Complex family drama with good payoff
Lots of complicated family relationships in the families of both main characters and some imperial intrigue to keep things exciting. It's a nice slow burn that spends time setting up things and establishing the characters, so when you get to a moment of payoff, it's really satisfying. It's surprisingly funny at times, but it never feels like the humour is undercutting the show or bringing it down. I really appreciated how they would sometimes spend an entire episode (or more) on what's essentially one conversation or issue.I also really appreciate Ming Lan picking up that sword and walking across the house to go get the doctor because she was like "I couldn't do anything last time, but I can and I WILL now."
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BEST OF THE BEST❤️❤️❤️
Finished 20 June 2024. A great historical Romance series that I enjoyed very much❤️Really enjoyed this and can honestly say this was the best historical romance series I've seen thus far, even with it being a 2018 production. I delayed watching this due to the number of episodes and very glad that I decided to watch it as lessor episodes would have been a great disservice to this story.
All the actors did really really well and made the whole story come to life and made it feel very real.
Production, Visual FX, OST and sound effects were excellent for a 2018 production and brought everything together to contribute to the success of this series.
The reason for not giving full score is due to a few plot holes, why certain individual was murdered (shown but nothing further), unsuccessful assassin shown but also nothing further, poisoning discovered but nothing further, etcetera.
Rewatch value : Very high - will definitely rewatch this when I can't find anything to my liking or, like this year where a lot of shows are only releasing at the end of the year.
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Too long
The drama would've been monumentally better if it was cut down to 40 episodes, 50 tops. When something was happening, it was interesting. The rest of the time, it was draggy and boring. There were too many scenes and conversations that should've been edited. Watching characters interact in a regular home environment was not interesting even if the drama was portraying a more realistic family life.It took ML and FL 40 episodes to get married. Before that, he was off somewhere serving in the military with the story rarely focusing on him. Instead, it was just her dealing with family drama and her childhood crush on a day-to-day basis. After the wedding, the sisters mostly disappeared from the plot making me wonder why the writers gave them so much screen time. It would've been more interesting if the drama was more narrowly focused on ML and FL growing up and falling in love, instead of less relevant side characters.
Another thing that was frustrating was the fact that none of the villains were properly punished. The evil stepmom burned the house down and died in the fire. The evil aunt got stabbed trying to kill FL. The fourth sister just continued on with her miserable life after scheming against FL. There was no actual punishment that they truly deserved after all the evil crap they pulled.
Overall, this was a one time watch for me. If I had to do it again, I would skip about half of it.
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niche slice of life from mostly woman viewpoint in ancient china
__*The Story of Ming Lan (2018)*__ -8,5/10 cdramagood but sadly its just too long.
first part of drama was very good and niche in style :slice of life from noble female courtyards in ancient china:
sadly second part of drama went to quite classic fight for throne fight for power in noble houses and intrigues.
[this theme is used too many times in historical dramas and in this drama it was quite averagely done].
Still this drama did quite good job on character development .. at least for some characters.
__*plot*__ - FL is kid of third unfavored concubine from noble house. Sadly her mother is pregnant and falls dead due to intrigues of other wife. FL ends up being raised by paternal grandmother. Growing up, she learns to hide her true self and use cunning methods in order to survive in family where members are plotting against each other and where no actual familial love exists.
ML is second son of marquis household who is supposed to inherit, but falls victim to tricks of his family members to lose all.
Story is about FL and ML growing up from kids to adults and going through their first love and all kind of different troubles just to meet each other and form complete pair.
__*genre*__ - historical, romance
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Most Intelligent and Satisfying Drama
I’ll break this into non-spoiler and spoiler.Non-spoiler:
I’m very amazed how such a lengthy and slow-paced show turned out to be not boring at all.
I went in expecting to fast forward through every non-Ming Lan scene but to my surprised I wanted to actually sit through all the scenes with the other characters!
For me, apart from the star-studded acting from Zhao Li Ying, Zhu Yi Long, Feng Shaofeng and the old folks, the story itself is beautiful. You don’t have the repeated lame schemes amongst the sisters, concubines, brothers that other shows do. The script and plot were very well written, well paced and pleasant to watch. There’s also a lot of subtle humour in this especially with the mothers and grandmothers.
