Story of Yanxi Palace

Unforgettable!

I originally entered this world through Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures, which was also a part of my introduction to historical Chinese dramas. My interest was peaked because I first recognized Nie Yuan and Wu Jin Yan, who have become some of my favorite actors. When I realized this was the original story I was overjoyed and so glad I finally set aside time to dive into it! At this point i pretty much watch anything that Wu Jin Yan leads because her acting is so versatile and always pulls me in.

I absolutely love this story. From all the ups and downs to the great chemistry between all the actors. I love it much more than Legend of Haolan, but both stories captivated me nonetheless. Even though there are so many episodes I would eagerly rewatch anytime I want to take a trip back to the Forbidden City!

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It is probably the best harem drama I have ever watched ( I think it is even better than Legend of Concubine Zhen Huan). I was impressed by its tight woven plot and fantastic actings.

Story
The story is about a strong who enters the palace to investigate and avenge her sister’s death. I was always a fan of strong female lead dramas, and this one was no exception. Seeing Wei Yingluo so mentally strong and her way of solving things are indeed very interesting.
The story is very tight and the costumes are very colourful as well.
I can’t find any loopholes but seeing irritating characters such as Erqing is such a pain in my ass.

Cast
Wu Jin Yan was very impressive in her role of Wei Yingluo. She was not very beautiful but her way of acting was very good. Fuca Fuhen and the Empress both did a pretty good job. The empress was my favorite character in my Yanxi Palace.
They all left a good impression in my heart.

Music
The songs and osts are just average

Rewatch
I would definitely watch it again as I will miss Wu Jin Yan

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Hooked me!

I started Story of Yanxi Palace hoping for something longer I could watch for a while between waiting for new release episodes to finally come out for the dramas I was dumb enough to start before all the episodes were available—something nice and long to settle back to, and I'd heard great things about this one. 4 days, almost no sleep, and 70 episodes later...........

I was confused and a bit disappointed with the last ten episodes and the direction they took the story, but it makes more sense now that I know that it was loosely based on actual historical events. I'm not a fan of love triangles, and this one was awful, especially after hearing that it's not historically accurate. So dumb.

But overall, it was a drama that kept me hooked. Now, to go watch Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (which I've heard is more historically accurate).

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Story of Yanxi Palace – A Must-Watch for Everyone!

Hello, drama lovers! This is my honest review of Story of Yanxi Palace, coming from someone who has watched a lot of C-dramas and K-dramas—I actually stopped watching C-dramas as frequently after 2021 because they started feeling too cliché and dragged out. I became a full-on K-drama fan. But every now and then, I come back to check if a C-drama can reignite my old love… and in 2023, this was the one that brought back the teenager in me who was obsessed with C-dramas! ^^

(Disclaimer: I just finished watching, so I might be a little biased. Bear with me! :P)

What Makes This Drama So Special?
First things first—the casting and OST are absolute perfection! I can’t even imagine other actors in these roles. The intro song alone is so exciting and nostalgic. And the actors? Iconic. (Okay, maybe the king has a few cringe moments, but we’ll let that slide! :P)

The story is beautifully crafted, using real history as a base, which makes it way more interesting than your typical palace drama. And finally—a strong female lead who isn’t just a helpless, miserable, crying mess the entire time! :) Watching her get revenge and take down villains one by one is so satisfying. Call me petty, but I am so over weak, tragic heroines who do the most illogical things just to suffer even more. This FL? A breath of fresh air!

Oh, and can we talk about the breathtaking costumes?! <3 Even after watching so many historical dramas, this one really stood out in terms of traditional fashion—it’s pure eye candy. Honestly, this is one of the best costume dramas ever!

Romance, Palace Life & Emotional Damage Alert!
The romance in this drama? Absolutely adorable and so intriguing! <3 It starts off slow but is beautifully built, making you completely invested in the main couple. You can feel their emotions, and their chemistry is just chef’s kiss! :)

But aside from romance, this drama also does an amazing job portraying the life of a woman in the palace during ancient times. It shows just how tough, strategic, and smart a woman had to be to survive in that world. It’s not all glitz and glamour—the palace is a battlefield, and every decision can mean life or death.

And beware—this drama also serves up a major second lead syndrome. (Not gonna spoil anything, but trust me, it hurts.) As the story unfolds, you get super attached to the characters, so prepare yourself to cry your eyes out. ^^

The Only Downside?
Sometimes, it feels like there are jump cuts or that a part of the story is missing. I found myself thinking, Wait, did I accidentally skip an episode? :P It would have been nice if they added a little more depth to some characters.

