Kill Me Love Me

Baron Chen as Murong Xuan Lie

I find either a lack of reviews of Baron Chen's performance or lackluster reviews. I think his portrayal was excellent; showing a depth of character in Murong Xuan Lie that has been overlooked. The scene where Yin Luo Mei has been drugged by her Aunt as part of a plan of seduction was so well played and with such quality of acting on Baron Chen's part that has not been given its just accolade. His portrayal of a man tormented with long suppressed emotion for Luo Mei who finally has a chance to indulge his desire, yet cannot allow himself to because he loves and respects this woman so much...only high praise is deserved for this character portrayal. He is underused as a ML.

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It was perfect for 2/3 and then the last part happened

srsly, wth? It had drama, action, romance, revenge... And then something abducted the writers and made then change the pace, the main female lead personality, and by the last 2 episodes i was certain that the one writing it was jk rowling. anyway, i was already after ep 20 and SUUURE i would give it a 10, but these weird episodes happened, and now i am giving 8 just because the first 20something episodes where fantastic. I see what they meant with the ending, but that was definitely not what WE wanted and so unfair with the main characters. we all know life is unfair, we dont have to see it happening in dramas like this. whatever, if you are ok with getting depressed and hopeless, have a nice watch. I wish i had stopped around ep20 so i could pretend it ended there lol maybe it is based on a true story and they wished to keep the end true to the real jinhe story? we have documentaries for that, guys, unnecessary 😑 lol

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THE DRAMA LIVED UP TO ITS NAME

There’s a bittersweet irony in how a title can so accurately encapsulate the fate of a story. This drama, which started with promises of intensity and twists, ended in a lukewarm sigh, as if exhausted by its own ambitions. It’s impossible to overlook the detail no one seems eager to talk about: the poison that killed Mei Li was given by Jinghe and had a one-year expiry. Yes, he regretted it, sought a cure, and perhaps even redeemed himself in the eyes of many. But the facts remain unchangeable — he killed her, full stop. There’s no softening that truth.

The pacing, on the other hand, completely unraveled after the crown prince’s death. It was as though the plot lost its emotional and narrative anchor. From that point on, every attempt to inject life into the story felt like a tired, sluggish effort, which, unsurprisingly, reflected in the lukewarm reception it received in China. Not even the chemistry between the leads could salvage what quickly turned into an exercise in monotony. It’s a shame because both actors are talented and delivered solid performances — but talent alone doesn’t make for a memorable story.

In the end, it’s the kind of production that fades from memory as easily as it entered. The aesthetics were beautiful, and the beginning held promise, but ultimately, it lacked substance. This is a drama I’m already starting to forget as I write this review.

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The acting was exceptional by main CP but the storyline went downhill at mid-point.

Kill Me Love Me is a WuXia drama that starts with Liu Xue Yi (as Jing He) and Wu Jin Yan (as Mei Lin.) The drama begins with a good story of rivalry between the crown prince, Xuan Lie, and his brother, Jing He. The Qingzhou princess (Mei Lin) tries to seek revenge on her parents, who were burned to death.

The acting was exceptional between the main CP however, the acting of the 2nd CP was awful, especially the acting of Baron Chen (the crown prince). He only has one expression and the same stoic looks for a dramatic and cold demeanor. His lover, the female general, did not act well either. After the crown prince's death, the storyline went downhill from there. It was so stupid and unbearable. I finished it quickly just to see the acting of the main CP.

Overall, I give it a 7.0 rating. Wu Jin Yan's character is much better in The Double Drama.

Synopsis: Prince Murong Jing He of the Great Yan Dynasty led his Weibei Army to reclaim Qingzhou, a lost territory. His triumphant victory should have been a moment of glory. Still, soon after his army entered the city, a devastating fire broke out. Whispers spread throughout Qingzhou, accusing Murong Jing He of harboring a grudge against the people for their alleged betrayal of Great Yan. Rumor had it that the prince, now known as the ruthless "Butcher General," ordered the city to be burned. In the flames, a young girl named Mei Lin lost her entire family. Heartbroken and consumed by vengeance, she vowed to kill the one responsible for the massacre. She joins a secret organization known as the Shadow Works, where she undergoes years of brutal training after consuming a deadly poison that turns her into an unstoppable assassin. Mei Lin's first mission is finally assigned: to assassinate her greatest enemy, Prince Murong Jing He himself. Disguised as one of a hundred Xiyan beauties sent to the Great Yan as part of a political marriage alliance, she patiently waits for her chance to strike. But Mei Lin doesn't know that the man who masterminded her entire assassination mission—setting her on this path of revenge—is none other than Murong Jing He himself.

