This review may contain spoilers
Quite enjoyable
I myself enjoy this drama. This drama is actually my thing, particularly the less screen time of the romance because I'm literally not really enjoying romance. I like how they solved the problems of their kingdom, and the topic about the government and their officials, especially about how concubines should've worked to help the emperor. But, the last two episodes feel like not satisfying enough. It's just so so, nothing WOW.Also, I like Zijin, but her character's personality is just so unreal to be real. Smart, brave, kind, patient, silver-tongued, easily forgiving people, even sassy, it's hard to find someone like her in real life. Moreover, I don't see a significant character development from her. Same thing goes for the others, they lack character development unless for Ziping.
The execution of those bad people was just unfair. Instead of giving them karma or being punished by the law, the writer let them d* words by suicide? I hate those parts. I believe the writer could do something better.
Forget about some lingering questions, overall, I love this drama. It's not boring for me tho.
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Just because of Xu Kai
Almost didn't watch this because what AvenueX @YouTube said in her review. But this is Xu Kai drama, so here I am still watching it....What AvenueX said in her video is so true. This drama just for the sake Xu Kai & Wu Jin Yan pairing. In my opinion she's not even the best partner for Xu Kai. Maybe I've to watch YanXi Palace first so I can ship them together....
In the term of story this is not very good. They combine Food & politic, but didn't do the very good job, so yeah it's kinda messy. At the end this drama is about food or politic is very questionable.... The food itself yeah at first kinda drooling, but I've watched drama with more drooling food.
But yeah when you put politic in ur every plot that when you can see that all the people basically so messy & hide ugly self within themselves & once you fall down the rabbit hole into the dark pit you can't get urself out of it....
So yeah this drama just for the sake pf the actor/ess involve, nothing more
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High budget production for a disappointing story and performance
The first thing that strikes when watching this drama is the sheer detailing of the beautiful costumes, the mouth-watering foods, the grandeur of the location and set and the cinematography.However, the drama falls really short in terms of the story and the unconvincing acting of the entire cast with the exception of Crown Dowager Zhang, matron Sheng and Yin Ziping.
As a viewer, I cannot really grasp who or what is really the star in this drama. Is it the food, the lives of these women, palace life during that period, the love story between Yao Zijin and Zhu Zhanji, the sacrificial burial of concubines? Seriously, I am lost.
If I compare historical dramas that have relied heavily on one element of Chinese culture, for example Winter Begonia that used Chinese Opera to depict the formation and evolution of an amazing friendship, Marvelous Women that used Chinese raw silk embroidery to showcase women's empowerment and friendship; I see that these cultural items really delved and carried us along the story. They were the backbone of the story and very intelligently melded with.
Here, food as a very important element of Chinese culture is used but it is not cohesive with the story. We get to see only fancy preparations due to culinary contests, fancy ingredients or names of dishes, the abuse or misuse of medicinal food, remembrance of childhood food prior to death, fabricated village food and sufferings of farmers and lastly, food during famine. However, the underlying message is unclear...what is the story trying to show us? They just seem incidental to the scenes. Also the use and abuse of food is omnipresent throughout the drama... on one hand, the message is not to waste food and immediately after, another scene would contradict the message...be it by the Emperor Yongle himself who arrogantly stares down at the fancy food or the grandson who childishly demands that Yao Zijin prepares fresh food for him while throwing a tantrum...
Secondly, the facial or body expressions of the casts, especially that of FL and SFL really appalled me. They seem to have only 3-4 expressions in their repertoire and it became painful to continue watching. There was no dimensionality in the characters of the entire cast. I understand that this drama is not a character-driven one but still, one would expect some form of character development...
Finally, it reverts back to the haphazard story of the drama... the palace plots were hardly dramatic, their resolving felt like a breeze. The episodes I forced myself to watch had not real arc, they were just linear in story telling and thus, failed to grab and keep my attention.
Never have I felt so frustrated by a historical drama which promises one thing but really falls short on delivering it.
P.S: Xu Kai really should stop taking on roles in high-budget productions and really focus on improving his acting skills. He could have the potential but his drama choices can really break his career which so far seems to be sustaining itself because of his pretty face.
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Sleeper Gem For Me!
Since I watched this drama a couple of years after its original release, I never really saw it heavily promoted on all those "Best Drama: list recommendations. I accidentally ran across it on YouTube, watched the first episode and was hooked. It was strangely addicting because I usually don't like this time period in dramas. It had everything I loved in a drama and more. On their own, Xu Kai (who I adore) and Wu Jin Yan are such great actors and never disappoints. Great cast, great acting, leading couple could have had more chemistry, but I over looked it because overall. was such a good drama. It had palace intrigue, array of royal dishes and various cooking methods, "Kitchen Politics", good guys won over the good guys! Reading some reviews, I guess this drama is not everyone's cup of tea, but for me, it was a definite 10 and I re-watched it already. I personally highly recommend it.Was this review helpful to you?