Final Thoughts – Is It Worth Watching?
Since this drama is based on real history, they probably didn’t want to over-fictionalize it, which makes sense. But even if you hate political dramas (like me!), you’ll still find this one way more enjoyable than most of today’s over-the-top, dragged-out historical dramas. It’s engaging, visually stunning, and filled with emotional highs and lows—the kind of show that any type of viewer can enjoy. :)

So, if you haven’t seen Story of Yanxi Palace yet, what are you waiting for? Highly recommend! <3

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I was very reluctant to watch this show because Harem/Palace settings are not at all my "thing"...But as soon as it started, it
dived me in completly!.

- Characters, historical attention to details (Qing dinastie), Ost, plot, ...everything got me in just within few minutes and I didnt care anymore for those 70 episode lenght :D...

Every single character is deeply portraited, and even the evil ones are so well written , acted, that you simply sympathize, and are fully driven to understand with each of them :
Each woman has it's own tool to outshine others, and none are stupid-like or meaningless. They all have something very personnal to express ( my favorites are Empress Fuca Rongyin and Gao Ning Xin ). The main female lead is a pure joy to watch dealing with each impossible situation she was forced to step in. While never forgetting neither herself or her goals. While always progressing.

-Wang Mao Lei who is portraiting Yuan Chun Wang is so subtil that whenever I see again this actor in other drama, I just cheer to see him again...

I Gave it not a full 10 just because I wanted her to - after all she have been trought - end up with her first and protective love, rather than the Emperor.
But trust me...this historical drama can be taken as an exellent farandolle of 70 cup of tea !
Enjoy :)

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Tear jerker have some tissues ready

Updating my review as I have now finished. The middle of this drama was a real tear jerker. I couldn'tbring myself to like the male lead and the last few episodes felt uneccessary.


I've had to press pause on this show because I've only gone and done the worst thing you can do when watching a drama. Yes i have fallen for the second male lead. I know he won't get the girl. Infact I suspect he will probably die.

The story is a bit of a slow start. A lot of uneccessary storylines in the beginning but I guess its to set up the characters and show us thier personalities.
The empress and our female lead have a very strong relationship so i am quite interested to see how she ends up falling in love with the emperor, its kinda like falling for your older sisters ex-husband which is a bit icky.

I am getting a bit tired of the continuous power struggles between the harem, the story of so many women fighting over one man does kind of make you want to smash your head in, yes i get his the king but surely there are other men out there. In fact I'd love to see a drama where at least one or two of the harem have no interest in the king what so ever. You know just tp change it up.
Sighs let me unpause and watch my guy not get the girl.

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How to gain his Majesty's favor unceasingly | The forbearing and relentless revenge.

"The person who speaks of love first is the loser." - Wei Yingluo

I knew that this drama was great, but never did I expect that it was in an extraordinary level! I thought it was just another imperial in-fighting between the consorts but damn, was I so wrong. Through this drama, I was able to consciously understand how harsh life was back then—specially to those of the royal lineage. A reminder of how sinister polygamy is and how tragic power struggle can truly be. Constantly having to be cautious and vigilant, at the same time clever and crafty in order to survive and stay alive is definitely not a task I am willing to take on in my lifetime. It also made my eyes wide open on how excessively lecherous and fickle men back then. I may have watched over 150+ costume dramas but this is the only show that made me genuinely realize how disgusting and loathsome the situation was during those times. This also made me realized the painstaking and the weight of the ruler's responsibility—dealing with the state and political issues while keeping ones internal/family issues on check.

The storytelling, pacing and narration of this drama is a cut among the finest production out there. It exhibits complexity in the most ingenious way. Every episode is carefully and intricately crafted to connect to the whole story. The plots are unpredictable and thrilling, making me pace back and forth trying to guess what's about to happen. They excelled in ensuring that all plot device are unravelled and addressed, preventing any plot holes in the story. This is a mind game that's difficult to predict which is miles different to the dramas nowadays where the plot is being shoved right in front of our faces. This drama made me miss the good old times when people are still thinking about the value and quality of the story, how should it unfold and ended in a justifiable and rational way; and not just by carelessly throwing everything just to speed up the process and forcefully make the scene look appetizing/good—like a forced marketing.

