This review may contain spoilers
I was initially hesitant to watch this drama due to its length—70 episodes felt quite overwhelming. However, with quarantine leaving me with little to do, I eventually decided to give it a try.In my opinion, the drama is somewhat overrated. I did not find anything particularly exceptional about it, and much of the storyline felt unrealistic. Viewers who prefer more grounded and traditional narratives may find this series lacking.
I did enjoy the first quarter of the show, particularly the early scenes where YL stood up to the bullying seamstresses. Unfortunately, the plot soon became increasingly implausible—especially the way she frequently spoke back to the emperor without facing any real consequences. The level of plot armor surrounding WYL was excessive, and the story began to feel repetitive and tedious.
In terms of performance, I found the lead actress unconvincing. Many of her scenes came across as cringeworthy, and I struggled to feel any emotional connection to the characters.
That said, the costume design was impressive and one of the few redeeming qualities of the show.
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This review may contain spoilers
Absolutely Amazing
I am in tears. I cannot believe that I actually watched this monstrosity (I say this with love) of a show in less than a month. It was worth every second, every minute that I invested into it. Such an elaborate, intricate show with twists and revelations around every corner.Wei Ying Luo was such a smart and interesting female lead! She got shit done in no time and also stood her ground (I ignore the strong plot armor)💅🏻. She even planned her own downfall on purpose, who does that?? Her relationship with Fuca Rong Yin was so beautiful. Both women saw something in each other and depended on one another greatly. RY was like a big sister and mother figure and YL represented freedom. I absolutely adored the development of YL and Ming Yu’s friendship and sisterhood. Ming Yu was such a childish and petty girl in the beginning but grew into YL greatest confidante. I wept like a baby when she died (I’m still upset about this)😭👶🏻. About that sneaky snake Yuan Chun Wang: I never liked him!! He was so incredibly weird towards YL from the beginning. I always felt like he had a very weird claim towards the female lead, a sort of entitlement to *have* her. It was so uncomfortable🧍🏻♀️.
Despite her nasty nature, I also loved Noble Consort Gao. I think she left us too early (though the show did not lack drama – even without her). It would have been nice to have a deeper dive into her character/family since she was so interesting but not explored enough. Her loving the emperor so much was her downfall – as was all those women’s downfall. YL played the long game by never explicitly saying "I love you" to Hong Li lol. Though she did admit it in her own way in my opinion. I also would have loved to have more of Chen Bi, not going to lie!
I liked YL with both Fu Heng and the emperor to be honest. Her first love was sweeter while her second was more teasing and chaotic. But I loved the scenes with the emperor, they were such a fun couple to watch on screen😅💞.
Hoifa-Nara Shu Shen💅🏻. The woman that you are. I don’t blame her one bit for all the things she did. She did everything so smartly and proved again and again how cunning she is. She never *really* got her hands dirty, she just made her enemies feel insecure and they’d ruin themselves. I also liked how she and YL were on eye-level. They respected each other’s wits and it went well for 10 years until Shu Shen kind of lost her mind a little lol (aging is a little annoying when the emperor has 7123918320 other wives that are younger than you (and especially when he favors your enemy – I get it)).
The last two episodes were… chef’s kiss. The twists, the emotions, the revelations were amazing. Only thing… if they really needed to kill my man Fu Heng (mind you, his existence was already sad since he married Er Qing – if delusion was a person – and thus lost his real love), then they could have done so on the battlefield. Why did he die of Malaria😭😭
The OST was also great! Both the songs and the instrumental greatly supported the scenes and made everything feel grand. I never skipped a single second of this drama. When I first stumbled upon this show, I wasn’t really that deep into C-Dramas. I thought “Damn, what are you going to tell me in 70 episodes?! As if that won’t get boring!!”. I was proven more than wrong. I had a marvelous time. I laughed, I bawled my eyes out, I cheered, I got mad. This show made me feel all the emotions, and I can actually see myself sitting down for a rewatch.
Standout episodes from the top of my head:
- Episode 19 because that is the very first episode that YL and the emperor spend the majority of the episode together with little interruption.
- Episode 40… Rong Yin ☹
- Episode 54 Er Qing dies, YIPPIE
- Episode 59 because YL and the emperor finally reunited again after he found out she was on birth control
- Episode 61… I cried buckets of tears when Ming Yu died
- Episode 64 because YL successfully planned her own downfall to uncover Chen Bi, plus her reunion with the emperor, who had already understood her plan. The way they teased each other and finally were back together just 💞 I believe the emperor was always 100% confident that YL would be able to get out of ANY situation, which is why he always let her do whatever!
- Episode 69/70 simply iconic. Simply amazing. When Shu Shen cut her hair… I had seen that scene several times in edits and had been waiting (!!) for it to happen because the actress had perfected hatred, betrayal and defeat all visible on her face and man… it did not disappoint. So good.