My Reviews:
1. Good acting but a bad script.
2. The 2nd CP cannot act.
3. The storyline went downhill after the mid-point
4. I give it a 7.0 rating.

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Pensavo fosse un "calesse", invece....

La faccio breve. Ho aspettato con ansia l'uscita di questa serie. Dai trailer mi ero già fatta un film su come poteva essere la storia, poi però, dopo le prime puntate diventa monotona e poco interessante. Anche i protagonisti principali ML e FL di tutto rispetto e con la mia totale ammirazione, sono diventati piatti e monocorde ( mi chiedo: sono stati doppiati? Ad un certo punto non sentivo i rumori di fondo all'aperto).
Arrivano entrambi da successi favolosi per le loro ultime interpretazioni ma qui hanno fatto un capitombolo non da poco. Penso che la colpa sia da imputare soprattutto a sceneggiatura e regia.
Cosa dire dei personaggi secondari? Per me alcuni non sono stati per niente capaci, come ad es. il principe ereditario, la giovane concubina reale molto sciocca così pure il fratello principe ostaggio.
La storia poteva terminare con almeno 8 puntate di meno ma è stata stiracchiata all'eccesso con le vicende delle ultime puntate (molte le ho velocizzate per non correre il rischio di droppare la serie).
Il finale è emozionalmente intenso, tante lacrime e mal di cuore. Si offre allo spettatore una seconda possibilità: e se......( ma solo un accenno)
Le OST sono molto belle e le parole molto intense. Le location sono meravigliose, così pure trucco e parrucco.
Da rewatch? per me, no.
Serie consigliata? come sempre, si!
Cosa non piace a me, può piacere a te! buona visione.

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Liu Xueyi nailed it as Murong Jinghe. He captured the elegant royalty, and also a little touch of insanity and intimidation Murong Jinghe was supposed to possess perfectly. The way he spoke slowly and flirtatiously the whole time was perfect in this role. I loved how even though he was the one to poison Mei Lin (Wu Jinyan), she didn't blame him. Also the fact that when she died, he didn't marry anyone after but still managed to live a full life as emperor. Normally, the still-alive one of the couple retires of his/her duties and just lives in mourning until they die, or if they are an immortal they wait till the other reincarnates. Overall, praise to Wu Jinyan and Liu Xueyi is essential, providing us with amazing acting and visuals, and is a drama that you should watch if you like this genre. (Ignore my rating for music, unless it's really good I just put a two for everything)

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Half marvelous, half garbage!

I am mad. This drama made me mad... Well more disappointed than mad really.
First two episodes are GREATTT. They hook you immediately but...then something happens.

In the first 2 episodes we meet out villain/protagonist/love interest.
He's a disgrace to everyone around him, a menace to society cause 10 years before his reputation was tarnished and then he basically started acting crazy.
We all know that this is an act but the "act* it self disappears too quickly for me.
He literally stops pretending to be a mad man and apparently everyone around him knows he s never been like that.
I feel he could have kept this fake persona up for way longer.
The female protagonist is our heroine wronged by the ml and seeking revenge for her birth city burned to ground.
The plot is really interesting and you never get bored. The characters are all interesting and the fight scene are great..and that's coming from someone who doesn't really care about action.

Why I am disappointed then? Well. This drama is great in the first half than has an identity crisis and becomes fuming garbage. I've never fast forwarded/skipped to many episodes like in this case. I fast forwarded like ten episodes. Never happened before.
You can basically enjoy the first half of this drama, until you get to the "big battle" ( I don't want to spoiler to much) then ditch it. Trust me. That would have been much better.

The plot line becomes ridiculous.
The last salvable bit is the last episode but I mean... Knowing what I know now I'd still recommend you stop half way and consider that the end.

