
Plot: Like the summary, the plot is about a maidservant that is out for her revenge. However, I feel that mostly the plot revolved around the CP and his father, the emperor. For example, everything that the CP did--the father is against it because the emperor doesn't trust him and perhaps, even feels threatening by him. In this drama, you can easily see that the father loves Crown Prince Ding Quan, but because he is the head of state-he cannot easily agree with the choices that CP made. So, to counterattacked the CP's choices-He used his second son to put CP in his place. Throughout this drama, I can feel the pain and suffering that CP went through-with protecting his love for Wen Xi and those around him.
Cons: I feel some scenes got cut out, and the story didn't flow nicely. But, still, a good drama to watch.
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It could have been good but the Director did a terrible job...
The pace is too slow with too much walking, crying, torture and abuse. I don't mind good cinematography of ceremonies, but it is just not particularly great scenes of the ceremonies anyway (I have seen much better ones around though it possibly didn't help that the music is censored on Youtube). The 4 episodes after the 60 episodes that I watched on Youtube could have been incorporated into the main series to make the drama series more interesting and make more sense. The actors aren't that bad, but I think the plot, the screen writers and the director did not do the cast justice.Was this review helpful to you?
Amazing Drama
I will never forget how I felt watching this drama nor will I ever forget it. It haunts me to this day. What an incredible story line and acting by the entire cast. Luo Jin is absolutely one of the best actors I have ever had the pleasure of watching. The cinematography, costumes, interiors, music were amazing. I still cannot believe it has not received the recognition it deserves. It is definitely a drama to watch and re-watch.The relationship between the King and Crown Prince was at most times difficult to watch as well as the other family members.
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Intense
Yes, every positive review you've read about this series is true. The stunning cinematography, the dialogue (oh my god, the dialogue), the characters, the intricate and soul-ripping plot, and lastly the intense chemistry between the protagonists. The flip side of these will gut you at every turn: deaths, betrayals, fratricide, filicide, suicides, and hate. At some point, I just had to start laughing at all the betrayals and deaths otherwise I would have lost my damn mind. Heed the warning, do not attempt this if you have suicidal ideations or depression.Then there's the Emperor (Crown Prince's father) who is probably the best antagonist I've ever had the pleasure of watching. I hated him with all my soul and yet I waited with bated breath for him to speak or act because a mere flick of his eyes could deal untold hardship on those around him. I rooted for him as much as I wanted him dead. How is that not some insidiously perfect scriptwriting?
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Cant wait to end the serial
Most actors and actress have a good acting skill, i watched this serial because of Luo Jin. Love the costum, simple but elegant. It was good at the beginning but at the middle of drama the story line suck. Im suppect if the script writer were differenf team. Full of tears scene, with shallow story line. Its must be hard for Luo Jin, to cry his heart out, bravo Luo Jin. Modern korean drama in classical chinese series. Tears are all ove the series. I have always skip the scene of main actor and actress, as its to draging.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
AMAZING SHOW. You start off kinda slow thinking this is gana be one of those drag on shows-ITS NOT! It’s flow is great. Definitely a roller coaster of emotions, but you almost forget about the constant churning of emotions because the acting is so off the charts phenomenal that’s it’s nail bitting, edge of the seat, and anticipation. And the ever growing investment in each of the well thought out characters and plot...plots? Lol 100% worth a watch!!!
That being said.........
The complete lack luster ending absolutely killed it for me. All this tension and drama build up......for that horribly, hum drum, boring, and complete fail of an ending for such an epic show.
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Must watch both Royal Nirvana and Royal Nirvana Special! It's just A. M.A. Z.I. N.G!
I do love watching a heavy political C-drama. Thank God I have decided to watch this! Royal Nirvana (60 eps) and Royal Nirvana Special (12 eps) combined is one of the best political C-Drama ever! It's an exciting rollercoaster! The male and female leads do deserve the best actor and actress award! All out tremendous acting from both, Luo Jin (the sociopath Crown Prince) and Li Yitong (the gracefullly beautiful, smart gentle heroine Lu WenXi). Wicked storyline and plots, epic production and beautiful cinematography supported by great music, casts and acting! The conflicts in this drama was sadistic but the romance was romantically hot! The shadow of Luo Jin and Li Yitong's romantic moments behind the screening was astonishingly beautiful and intellectually romantic. Moreover, the catepillar kiss and 3 years longing kiss are def the best kissing scene in all C-dramas I have ever watched! It's just A. M.A. Z.I. N.G!Was this review helpful to you?

BEAUTIFUL SETTING
Luo Jin and Yi LiTong were great in this drama....he loved her without knowing her face, the interaction was done behind the screen - her intelligent and voice attracted him, and he proposed marriage but rejected by her father (who happen to be his teacher) for reason of her 'well being'. Very unfortunately, it didn't happen and Lu WenXi (Li YiTong) went to service at the palace as a maid to help her brother/father out of jail because of the crime they didn't commit. I felt like the Crown Prince (Luo Jin) should have intelligent like no others but this one was pretty naive almost stupid. He didn't use smart tactics, his brusque action costed him punishments. Nothing's good came out from his actions, more heart breaking and short sighted. And the damn Crown Prince didn't learn from it, the next decision he made cost people jail. I sighed a lot watching this....a lot of emotional scenes product of his naivety and stubbornness. A lot of punishment scenes, beating, kill, house-arrest, poisons, all that to prove something done wrong by the Crown Prince. Xiao DingTang (Jin Han) the jealous brother ambitious to take Crown Prince title and most favored by the Emperor, wasn't favor by me - his devious schemes made me want to slap him on the face - that's include the Emperor. Too bad Jin Han's acting was at best 'kissing ass' a lot so since this I don't care to watch Jin Han's future dramas.Last episode though, finally the Crown Prince proved himself worthy and his brother, the 'kissing ass' prince got shacked away. He finally found out the girl that he first fallen in love with was the trusty maid that's been on his side all along. But as she wanted to take revenge of the death of her innocent brother and father, she got send out to prison. Crown Prince cleared her family name by proving that family was being misjudged for political reason. He ran to her mansion to see her when the snow falling and they reunited...in embrace, promise, and kisses.