Rubbish
Even if they did had chemistry previously …No chemistry in this drama, it looked forced …. Plot was everywhere and didn’t have no base, no center no base, just all over the place.Even if they did had chemistry previously …No chemistry in this drama, it looked forced …. Plot was everywhere and didn’t have no base, no center no base, just all over the place.
Even if they did had chemistry previously …No chemistry in this drama, it looked forced …. Plot was everywhere and didn’t have no base, no center no base, just all over the place.
Even if they did had chemistry previously …No chemistry in this drama, it looked forced …. Plot was everywhere and didn’t have no base, no center no base, just all over the place.
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This series is not to bad to be rewatched
I think this series have had a bad review because of bad subtitles. I could only find subtitles which I can watch the series for entertainment but still can not find one with subtitles that I think the characters really meant in certain scenes.Minus points for bad sequencing of the story and didn't have enough background relationship of ML and FL prior to EP 9 when it looks like they have aleardy fallen in love and start having conflict, may be because they were cut short to only 40 episodes. Anyway, out of the blue, they suddenly acting like they, in a way, been a couple already in early EP 9 when ML asked FL's opinion in visiting his wife.
Minus points for certain costume and makeup for FL. In the history, the Empress Sun was the most beautiful woman in her hom town and Wu Jinyan was more beautiful herself than in this series. Her night gown also looks very bad for a concubine of a crown prince. Her hair did make the back of her head very flat. The hairstyle of that time may not suit her.
Minus points for unnatural moves, very stiff, of FL and ML in comparison to thier acting in the story Yanxi Palace, especially when they were together.
Plus points for happy ending between Fuca Fuheng and Wei Yingluo eventhough there are not enough of scenes that they were together. I wishes for more.
In the end after I watched this series for so many times (one of the reason was to find subtitles that make the most sense) I understand and appreciate the subtleties of the conversations in the series better and, hence, comeup with my rating.
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Mouth watering cuisine with a side of romance
I never shipped Fuca and Wei Yingluo so I was a bit ambivalent about seeing Xu Kai and Wu Jin Yan in another historical drama, however, I ended up enjoying it more than expected. Two things bothered me about Jin Yan though...1) her makeup was done by someone who clearly hated her because she looked like a ghost onscreen and
2) she looked tired, skinny, and so much older than Xu Kai.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the use of food as a driver for the plot.
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The performances aren't bad, but the characters don't help the actors in creating memorable scenes.
The direction is questionable, as the drama is slow and tiring, the scenes cooking food are exaggerated, the feature of omitting scenes to create suspense was used so many times that it was possible to deduce that the result would be different. There are some editing errors, but they would certainly go unnoticed if the drama had a more immersive pace.
The costumes are exuberant, perhaps this is the high point of the drama.
The soundtrack doesn't offend, but it doesn't enchant either.
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This review may contain spoilers
You can hv your own ambition but don't trample others to achieve it.
Tbh I don't know what to put in the headline but I think it's apt bcs in this drama, it told a lots about the characters' ambitions and their ways of achieving it. Ill intention ambition will be met with resistance and hv their own consequences.ML, Zhu Zhanji, was a wise man and hv great aspirations to be a great Emperor thanks to his grandfather's guide and teaching. He was kind to those who deserved it and ruthless to those who betrayed his trust. When it comes to love, he has only hv eyes to the woman he fell in love. He was so sweet, very tolerant and understanding of FL. He did reprimand her when needed but also admitted his faults when he wronged her.
I love seeing their moments together, I love that they communicated their differences although it was not right then and there but only after some misunderstanding
FL, Yao Zinji or Sun, was a woman who always keep her composure, intelligent, magnanimous and bold. She was also elegant personified I wld say bcs she was trained for it, but not on her own volition, because of this, she had a hard time growing up. She tried to cope with it, entering the palace to be in the domain that she took comfort in which was being a chef and cooking foods. Her relationship with ML was complicated but she truly love him although she had to sort out her feeling bcs loving him also related to her hard times. But ML didn't give up and sincerely care about her so that moved her and she also gave it all loving him. She told him that she also was her own person with her own views so she would try her best to change something that she felt wasn't right and it was about the practice of burying the concubines alive with the dead Emperor. I like that she said that and I support it.
Supporting characters that deserve a shout-out. The Fearless Empress Dowager although I didn't like her at the start but she amazed me. Yang Ziping, loyal friend even though I was suspicious of her at the start but her character development just pleasing to watch. Chen Wu, clever man that observant of ML moods, thoughts and also credit to him that helped ML and FL communicated. Manager Fang, kind woman and very patient.
Cons: I agree with one review here (user morenokatz) that said there are gaps in the story, that some scenes jumps that made us crave for answers to some events.
I saw one review in one of the episodes about how some of the viewers expected this to be the unofficial continuation of SoYP. I am really thankful to their review (user blinky catt) that made me take a step back and think.