Should I still recommend it? Kinda yes.. Because the good part is really good. But it's up to your tolerance.

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Chaotic, Flawed, but Absolutely Addictive

* The Good
Let’s get this straight: this drama is amazing.
The visuals, the performances, the chemistry between the leads—everything blew me away, except the story. The acting was so good that I honestly ignored most of the plot holes and inconsistencies. Even with weak character development, the leads managed to pull off something incredible. They made a flawed story work—and I still don’t know how, but they did.

Liu Xueyi and Wu Jinyan's chemistry is pure gold. They carried the show on their backs, and I could genuinely watch them together forever.

* The Bad
Unfortunately, the story is wildly inconsistent.
There are so many pacing issues, rushed emotional beats, and character contradictions that if you’re someone who gets easily annoyed by poor writing—you might suffer. But if you can space out during the stupid parts, this drama is highly enjoyable.

* Character Deep Dive
~ Murong JingHe
The most polarizing character.
He’s introduced as a ruthless, cruel madman—a black-bellied schemer with a bloody past, clearly designed to echo his novel counterpart. But the drama quickly shifts gears and instead gives us a lax, pleasure-seeking prince who charms the emperor and keeps his enemies off guard.

It feels like the writers watered him down to avoid the novel’s darker tones, which left a ton of character gaps. Still, I appreciated his added backstory because it made his playful personality digestible later on. Just don’t expect him to be the novel’s Murong JingHe. This is a different man entirely.

~ Mei Lin
I loved her. She’s miles better than her novel version.
That scene where she staged her fake death—chef’s kiss. She would rather die than let others be sacrificed or used because of her. It was phenomenal and really showed her strength and selflessness.

People complain the male lead constantly puts her in danger, but I don’t see it that way. She’s an assassin. She’s always been aware of the risks and chooses to protect him and the others. She’s no damsel in distress.

My only gripe?
She folded for JingHe way too quickly. By episode 5 or 6, she already trusted him like he was a saint. It felt so rushed, like her brain just skipped the whole “maybe I should be suspicious” phase.

~ General Yin
I screamed and begged for her to finally see the Crown Prince. His love for her was so pure and heartbreaking. When the moment finally came?
Terrible execution.

Instead of a satisfying payoff, we got a lazy confession that she had been reciprocating his feelings for a long time. It made me feel like I had missed entire chunks of emotional development. I wanted to celebrate their moment, but instead, I was just frustrated.

That said, I loved General Yin as a character. She’s strong, loyal, and emotionally grounded—just let down by bad writing.

~ The Crown Prince
The most consistent character in the entire show.
Ironically, he feels more like Murong JingHe than JingHe himself. His ten years of love/obsession, his ambition for the throne—he’s the real black-bellied mastermind here.

The actor nailed it. Flawless performance. No notes.

~ Yue Qin (Prince Heir)
I have nothing more to say except that he’s a stupid dumb b*tch who should have just stayed in his lane.
He’s actually smart—on paper—but his actions are the worst. Not because he’s evil, but because he’s so incredibly shortsighted. He’s the perfect example of this saying:

“Stupid people are dangerous because their lack of awareness leads them to act on their own false assumptions.”

I lost count of how many times I screamed into pillows because of his reckless decisions. But weirdly, I still found him likable, and I genuinely felt bad when his original attendant died.

Final Verdict
Is this a great drama? Yes.
Is it a well-written drama? Absolutely not.

Somewhere along the way, the revenge story lost its edge and morphed into a tale of romance and emotional growth. The character progression is often rushed or inconsistent, but somehow, the actors made it work.

Would I rewatch it?
In a heartbeat.
I will never get tired of seeing Liu Xueyi and Wu Jinyan together. Their chemistry is addictive.

tldr;
Pros:
✅ Amazing chemistry
✅ Strong performances

Cons:
❌ Inconsistent story
❌ Rushed emotional beats

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What the F!!!?

This drama had me hooked from the very first episode, with its intricate plot and compelling characters. The writers did an incredible job of building tension and creating an emotional connection with the audience. Throughout the series, I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering for the characters as they navigated their challenges.