The set was beautiful, costumes were amazing, love the soundtracks, great acting from the lead actors, Zheng YiCheng part wasn't much...they could actually develop his part as his character was a positive one but the production preferred to emphasis the saddest parts of whole characters. The ending was good though...happily married and growing family...can't get over the romantic song 'To win a heart so dear'
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Take too much time to start a love story
A crown prince who doesn't have much power was living a depressed life and also live in so much pressure. After a long depressed life at last something good was happened in his life ,he was fallen in love but at the same a tragic happened in girl's life and he was forced to marry with someone else . I thought he would say truth to his wife but he fallen in love with her and his ex love become his wife's maid . He never had seen his ex love only by voice and a slightly glimpse of her made him fallen for her . That's the reason he never recalled her . As a maid many times she caught in a trap and many times beaten by him . He recalled her at the end .very end of drama they lived together .What I don't like about drama
1. So easily he forgot her.
2. He separated with his companion who also his cousin but never met with him
3. Lead actress never met with his younger brother.
4. Love story was started at the third last episode.
5. Too much conspiracy shown which make him helpless all the time.
What I liked
1 .Acting of the actors and actresses especially the one who was played the role of crown prince.
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Stunning acting, insulting story line
First off: magnificent acting and haunting music. Also, I loved that the music did not go over actors' lines, as so often you get in Chinese drama.The big downside is the quite insulting story line to the viewers intelligence.
I mean, there are stupid scripts. But this script is calling the viewers stupid.
I mean, we all know what "susspenssion of disbelief" is.
We all use it when reading a novel or watching a play or a movie. It means that we know a lifetime does not last for 90 minutes. We know people cannot fight with 1000 degrees rotation in mid air. We know all that. But we accept it as part of the storytelling.
However, when a door knob is turned and the door fails to close, one should get a solid and logic explanation for that: either it was a real world mechanical problem, or it was a magical world magical problem.
Logic has to apply at all times in story telling, either using realistic explanations or magical solutions for a magical world.
Or, "Royal Nirvana" sinns in the utmost for it challenges the sense of logic people hold.
First off, at the very core of the plot is the fact that the ML is smittenend with the FL, and yet he is totally unable to recognize his soul mate when she stands in front of him day in and day out, as a maid in his household.
For the story goes that they had talked behind the screens, never in full view. However, he had glimpses of her figure, even of her face, and most importantly they TALKED extensively.
So, how come, when the FL emerges as a maid in his house he simply cannot recognize her voice?
From that point onward it was a nightmare to watch, for I felt constantly abused by this lack of respect the writers showed us, the viewers, with depriving the story line of its "inner logic".
If that was not enough, the poor ML character had all the traits of a personality disorder type, providing an erratic behavior that offends again, the need for logic and structure a viewer has.
Case in point: he is smittenend by the FL, and yet happily adjust to a married life to a second girl; he binds his and the FL hand together to avoid being forcefully separated from her when he is ordered to stay at a shrine, but once the confinement is over and he returns home, he puts the FL to work in the laundry department. After the two of them spent all that time in close proximity, while binding their minds and souls, he just cast her in the heavy work division in his house. Why? Oh, why?
Only to justify more beatings and torture the FL is subjected to?
In fact the personality disorder ML, who is first smittenend with her, then is not reconizing her when having her under his thumb as a maid (which was actually slave status), resorts to all sorts of phisical punishments against the FL: he grabs and knocks her around personally, orders others to beat her for hours, and lets her be exposed to near death experices.
To then say he was sorry ....
WTF???
The other huge relationship the ML has is with his father. That goes a little bit smoother in terms of logic: the father is a cold and abusive man, the son is a frightened kid earning for recognition and love. The father is also the Emperor weary of his kids overthrowing him, and the ML is the Crown Prince eager to prove himself. That it ends with the weaker link collapsing under the pressure and commiting suicide is only befitting.
The suicide scene in the final frames of "Royal Nirvana Special" I believe to be one of the most beautiful scenes ever.
Masterfully told and performed.
In fact, that story, of father and son, Emperor and Crown Prince, is the satysfying one, one that does not call you stypid.
I could go on with a laundry list of attacks to the comandement of "inner logic" and storyline consistency, but I really do not believe that it is worth my while.
Anyway, once again, stunning acting.
The actors took out of the garbage bin this drama.
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I can no longer continue
I'm having a difficult stress life, I can't watch this drama, I am regretting actually. So Ep. 16 was the furthest I went. It's very painful and LOADS of backstabbing and betrayal.It's not my kinda choice to distract my stressful life. Sometimes I just wonder whats the point of Emperor having many sons when he can't even trust any of them.
I so sorry Zhang Ye Cheng, I was original here to support your role but it's too painful to watch the whole drama. I'm just glad he gets the role, he's very adaptive to whichever role he took apparently.
Good luck to those that can endure this drama.
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