fictional storylines with the actual trajectory of historical events.

The cast line-up is extraordinary. None of the characters feel overpowered; each possesses a well-balanced portrayal. Intriguingly, each character's strength is often juxtaposed with a poignant vulnerability. The ending provides a fitting conclusion to the drama, leaving viewers with a bittersweet sense of both sadness and relief. Furthermore, it aligns with the actual history surrounding Emperor Qianlong's Step Empress.

The poignant soundtrack, "Like the Fragrance of Plum Blossoms We Once Knew," beautifully captures the underlying sorrow experienced by the women within the palace harem.

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A Haunting Portrait of Life in the Imperial Harem

While there are multiple interpretations of Hongli and his harem, this one is presented from the perspective of Ulanara Ruyi and it is one of my top-shelf favorites. Although it spans 87 episodes, the storyline makes every moment worthwhile The narrative is intelligent, the plots are well-developed, and they seamlessly overlap and transition to keep you engaged.

From start to finish, you’re fully immersed—both through the depth of the content and the emotional connection to the characters, making you an interactive viewer. It’s easy to become invested and deeply affected by the narrative, which unfolds through the lives and deaths of each consort and concubine, spanning several generations of children, love, hatred, rivalry, deception, hardship, and disappointment.

I highly recommend this, even for those who may not typically enjoy palace dramas. The storytelling is dynamic and dramatic, appealing to viewers drawn to narratives about women who longed for better futures yet were forced to live under rigid societal constraints—sometimes sacrificing their integrity and the lives they might have had, had they not been bound by familial duty or imperial law.

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Never a dull moment in this long drama.

What stood out most to me was the depth of the characters even the villains goid/bad often felt human and worthy of sympathy. The acting & costumes were great, every character, good or bad, evolved over time Ruyi left the biggest impression on me. Her extraordinary patience, emotional discipline, resilience, and discernment. Unlike many drama protagonists, she never transformed into a revenge driven character despite everything she suffered. I found the Emperor deeply disappointing as the story progressed. At first he seemed loving and decent, but over time his ego, lust and insecurity eroded the relationship that mattered most. Overall this series was emotionally rich, psychologically layered but deeply human.

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I loved the first part when they were young and the Prince admired Ruyi but then when they got married all the chaos started with consort this and that, concubines this and that. They conspired against each other to take one or the other out. The reason why I gave the cast a 10 rating is that they did their part in bringing that time to the audience. Wallace Huo did awesome in the role he portrayed. I cried in the two last episodes when Ruyi passed away. The costumes were beautiful but I still can't get used to those hairstyles in that era including the European hairstyles. The jewelry was exquisite as always. Thank you to the Costume team! Thank you to the cast, producers, visual, artistry, and the music team.

NOTE: Even in the present day, when a man has one wife with added lovers, it never works out well. Somebody's feelings are going to be hurt. That is regarding any culture!

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