For those who came from the Story of Yanxi Palace including me, it took me a long time before I decided to watch this drama bcs both of their characters before hv a special spots in my heart. I don't know about you, but I am okay with it. This drama was its own story with a bit of them two. I am happy with it.
I agree with one review here from Louie G. They did a good job describing FL and ML.
- 20240318 0208
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the gentlest palace cdrama i have watched
I had no idea what to expect; I only hoped that this was NOT yanxi palace redux. While there is nothing outstanding about this drama, I think they did a good job of following through with the storylines in a rational and sensible manner. Characters acted according to themselves and not as plot devices. There were no random plot twists just to up the drama shock factor. The editing was weird in spots where I assume they snipped stuff for censorship or time constraints. No one overacted and most actors did their job credibly. No anxiety inducing melodrama or over-dramatics to induce emotions. Even the humor was understated and appropriate to the sedate tone. And I didn't mind the sedate, gentle tone at all. I loved it after watching so many insane palace dramas. Why do I care if it's realistic or not? It's a drama! I found it refreshing for my soul.The leads were outshone by the Empress (Zhanji's mom) and Yin Ziping. They were very good. They delivered their roles of feminist icon and working class hero very well. These themes were very obvious but not obnoxiously conveyed. The women in this drama were very very good. The villains either got their comeuppance or found their humanity to repent, and they did it without hysterics. All of the characters got an ending and it was a good mix of happy and not.
It's not a five star drama (nowhere near that good) but I enjoyed it and rewatched it. I liked it even better the second time around. When I need a break from the insanity of cdrama plots, I will come back to it.
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This review may contain spoilers
"Royal Feast" it's a historical drama about people working in the palace, their lives and loves.Like most people, I also started watching because of "Story of Yanxi Palace", hoping to finally see Wu Jin Yan and Xu Kai as a couple, but the drama disappoints so much and that in all aspects. The romance is very weak, the relationship between Zi Jin and Zhan Ji doesn't captivate attention, so I thought that at least the cooking part would be good... but no.
At first, it seems like there is an intention to focus more on the day-to-day lives of the women who work in the palace and make the dishes, there are even some competitions between the characters, so I thought the drama would be something like "Chef Hua" or "Dating In The Kitchen", with scenes that make your mouth water and make you want to eat, but the food itself took a backseat.
I thought Zi Jin wanted to be a cook, but from the beginning she came to the palace with the intention of seducing the prince and taking back her place. She may say no, but no one forced her to become a concubine, if it was really her dream, Zi Jin wouldn't have given up so easily.
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To watch for the cast, the costumes and the (relative) historical reality
History & Culinary series with Xu Kai as ML, and lots of excellent actors.PLOT: The FL becomes a cook at Court. There she encounters the difficulties of a kitchen team, court intrigues, etc. and the ML, imperial grandson. We then follow the FL's progression in the kitchen and the ascension of the ML to the throne.
+++ The point of view is centered on the FL, therefore the Inner Courtyard, particularly the Courtyard seen from the kitchens.
+++ The characters are human, complex, well developed.
+ The embroidered costumes are MAGNIFICENT. Bravo to the designer!
+ I really like the credits and the OSTs, not memorable, but well suited.
+ The narration is slow, but detailed. This gives a realistic impression of the era, the customs, the protocols,... (except that if we look at the chinese emperor'portraits, there is none as young and handsome as Xu Kai :)
# Start of the series a little sluggish, the rest is better.
# I don't find FL pretty. I'm not talking about the actress, but her very severe hairstyle doesn't suit her.
=> In the end, I liked this series, but I don't think I will watch it again because it is slow and long.
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Série Historique & Culinaire avec Xu Kai as ML, et bcp d'excellents acteurs.
PLOT: La FL devient cuisinière à la Cour. Elle y rencontre les difficultés d'1 équipe de cuisine, les intrigues de Cour, etc. et le ML, petit-fils impérial. On suit alors la progression en cuisine de la FL et l'ascension du ML au trône.
+++ Le point de vue est centré sur la FL, donc la Cour Intérieure, particulièrement la Cour vue des cuisines.
+++ Les personnages sont humains, complexes, bien développés.
+ Les costumes brodés sont MAGNIFIQUES. Bravo au designer !
+ J'aime beaucoup le générique et les OST, non mémorables, mais bien adaptées.
+ La narration est lente, mais détaillée. Cela donne une impression réaliste de l'époque, des usages, des protocoles,... (sauf que si on regarde les portraits des empereurs, il n'y en a aucun aussi jeune et beau que Xu Kai :)
# Débuts de la série un peu poussifs, la suite est mieux.
# Je ne trouve pas la FL jolie. Je ne parle pas de l'actrice, mais sa coiffure, très sévère, ne lui sied pas.
=> Au final, j'ai bien aimé cette série, mais je ne crois pas que je la regarderai à nouveau car elle est lente et longue.
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