However, as the finale approached, I felt a sense of dread creeping in. The way the story unfolded was both captivating and heartbreaking. The characters faced insurmountable obstacles, and just when I thought they might find a way to overcome them, the ending took a devastating turn. It was as if all the hope and progress they had made was stripped away in an instant.

The final moments were gut-wrenching. I was left with a feeling of emptiness as the screen faded to black. The unresolved conflicts and the tragic fate of beloved characters left me questioning everything I had invested in the story. It was a poignant reminder of life’s unpredictability and the harsh realities we sometimes face. While I appreciate the emotional depth and the risks the writers took, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of loss. This drama will stay with me, not just for its brilliance but for the ache it left in my heart.

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Half-Baked Revenge: Reviewing Kill Me, Love Me

Kill Me, Love Me started off strong, with promises of revenge and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, but it fell short about three episodes in. The male lead, Murong Jinghe, initially seems like a red-flag general, only to later turn into a melting puddle for the female lead, Mei Lin. Although this is one of the better dramas that aired this year, I can't help but feel it was only half-finished. The major character switch-up didn’t make sense to me, as both leads have years of hatred behind them.

The fight scenes were very cool and well-executed, and the side characters weren’t too bad either—most notably Qingyan, Murong Xuanlie, and Luo Mei. However, the village arc and the final arc felt unnecessary and didn’t add much to the plot, only dragging it out longer than needed. After the main villain was defeated, I feel like the drama should have ended there.

Mei Lin was essentially conspired against by Murong Jinghe, and I’m not sure why she didn’t just kill him on the spot and move on with her life. Instead, she forms a team with him to take down Xuanlie. This drama is confusing at times, but it’s still a pretty good watch overall. I’d rate it 8/10.

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WHAT A WASTE OF EXCELLENT ACTORS

This drama started out good but then after the FL entered Concubine Yan’s place and left ML, it immediately became trashy. But the chemistry of both leads!! THEY SAVED THIS SERIES. I ONLY WATCHED IT AND MANAGED TO FINISH THIS BECAUSE OF WJY AND LXY!

STORY:
I can only say that this drama wasted WJY and LXY!! So many unnecessary and boring episodes! They could’ve just made this as a movie instead of a long 32 episodes. It became so boring after around ep 15. The villain died in an easy and fast way. After the villain died, they still continued it and it’s just episodes full of fillers. They killed so many characters. :(( but I love how they kept FL friends kind till the end. No betrayal which is good. The Xiyan arc is so boring that I keep on skipping their scenes haha I only focus on FL and ML. Also, they should’ve made both FL and ML strong. They both became softies after falling in love w/ each other. FL was supposed to be as assassin but there are times they made her so weak.

ACTING:
THE ACTORS ARE SOOOOOO GOOD. Wu Jinyan and Liu Xueyi did not disappoint! Damn. Their chemistry is soo good and the kissing scenes? If I was WJY’s boyfriend in real life, I would also marry her right away after seeing her here because of how hot their chemistry and kissing scenes. She’s my all-time favorite after Yanxi Palace. Liu Xueyi also did a very great job!! His eyes? They’re so expressive! I think I’m already inlove with him. I wish someone would look at me like how the ML stared at FL here. Other characters are also great actors. Crown prince did a great job in boiling my blood because of anger haha. All are good actors, but I think SML is lacking. His eyes are blank when she stares at FL. He can do different facial expressions but his eyes are blank, that’s why I only felt annoyed during his scenes especially with the FL. His first bodyguard is even better than him. Also, please stop using aegyosal makeup. General Yin’s aegyosal is a crime. She’s supposed to look very strong because she’s a female general but because of her makeup, she looks weird.

MUSIC:
No more words. It’s good.

REWATCH VALUE:
I will not watch this again completely. Maybe I can rewatch some FL and ML scenes but not the whole drama. I even fast forwarded some parts, so no.

OVERALL:
If you are a super fan of WJY or LXY, then you can watch this. I’m in love with Liu XueYi even more because of this. But if you’re looking for a drama with an outstanding plot only, I don’t think this drama will satisfy you. I’ll say it again. This drama wasted great actors because of the story. My rating in overall is purely because of the leads.

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