I may be a little biased because I’m a Zhao Li Ying fan but every scene with her were great. She pulled off this innocent yet highly intelligent character very well. I particularly enjoyed watching all her conversations with her grandmother.
I personally learn a lot from the script. Very applicable to real life. :)
-Spoilers ahead-
Minglan is so very intelligent. She has a lot of devils trying to take her down, but she also has a lot of supporters. Grandma, cousins from Youyang, Shen family, Yanran. You could see how supportive they were when she was at her lowest. 90% of the time she is very calm, composed and smart but touch her grandmother and husband, and she will claw you without caring about the consequences.
Every 20 episodes or so, you’re introduced to a new villain. Each, more cunning than the last. Gu stepmother was the one character I never thought I could hate so much (what a good actress!)
I fully understand why everyone was raving about the main couple. They are so sweet. I’m amazed how a playboy like Gu Tingye could be so caring, sweet and somewhat attention-seeking childish when it comes to Minglan.
Yet at the same time I felt his childishness were a bit prolonged. Just arguing with Minglan for getting him a concubine lasted 5 episodes. I understand the premise, but again was abit too much of a filler. His childishness was very hot and cold. This part was the only part I didn’t like in the whole series.
The ending was satisfying. Very, very satisfying. Whilst I expected Gu Tingye to rise again for winning the war, I didn’t expect that the Emperor was behind it all along. Very well played. I was wondering why this Emperor would turn so ungrateful to his saviours.
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Kept Me Guessing
Good story that kept me guessing, especially the ending (which I loved). The characters were rich and interesting. Only 8/10 because there were times it moved extremely slow and were hard to muddle through. The ML is a new favorite!
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1. Why to watch this series.
2. What I liked about this series.
1. Why to watch this series.
First of all , I liked this drama because I love chinese historical, war,romantic dramas so if you also have same taste Iike me then this drama series is the best choice for you. I am 100% sure you are gonna love this drama too .
Perhaps Some people says that this drama is slow or you may fell, but at this point what I want to say is that, yes, it is , but it is still not at all boring you will not be able to skip a little bit.
In this series, as same as the title the story of minglan they showed a life of a girl from childhood to adult, the real problems which a girl use to face in that time, or have to compromise, and at the same time a beautiful love story, which will definitely make you cry , the love and hatred. If you really finding a best drama to watch then this drama is really a best choice for you to entertain and worth of time.
2. What I liked about this series.
I watched this drama in confidence that I will definitely like this because of its ranking of reviews, and same happened.
What I liked about this drama is its story. They really made a best story that I ever watched, I like the type of girl who fights for her rights and as in this drama the girl who fights was bold , sharp and intelligent, have to hide her real self because of her mom's last wish. And then when she plots against her mother's killer for revenge, that is really twisted that we can't even imagine, I liked the why she ploted against her ,without getting involve herself.
And first she liked a guy but due to some reasons they were not able to be together at that point I really cried or felt sad. The way they showed the whole story was well written and directed that I felt that every turn is meaningful , connected and really a real story, not like in other series who schemes or plots for other makes me fell really unrealistic or too much . But this is not the case with this drama. I cried too many times and felt sad during whole series.
And you may know if you use to watch chinese dramas main role actors are well known, so some people may watched this drama because of them, Sheng Ming lan (Zanilia Zhao) and Gu ting ye (Feng Shao Feng) and I also watched because of (ZZ) but because of its ranking to. In romantic drama the chemistry of the lead role is very important that when they come close we fell real couple, or when the breakeup we fell sad and when they patchup we fell happy for them and in this series the chemistry of main roles is best, as now after this series they are together in real life.
First after seeing that this drama have 73 ep. I ignored it but after I started watcing it I was not able to skip any moment .
Now lets talk about the characters in this drama. Although I am a fan of ( ZZ). She is literally a real actor the way she changes her acting style in every drama according to role that is really tough and she is really hardworking actor. And I am eagerly waiting for her new drama (LOF) And (FSF) at first I really don't liked him in ice fantasy drama so I droped it, but after watching this drama I started liking him too. And planing to resume ice fantasy drama too. And btw other characters are also very good in their acting not over or irritating but (GTY) first wife Zhu Man Niang she was really irritating that I wanted to kill her by my own hand not because of acting because of her role, I really don't know why always she gets this type of roles like in (legend of Fuyou) and (legend of dugu). but her acting level is good.