Overall, a 10/10 show, I will miss it so much😭😭😭
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70 episodes about palace intrigues and not a single dull moment
When starting Story of Yanxi Palace I wasn't sure about it. Palace intrigues are nice a while, but 70 episodes? And within a harem?But wow! It never ever gets boring! Not one episode I stalled, om tje contrary Iwas binge-watching it until the very end.
It's mainly the story about a sister (Wei YingLuo) who enters the palace as a maid to discover what happened to her sister, who died. She will go through many hardships throughout the series while trying to climb the ranks within the forbidden city.
The -:
I can't name any.
I will just state that you won't have any action-scenes (no fights, only perhaps small hand to hand fights). And if you watch for Xu Kai alone, don't, he is not the main character.
I was a little annoyed by the constant background music during conversations, but it's ok.
I didn't like the way they aged the men during the last few episodes, those beards were ridiculous.
One character was forgotten (a son).
As you see, I'm really being petty just to find some "-".
The +:
The storyline is incredible! How is it possible to write this many episodes of intrigues without getting boring? I'm still amazed by this fact.
The actors are amazing. The growth of all the characters is well depicted and each actor lived up to his role.
You get to know the life of the servants as well as the consorts and concubines.
The story contains heartbreaking scenes as well as happy moments, so as to leave you with a good feeling after each storyline.
All over all, this is more than just worth watching.
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Stayed up 5 nights to finish this
I had heard of this drama but had put it off because you have to be in a certain mood to watch 70 episodes of anything. But i was so caught off guard by the strength of female lead. I’m typically a romance drama watcher but this one sucked me in. The relationships of the cast with each other were so well developed. The development of each of the harem’s motivations was deep. The lines are beautiful and i just loved Wei Ying Luo. I loved her strength of character, her intelligence, her resoluteness, and i loved watching her and the Emperor’s relationship. I wish i had gotten just a few more moments with her and Fuca Fuheng. :)Was this review helpful to you?
A detailed production (I especially love the costumes) and a satisfying if bittersweet ending help make this a worthy binge watch and re-watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
I have this weird love-hate with this series. Despite its flaws, it’s still one of the better palace intrigue stories out there. So I put it on my “guilty pleasure list” and endure the bad for the sake of the good. To start with the good, this has all the elements of the addictive story. You see many nasty palace denizens plotting against our heroine, Wei Yingluo. Just when you think Yingluo is trapped, she turns the table on her enemies and knocks them down ten notches. It’s very gratifying to watch, especially when it cycles along at a steady pace, using a formula that feeds into the addiction center of our brains.
The near fatal flaw with this series is its absurdity. Case in point, Yingluo exacts revenge on a consort by throwing molten iron on her. Someone else adds fecal water to the iron so it will infect her wounds, ensuring to a slow and painful death. Since bacteria could not possibly survive in molten metal (a thousand plus degrees temperature here), the entire scheme is ridiculous. Equally ridiculous is the lighting rod scheme that struck the right person at exactly the right time. These are the kind of things that defy logic and insult the viewers’ intelligence. But we can still enjoy the show, as long as we accept it for what it is: mindless entertainment.
Years from now, people will still remember the show for its costumes. The muted color palette is very pleasing to the eyes. The traditional kingfisher feathers, velvet flowers, and the embroideries are beyond beautiful. The designers create a very distinctive look and authentic feel that sets this far apart from any other Qing era series. The set pieces are luxurious, too, although some of the rooms look sterile and not lived-in.
Notable performances are from Qin Lan and Charmaine Sheh. Qin Lan has depth as the gentle, virtuous empress who is actually broken on the inside. Charmaine is a master at facial expressions and the slightest shift in her smile alone can convey so many different emotions. Her Xian Fei is technically the main villain, but she is extremely sympathetic. I find myself rooting for her half the time, simply because life is cruel to her and she has to be cruel to survive.
The weakest link here is our leading lady, Wu Jinyan. She is given an interesting character, one that is clever and loyal, but with a ruthless streak. She comes across as this reckless girl who shows an attitude to her masters and pushes the boundaries of rules and etiquettes. In the strict Forbidden Palace, this attitude would get her killed a thousand times over. I have a hard time believing she’s that lucky or smart enough get away with it every time. Wu herself doesn’t have much range or subtlety to her acting. When she tries to act playful, it comes off as stilted. Worse, she has “dead fish eyes,” eyes that are large but mostly expressionless. However, she does look unique in period clothing and seems to have potential. Charmaine was awful in her first series, too, and look how far she came now.