"I, Wei Yingluo, have never been afraid of fights. The more I fight, the more energetic I become." - Wei Yingluo

Dare I say that Wei Yingluo is one of the best (if not the best) female character I have watched ever. Her presence makes people with bad intention cautious and afraid that they don't dare take any action when she's around. She's quick-witted, bold and fearless. Her unwavering passion in seeking revenge for her loved ones using tactical and definite scheming ideas against the perpetrators she deemed unpardonable is one of her striking traits for me. I admire her resolute determination in eliminating anyone who plot against her regardless of their status without showing mercy. An audacious, persistent, unyielding and remorseless character I have been looking for. The type of woman who can succeed whenever she wants to. A real expert in climbing the social ladder by executing thorough, ingenious, and flawless strategies and plans. This show is like her chess game; she keeps on eliminating sinister people like it's some kind of elimination game. lol

"Managing life is all about finding appropriate ways to fight troubles that come your way. if you're always worried and frightened, then there's no fun in living." - Wei Yingluo

This drama also has the best "good turned bad" characters. Clearly shows how you shouldn't push kind people to their limits because they can be extremely dangerous once pushed to the edge.

I also just wanna mention Yuan Chunwang & Wei Yingluo's chemistry. Their siblings energy was so strong and truly entertaining to watch; too bad Yuan Chunwang became an enemy towards the 3/4 part of the story.

Lastly, the ending was great! I appreciate that they allowed us to witness the princes' in their teenager/teen adult years and although it's unfortunate that they never showed us the Princesses, I am just happy that we at least got to see how Yingluo protects the kids even at the risk of her own life.

Fuca Fuheng: "Wei Yingluo, with this life, I've guarded you. I've guarded you enough. in the next life, can you be the one to guard me instead?"

Wei Yingluo: "Okay. I promised you."

P.S. I'm still heartbroken at Fuca Fuheng's death. Huhu! He never even got to say his final words to Yingluo personally. Well at least I can deduce that Yingluo truly loves him...it's just that she's true to her words "Strangers upon meeting" when he chose to left her and marry that bitch Er Qing. Anyways, I genuinely admire his love and devotion.

Story - 10, It was outstanding! Deserves multiple round of applauses for how closely knitted the plots to the story was. It's slow-paced yet never boring, as each episode is packed with crucial scenes and information that connect directly to the main narrative. No episode or scene was wasted. Job well done!

Acting/Cast - 10, I love all of them so much to the point where I can't imagine anyone else playing their respective roles. I appreciate Xu Kai even more here and ghad! he fits that bald head very well. Wu Jinyan's laughing/mocking face threw me off at first, but I eventually got used to it and find it sinister instead (in a good way when she's dealing with the enemies).

Music - 10, For some reason, I really have a thing for c-opera songs, so I find the opening really interesting. The ending song was good, as I am sucker for ballad and I never felt off with the insert songs/tunes; reason why I'm still giving it a 10. Just for the fact that it never bothered me. lol

Rewatch Value - 10, I highly recommend this drama to those who are looking for a well written and entertaining imperial struggle drama.

Overall - 10, I've been watching dramas that were released back in 2015-2019, and this one never disappointed me. It was a gem that everyone should discover and watch. The script was well-written, and I am just so grateful that the subtitles I watched it with were so informative, which helped me better understand the poems and context of the story.

IF you find this review helpful please let me know.

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A Must Watch Series

Chinese historical dramas are not my cup of tea as they tend to cover more on xianxia. But this series blew my mind. The cast and acting. The plot. The music. Everything was so well-thought and detailed.

Wei Yinglou's mc shield is strong but aside from that, everything was so good and realistic. It's not slow and I have been binged watching for a week now. None stop. I just couldn't help myself to see what will happen next. The plot of internal palace harem schemes and drama is expected. But because of her personality, you'd always wonder what will she do next.

I love how they expressed each character. I want to hate them but I can't, they have reasons why they just used the wrong method and got the best of themselves as any normal person would. From Noble Consort Gao, Empress Hoifa-Nara, Noble Consort Chun. The only one I truly loathe would probably the emperor.

Everything was just a roller-coaster ride of emotions, especially on the Fuca Siblings. The love and devotion Yinglou has for the two was probably the only strong emotion she has given to anyone other than her sister. The strong bond she had with empress Fuca was breathless. She sacrifices herself, for her. She let go of the only man who she truly loved just to give the empress the justice she deserves. This is one of the highlights for me. It didn't focus on (OTP) romance it showed that it's not only romantic love that exists.