And what I most liked about this series is that there are not many annessery deaths of any important character in order to save main character as sacrifice they showed tha value of everyone's life.
Overall, I loved this drama series too much , I just can't forget about the storyline and characters just like it seems that it is a real illusion in my memory.
IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO WATCH THIS SERIES THEN YOU SHOULD GIVE IT A TRY.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Opera House
Performer 1: Come one come all! Hear our words!Performer 2: Holds no interest, reckonings. Blind reckonings.
Performer 1: Heed us, as we must share the unspoken. I’ve been no stranger to false accusations in my years, tis no surprise here.
Performer 2: Shameful... Framed?
Performer 3: Dressed ineptness wrapped away and labeled as art, class acts dancing away to the tunes of a tired music box. One claims malarkey but the word spreads m-
Performer 2: -orbid(1:-olasses)audacity... speak less.
Performer 4: Do give us room for air, the same words by many must have origin.
Performer 3: Unfortunate that this origin holds the exact opposite of it’s creative counterpart.
Performer 2: Speak LESS. Vile words of scrutiny is at order.
Performer 1: Irony.
Performer 3: A tree falls with no one around, it holds no sound. The impact remains. The word travels with the minority but attracts no ears, as the scratched record entertains.
The Story Of Minglan carries a similar burden as the leads, claimed by many to be this slow bore of a series dragging its viewers along until it all pays off. Those that managed to trudge through holds the same advice, bear with it. First time diving into the drama, i understood. How many episodes must i watch until the drama becomes worth it? 34? The other commentator said sevente-..don’t waste my time? Dropped in 3? What’s the problem with them still being k-. Wait, skip how much? What the hell is yanxi palace again?
I’ve never wanted to rant on anything this much outside of the drama itself until encountering this one. Most that’s given high remarks and praises still holds words that can deter you away depending on what you’re looking for and toleration. For well over a year now i kept my eyes away from this drama because I don’t believe pieces that requires patience past the first episode to be worth my time nor others’. Though that’s just my perspective, as i still respect and envy others that can withhold their last straw. So what even made me give in? Hell every person i know rather didn’t watch it yet or bares the same discouraging words as the rest. Hunger, hunger for this particular setting, genre, and tone convinced me in giving it a go.
Did i encounter this overbearing snooze fest of mundane acts that others warned viewers of in the beginning? No, what i encountered was an articulate trap made up of subtly theatrical performances and neatly wrapped storytelling that slowly unfolds it’s layered lead characters and the world surrounding them. I remain utterly confused as to how anyone can give a slice of life at this length a try and expect anything other than a slow burn. What’s funnier is that the pacing doesn’t even take the actual slow course it’s known for until after those beginning 6-8 episodes, yet many dropped or found it hard to continue feeling that it did. Rather it’s influence from the loud minority or preference for a completely different pace that has no business in a drama of this genre and length. My credulity fell for the influence.
My dear viewers, you have been wronged. This series requires your time and attention, not patience.This is a fairly paced slice of life warranting it’s length that barely consists of any unnecessary scenes, characters, nor arcs. Yes every single episode is well worth paying attention to and skipping any of them will completely lose you in the next. No this isn’t exaggeration, as my proud elders once said in full certainty, fuck around and find out.
Cast/Production
The cast is as large as it is talented, with naturally witty dialogue and mind games to match. Raw emotions are constantly thrown at the viewers no matter if it’s genuine of the characters or them putting on an act(you’ll get this a lot, i mean a lot). No complaints on the outfits, appearances, sets/backgrounds , or cinematography. All held up to the quality expected. One nitpick i have is that every performance worth mentioning were too..balanced? In my opinion,nobody really went above and beyond. They all were great, just no hint of excellence. Don’t go in expecting stand outs or jaw drops. You’ll be constantly impressed nonetheless .