The men’s acting are fine, nothing memorable in a story dominated by women. Fu Heng is your stereotypical second male lead who loves our heroine devotedly and unconditionally, as if there are no other good woman in the world. I’m glad they didn’t make Qian Long a jerk or a fool easily manipulated by his wives.
So after watching so many women fighting over one guy, we have to ask: which of his wives does Qian Long really love? No one, I suppose. As Qian Long himself said, his father trained him to be good ruler, and a good ruler cannot rule with his heart. He was raised not to care much about any woman. That’s why he greatly favors Yingluo, because she is the only wife who does not demand his love. She puts no pressure on him and does her best to amuse him. She asks only for gifts and favors - things at are easy for him to give. Does that cheapen their relationship? No, because there is real affection there. For Yingluo, the emperor represents the practical, while Fu Heng represents the ideal. You can marry a Qian Long, but good luck finding a Fu Heng in real life. That man only exists in dreams.
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Do not give this a miss!
Yanxi is a drama that needs to be rated 10/10 in my must-watch drama list. I am usually not drawn to overrated shows because they will turn out to be under whelming as compared to the public response, but I am super thankful that I didn't give Yanxi a miss because everything about this show is beautiful.Yanxi is one of those typical harem politics show where women fight for love, ranks, etc. EXCEPT with the twist of a badass female lead that is smart and very good at adapting to different situations. I believe smart female leads are not rare in chinese shows but Wei Ying Luo (FL) is extremely quick-witted. This makes it so fun to watch how she survives in different environment, be it with the maids or even the emperor. Just when you thought she is defeated, SHE IS NOT.
We also watch her romance with Fuheng which explores the other side of her personality. I love their relationship so much (although it's meant to break my heart at the end.. ). I would say if you're looking for a show that has a huge part of romance, then this show is not for you.
FINAL VERDICT: if you want to watch a never-say-die female lead, satisfying show where evils are punished, pls watch! i wouldn't give this a miss :)
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A must watch drama
Love this drama..it is very interesting story through start to end. Never a dull moment . The characters had done their job performance perfectly. The acting of each and everyone is very good. I love ying Lou how she played character . And had taken her revenge on who has hurts her and her love ones . I really like how much she loved the empress and being faithful to her . And the last how she had promise to take care of FUHENG in the next life. I love the empress how sweet she is and faithful to the king and holds the sense of justice .. many people will think that she is too soft and don't know what's happening but actually she knows .and the emperor was good to being an emperor we just can't accept him to be perfect because he being the emperor must be have tyrann symptoms. FUHENG being the sweetheart how much he loved the Ying Luo and protected her and their love is sweetest . I really recommend to watch thisWas this review helpful to you?
a piece of art
An extraordianary drama, an absolute must-watch. The actors give an outstanding performance, even the samaller side characters. The main leads are perfect for and in their roles. Kudos to the screen writer Zhou Mo, who succeeded in showing the roles and fates of women in this era. Their only purpose to serve the family and the system put up by men, to give birth to continue the bloddline, to be obidient, to behave undoubtedly chaste in general and at the same time be alluring to their spouse, who normally has been chosen for her. The same chackles of the system apply to men who have more freedom but still cannot overcome the pressure of the society. The actors spoil the audience with breathtaking expressions of their feelings and the main leads are owning their characters to perfectness. The directors supply us with beatiful takes and scenery, the costumes are splendid. Although being a source of heartbreak for the audience it was an absolute joy to view this performance. KUDOSWas this review helpful to you?
Yanxi Palace
- Characters are all unique, with their own personalities.- The plot twists are amazing.
- Some episodes are heavier and harder to watch than others.
- Every episode is unique, having their own climaxes.
- The music gets the suspense going.
- ITS LONG (70 EPISODES?!?!)
- It's hard to rewatch 70 episodes. (Unless you're really into it.. )
- The clothing and embroideries as well as the infrastructure of the set is amazing.
- Some comedic value.
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NOTE: I gave this a very low rating and I see others have given it a 10-star rating... so let me rewatch it. I feel that I still feel the same way about how the story ends. I think I will give it a 2nd chance.
Since I decided to watch this a 2nd time. Since I said it wasn't the cast's fault of this storyline, I gave them a 10 which brings my rating up to 7. I have changed my mind to watch it a 2nd time. I just can't! lol
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One of the Greatest TV character ever made
The name Wei YingLou sent shivers in the hearts of people in the forbidden city. She turned that city on its head. She wrought havoc and avenged her sister. She came into the palace with a mission and boy was she laser focused on that mission. Everything on her part was annihilated. She knew who she was. She wore it like a badge of honor and made no freaking apologies for who she was.Wei YingLou is IMO one of the greatest TV character ever made anywhere in the world.
I freaking loved everything about her character.
And boy oh boy that lightening striking scene was beyond iconic.
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