But what was the saddest for me was the love Wei Yinglou and Fuca FuHeng had. Yinglou isn't the type of person who falls in love or even thinks of that. She's independent and strong. While Fu Heng had long been used to women flocking over him and is neither interested. I think was they had was true and pure love. They loved each other through their best and worst. He loved even every evil thing she did. And she still loved him even though she swore to forget him and she never did. This kind of love is hard and rare to find. And with their type of personality, they're the kind of people who only love once. They're each other's the one that got away.
Even though she ended up with the emperor, I never think she loved him even a bit. Emperor fell in love with her. But she stayed just to do her role and respect to the late empress to take care of him. I felt that she still has Fu Heng in the back of her mind. And the emperor knows that. I still question his love for her tho. If he loves her. or he loves her because she reminds him of the empress Fuca.

It felt like the series is trying to convey that even though you're meant to be. Reality still slaps. We're humans tend to be vulnerable. Easily to get the best of our emotions. Example: the emperor's selfishness, the harems jealousy, and fu heng's selflessness.

Kudos to the director. Because even though I'm watching beautiful scenes of Fu Heng and Yinglou, the emperor and empress Fuca. I feel so much joy but still ended up crying to such beautiful scenes knowing everything in the palace is short-lived.

The series doesn't need a sequel. And I'm okay with the ending though a very depressing one. It will always be in my heart that Fuca FuHeng and Wei Yinglou, Emperor Qianlong and Empress Fuca Rongyin are the ones made for each other.

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STOP now if you do not like intelligent, well portrayed, long, sumptuous scenes/costumes and history dramas. This will not meet your needs. This is for lovers of SOLID, well delivered historical drama lovers. This is an investment of time and love.
Story: Not new - Qing era - power - harem & survival- politics- love- abuse of powers - loyalty. The writers & production team brought us into the Forbidden city, behind the doors and inside the lives of the women & men who are simply wanting to live - some greedily others - some for revenge - some just for love.
Actors/Cast: YL & the Emperor were MAGNIFICENT with screen chemistry rivaling any modern drama. They both portrayed their roles with grace, power and depth. There were so many moving parts(cast members) that performed brilliantly, all the while convincing us the power & survival within - surrounding the harem life. Not one terrible actor!
Music: the score was PERFECT for the drama, while the opening soundtrack of the opera singing set the tone for the entire drama.
ReWatch: at 70 ep, may come back after I get some rest. Worthy of re-watch - REALLY!
Overall: Costumes, scenes and actors delivered a compelling drama riddle with logic, philosophy and relevance to survival & love, period! The final ep of the dialog with YL and Chun is the final learning offered to us as to survival in the forbidden domain of love. Watch if your are serious about Cdramas. Brilliant!

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Ultimate palace revenge story

Initially, I was drawn by the epic music, costumes, and set, but I stayed because of the FL. She's capable and outwits her enemies through fairly dramatic, but more importantly, refreshing schemes for a palace concubine drama. This is shown right when she first enters the palace. Sure, she has ppl helping her out, but a lot of it was also her machinations and quick thinking. Throughout the drama, we are introduced to many different characters, all with their own motivations, and I like that FL does not always win against them. Characters in the story are drawn to her for her fearlessness and straightforward demeanor - she fights injustice and helps others where she can, but she's not stupid. She doesn't suffer losses without paying them back and she always has her eye on the bigger picture. She actually learns from her failures, too. Because most of the main characters are concubines and the plot is mostly in the palace, this is a "palace concubine" drama, but ultimately, it's a revenge story.

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One of the best series I ever watched in this lifetime

I want to give an outstanding review to the actors, the directors and most importantly the Writers ✍️. I loved this series from start to finish what made this so amazing is that the writers kept the attention of the audience throughout the whole storyline, it was never a boring moment, even when a main character you got to know died, this series still captures your attention, This was the 1st introduction to me craving to watch more, and more historical Chinese dramas, I am from a different country and I fell in love with Chinese historical drama 🎭 just by watching this full series.. unfortunately as much as I craved the same high I received from this show, no other show can top this one from start to finish, they neither have a weak start or a very poor ending after engaging all your time in watching it, most of them left me very upset because the ending was very pitiful, after so much sadness the world would like to believe in happy satisfaction endings to a great story and many writers need to learn from this show and give us a great ending like this one.. I love the FL she held her own strength, she was clever, quick wit and highly intelligent.. some shows have the FL overly stupid, too playful to the point of being annoying, or childish talking like a retard and needing someone else to always save them, but this drama she carry her own weight, I love most of the shows she is in because she is quick wit and highly intelligent.

I give a standing ovation 👏🏾 and round applause 👏🏾 to the actors, directors, dressers, and a double applause to the writers ✍️ you guys set the tone on what a Chinese drama series should be like… every choice was well thought out and imperfect but perfectly balanced. 😍🥰🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞

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