Story/Direction
The strongest aspect of The Story of Minglan is,in my opinion,the pacing. Scroll through some comments and/or reviews. The most common questions you’ll see are referring to when [blank] will happen, when [blank] and [blank] grow towards one another, when will we see [blank] again, so on, so forth. What we have here is natural progression folks. In all of it’s satisfying and painful goodness. The climb in ranks, pitiful downfalls, house empowerment, filial favor, newfound family, the list goes on.
It’s of no surprise I’m an absolute sucker for slow burns when executed well. And dear god do they go way beyond that here. Not only are you taking in each episode waiting for future inevitable moments and interactions that’s way further down the line, you also find yourself not willing to loose your grip of the current relations and moments happening that would have to take a tumble for the others to progress. There are countless memorable scenes from the very beginning to the very end. You’re nail biting early on not because of anything coming off as banal or monotonous, it’s from disbelief that there’s still so many things you have to look forward to on top of everything you’ve had the pleasure in watching already.
The camera language and use of symbolism is next level, these factors alone marks this series with a very high rewatch value. Stare downs, signaling through eyes and body language, setting up for future stages to perform.There are plenty of subtle hints and details that most will miss the first go around and many moments leaving room for interpretation that lets the mind roam freely, speaking of..
The use of romance and bonds here are second to none. The chemistry/dynamics are so distinct and profound amongst each character you’ll have to see it for yourself to believe how effortlessly they interact. From the banters, thoughts through time apart, strategizing, rehashing, lessons, arguments, persuasions, attests. I could go on and on, the chemistry alone makes this well worth the try.
Shortcomings
The ost’s ass...... condolences. Ight listen if i have to hear that same tired ass track in romantic/longing moments another second I’ll lose it. No track stands out or grabs attention besides the rare use of sound design on sudden tensity, you’ll hear what i mean.
Way too much plot armor and abuse of convenient last moment timings. You’d wish for a competent male antagonist since the women here has to rely on the incompetence of their aides to lay a scratch on anyone. Besides some ass whippings and timeouts the feel for stakes on the line completely diminishes about halfway through. This drama is many things, a thrill isn’t necessarily one of them. So much protection going on I wonder how some of them even got pregn-
Epilogue
To anybody who hasn’t tried this out yet i can only ask what’re you waiting for, more so what’s holding you back? What I’ll advise is don’t force your way through this drama, if you can’t stomach any more, let it go. Need a break? Take as long as you need, it’s okay to not binge in a couple sittings, much healthier at that. Watch and experience this breathtaking journey at your own pace.
A new favorite of mines, been hours since i finished and i think it’s about time for an encore.
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Best c drama for mature audience.
If you havent watched this drama I can only say that this drama rewards patience and perseverance which is actually the central theme of this drama! So only start this drama if you are going to give a serious attention to it, this drama is definitely not for teenagers.This drama's main character is Minglan, it starts with her back story as a child and her sufferings and the cause of it. The people who were involved in it , to avenge them is her main drive.
But the main USP of this drama is how she actually plans for it or is she really the one planning? This is where I say its for adults cos not a lot of teens would understand her actions , her patience, her humbleness , her real reason for doing sth or rather giving up on sth.
All this leads her to meet someone of her own caliber a true partner for a lone wolf and this is when the real game starts and the show starts sprinting ( and that's why most reviews give it a slow burner tag).
All I can say about this show is that this hit too close to me personally, its such a great show that its a shame why its not world famous!
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Carpe diem
Least to say I was disgusted with the way women were treated back then, not only by men but by other women, as well. The system was so evidently misogynistic that women themselves adopted the same mentality as it was natural for them to do so. While most of them were pushed into making some very awful decisions, mostly in order to protect themselves, others did some extremely harsh and evil things so at to get what they want. The struggles of the women of those times were very well portrayed in the story. It was really interesting to see how Ming Lan managed to overcome all those difficulties that seemed never-ending with her intelligence. She was constantly in danger, she had to endure so much hardship just so that she could be alive (in the beginning especially). The acting of Zhao Li Ying as Ming Lan , Zhu Yi Long as Qi Heng / Yuan Ruo (Duke), Feng Shao Feng as Gu Ting Ye / Zhong Huai (Marquis) and the rest of the cast was simply amazing. I specifically feel the need to mention Cao Cui Fen's who played Old Mrs. Sheng (Ming Lan's grandmother), as her acting was magnificent. All those subtle micro-expressions were so well executed, plus her character in the story quickly became on of my favourites.Although this drama has quite a lot of episodes, the story didn't feel draggy, instead it felt very well developed in an appropriate pace. When I watch dramas like this, on one hand I wish they have even more episodes, as I don't want them to end, but on the other I don't want them to have that many, because then they'll end up getting draggy. This drama certainly has a fitting amount of episodes, it leaves you wanting more, without destroying its plot.
The chemistry between the leads is astonishing, they were super adorable together. My only complain is that I wish they were slightly more open in their communication, especially on Ming Lan's part. That being said with all that trauma she has endured for all those years, and the atrocities of other men that she has come to know of, it's understandable for her to feel insecure and be scared of being vulnerable with her husband.
I have to admit that I felt bad about the 2nd ML, but this drama taught me a very valuable lesson... The circumstances will almost never be ideal, waiting for that to happen is simply useless, instead you should always do the best in your abilities, so as to not have any regrets later!!! Even if you fail, you can at least proudly say that you have tried! So what if the circumstances aren't great... What matters is that we do our best for what we sincerely want! To me, this drama seems very unique and I greatly enjoyed it. I strongly recommend it and would love to watch it again!!!!
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Silk Sleeves, Steel Spine
Set in the Northern Song dynasty, The Story of Ming Lan follows Sheng Ming Lan, the unfavored sixth daughter born to a concubine in an official’s household. After losing her mother at a painfully young age, she is raised by her wise grandmother and quickly learns that survival in the Sheng family requires more than obedience. It requires strategy. Hiding her intelligence behind a quiet and unassuming facade, Ming Lan grows up navigating a household where affection is scarce and schemes are plentiful. Her path crosses with Gu Ting Ye, the blunt and rebellious second son of a marquis family who seems to lose everything despite being born with every advantage. Together, through careful calculations and daring gambits, they climb the social ladder and seek justice against those who wronged them.Right from episode one, we are thrown into the Sheng household circus. Husband afraid of wife. Concubine sabotaging mistress. Sisters plotting. In laws bickering. The chaos never clocks out. Watching young Ming Lan maneuver through this battlefield at only eight years old was both impressive and heartbreaking. Her mother’s death scene still lives rent free in my mind. A sabotaged childbirth, missing midwives, no adults around, an eight year old running everywhere for help. The frustration, the helplessness, the rage. I felt all of it. When her mother bled to death along with the unborn baby, something in Ming Lan died too. That was the moment she truly understood her mother’s warning about hiding her brilliance. Liu Chu Tian did a commendable job as little Ming Lan. Yes, you could see the child actor wandering focus in her eyes, but she delivered the devastation well enough to squeeze out my tears.
The early pacing was wild in the best way. I blinked and four episodes were gone. The family trees though? A full time puzzle. Gu Ting Ye’s lineage had me pausing and rewinding like I was studying for a civil service exam. Between the Gu family, the Bai family, and the Qi connections, I needed a whiteboard. Eventually I understood that Qi Heng is a distant nephew through complicated marriage ties, but let us just say this drama does not hold your hand when it comes to aristocratic genealogy.
When the characters grew up, the tone shifted. The pace slowed but the emotional stakes deepened. I actually appreciated that Ming Lan and Gu Ting Ye did not immediately spark into romance upon reunion. Instead, we get Qi Heng’s tender and sincere admiration first. Qi Heng was soft, devoted, and brave in his own sheltered way. Watching him lock himself up and refuse food to protest his mother was both romantic and slightly dramatic in a teenage rebellion way. Still, when Ming Lan finally admitted that if he moves forward she will move forward too, my heart did a little flip.
Let us talk about the men. At one point I was ready to start an anti Gu Ting Ye club. A mistress, two children, questionable life choices. Zhu Man Niang’s coquettish energy set off every alarm bell. I kept asking how a supposedly intelligent man fell for such obvious manipulation. Then there is He Hong Wen, sweet and gentle, bringing food like a walking green flag. I almost boarded the He Hong Wen ship. But as Ming Lan wisely said, marriage is about whether you can tolerate someone’s weakness for decades. His excessive kindness could easily become a liability. Qi Heng had heart but lacked the ruthlessness to survive political storms. Slowly and almost against my will, I realized Gu Ting Ye, flaws and all, matched Ming Lan’s steel core best.
The drama shines brightest when Ming Lan unleashes her brain. Her debate scene in class was a mic drop moment. Her polo match was pure girl boss energy even if the CGI horse looked like it came from a video game cutscene. And episodes 32 and 33? Chef’s kiss. Her long planned revenge against Lin Qin Shuang and Mo Lan was strategic brilliance. Watching Mo Lan’s own scheming backfire was deeply therapeutic. Karma delivered with elegance.
One of my favorite relationships is between Ming Lan and her grandmother, played beautifully by Cao Cui Fen. Their bond is the emotional spine of the story. The grandmother’s apology for failing to seek justice for Ming Lan’s mother hit hard. It was quiet, sincere, and full of regret. In a house full of conditional love, this was unconditional.
Marriage between Ming Lan and Gu Ting Ye evolves from calculated alliance to genuine partnership. They complement each other. He charges forward. She fortifies the rear. I love that Ming Lan never loses herself in marriage. She respects him but does not dissolve into him. When she finally shows jealousy, Gu Ting Ye’s barely contained glee was unexpectedly adorable. Their dynamic grows, layer by layer, especially after he saves her and their newborn son. That reunion felt symbolic. Her walls cracked. Trust began to bloom.
Production wise, this drama is lush. The sets are detailed, the color grading consistent, and even background soldiers commit to their fight scenes. It feels expensive and meticulous. The only hiccups for me were some obvious CGI during polo and one brief camera shift that my industry trained eyes caught. Minor dents in an otherwise polished armor.
The second half becomes more politically heavy and slightly jumpy in pacing. Certain transitions feel skipped, as if the drama expects us to fill in blanks. The court trial arc involving the emperor did feel dramatic, but the eventual reveal of a larger scheme made narrative sense. Still, I wish some villain endings, especially Madam Qin’s, had more bite. For someone so cunning, her exit felt too quick.
Despite my constant side eyeing of Gu Ting Ye and my emotional rollercoaster with the love triangle, I could not stop watching. Seventy three episodes flew by. I laughed, I ranted, I celebrated revenge like it was a sport. Most importantly, I admired Ming Lan. She is not loud but she is powerful. Not reckless but brave. Not blindly romantic but deeply loyal once trust is earned.
Overall, this is a richly layered family saga about survival, resilience, and choosing a partner whose flaws you can live with. It is messy, dramatic, sometimes frustrating, but utterly addictive. If palace intrigue, domestic warfare, and a quietly brilliant heroine sound like your cup of tea, then consider yourself warned. Once you enter the Sheng household, there is no peaceful exit.
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A SLOW LONG 78 EPISODES OF NOBILITY LIVES
I felt like I deserve a pat on my back after finally finish watching long 78 episodes of Shen Ming Lan and Gu TingYe. Their life full of challenges, turmoils, as well as happiness and heart breaks. A lot of begging, kneeling, whining, crying, screaming and yelling between womenfolks. There're many poisonous snakes in the form of beautiful nobility women, which none of them is male antagonist - all about jealousy, greedy, bitter, blind ambition, and muddle-head women. Its probably the protagonist is a female, the production created abundance of sick-bitter-full of hatred women to ruin her life and happiness. 3 men love her, they would go above and beyond to have her, and she reproach them separately in different circumstances. I felt bad for Qi Heng - he earned my sympathy. Family is divided for the prestige of title and a kingdom divided for the power between newly appointed Emperor and Dowager Empress from previous dynasty. There are life lesson I learn from this drama...how basic human nature thought me to survive the most critical situation by switching hatred with sweet manipulation....how communication should be delivered in certain way to warrant peaceful solution - no matter how unresolved situation becomes worst just by smiling and bowing. Women who lives in so much restriction, confinement, constriction, they would device such a way using provocation to manipulate circumstances to their advantage, risking their life and name for the greater ambition. Rewatch value of this drama is 4 because I don't think I can go all over 78 episodes again.Was this review helpful to you?
