Wonderland of Love

I can't think of just anything yet...I will tell you later!

This is undoubtedly my favourite Historical Drama of the year!
It has absolutely everything from superb acting to breathtaking OSTs...A worthwhile watch for sure!
Both Xu kai and Jing Tian have amazing chemistry that makes you root for them at every point!
Though it has its typical C-Drama tropes but it still doesn't disappoint and integrates them very well!

The show has very good Cinematography and is able to keep you hooked till the end! There are multiple changes in terms of Antagonist but it doesn't deviate from its initial plot points! On some moments it feels as if the Characters are not retrospective enough but that matches well with their Unyielding nature! The Characters are developed very well and you would feel their loss if they are absent but because every character has a personality it never really feels lacking!

Overall a very good watch and it's probably one of the C-Dramas that are so long and I completed them without skipping at all!

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Wonder when it will end.

The leads were beautiful in looks and chemistry, The comedic moments within the series were just enough to ease the seriousness of the moving plots and subplots. The romantic scenes were palpable. However, the momentum of the drama started to drag at points and had scenes that felt like fillers to broaden the episode count. This definitely could have been accomplished much cleaner within 30-35max episodes. The push and pull of emotions as well as temperament between the ML and FL blended well in revealing how they learned from each other and also stopped being as abrasive as they once were. The OST was okay but didn't leave any lasting effect on the scenes. All in all, it is a solid series with beautiful production that can drag but is worth the watch.

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Powerfully Beautiful Love Story

Blew my mind.. I love it so much ❤️ exactly like an epic love story. One, if not, the very best of Xu Kai's role. Can't move on from this beautiful story.. everything to me here is top-notch.
The fighting scenes are superbly well-done and some fight scenes I rewatch coz it was truly remarkable.
Ah..Xu Kai.. i am such a fan of his! He is just so so handsome.
And his role as the genius military man is perfect. I love watching intelligent ML and equally intelligent FL. Refreshing.
And side character stories only enhances the leads' love stories.
Watch it! ❤️

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=> Addictive, epic series, without length despite the 40 episodes.

PLOT: The ML, 3rd son (born of a concubine) disadvantaged by his father, uncle of the emperor, joins the daughter of a general, the FL, at the head of a large army. They have to fight against a coup upon the death of the emperor. There are many conflicts and intrigues. Eventually the ML's father proclaims himself emperor, but the plots continue for the succession.

PROS:
+ An excellent CL with Xu Kai & Jing Tian as a warrior, valiant, intelligent couple. Xu Kai shows here all of his talent, all of his emotions in a wide variety of micro-expressions. Handsome, yes, but also talented ☆✲ﾟ｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡ﾟ✲☆
+ endearing 2ary characters.
+ magnificent settings and costumes. Some scenes are superb (fight in the Throne Hall around the coffin, in particular)
+ a story written with finesse and intelligence. Everything is coherent and relatively credible.
+ A satisfiying Happy Ending.

CONS:
- Low quality CGI (green background too obvious during certain scenes).
- OST volume too high compared to the dialogues.
- Always the same actors who play the villains (it's sad for them), so the viewer knows from their appearance alone what will be their evolution ;)

=> A Great watch !!
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PLOT: Le ML, 3e fils (né d'une concubine) défavorisé par son père, oncle de l'empereur, se joint à la fille d'un général à la tête d'une grosse armée, la FL, pour lutter contre un coup d’État à la mort de l'empereur. Les conflits et intrigues sont multiples. Finalement le père du ML se proclame lui-même empereur, mais les complots se poursuivent pour la succession.

PROS:
+ Un excellent CL avec Xu Kai & Jing Tian en couple guerrier, valeureux., intelligent. Xu Kai montre ici tout son talent, toutes ses émotions dans une grande variété de micro-expressions. Beau, oui, mais aussi talentueux ☆✲ﾟ｡(((´♡‿♡`+)))｡ﾟ✲☆
+ des personnages 2aires attachants.
+ des décors et des costumes magnifiques. Quelques scènes sont superbes (fight dans la salle du Trône autour du cercueil, notamment)
+ une story écrite avec finesse et intelligence. Tout est cohérent et relativement crédible.

CONS:
- CGI low quality (fond vert trop trop évident sur certaines scènes).
- volume des OST trop fort par rapport aux dialogues.
- Toujours les mêmes acteurs qui jouent les villains (c'est désolant pour eux), donc le spectateur sait dès leur apparition qu'elle va être leur évolution ;)

=> Série addictive, épique, sans longueur malgré les 40 épisodes.

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I'm a Xu Kai's Fan but their drama is really good and deserve to be rated 10/10 for me it was one of my favorite now. They've done and put their best on this project and i hope some will definitely enjoy this drama too as i do . The ml and fl have a good chemistry and done their roles very well and i was also carried away by the emotions, feelings they were showing through their expressions have really reached me and i also cried when the seen were actually too sad to bear but they have done it well providing us good drama and so much satisfying up to the end of the episodes with twist and exciting part of the story the flow were good and done smoothly . I congratulate for all the cast because with them doing their best to give us very exciting drama and satisfying then they did successfully and for doing their job well and roles .

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Did we even watch the same thing?

I am utterly flabbergasted at the high rating for this show. I went into this thinking it would be a light-hearted and fun love story with a side of palace politics and power struggles. What I ended up watching was a show with ridiculous characters and nonsensical plot that circled around the frustrating love story of the two main characters. I am under the impression that Xu Kai fans are what has inflated the rating for this show because the drama itself is not worth watching.

To address Xu Kai; I actually liked him in this drama and thought his acting was done much better than I have seen in many of his other works. He had great chemistry with Jing Tian and the other male cast members in his army. His stage presence is great and he pulls off the carefree soldier that is being forced into his role of royalty. Jing Tian also acted her role well according to how she is written. I did not like the character very much but she was acted well and the chemistry between the two helped tremendously. The character herself was just frustrating and I often times wanted Li NI to just give up because she was not worth it.

But having two great main actors will not make a show great if it is written and directed poorly. And that is exactly what this is. It is so poorly written that it is laughable. Almost all of the characters are cartoonish in their representations of their roles. The main lead's father that becomes the emperor is spineless and ridiculous. He acts and reacts in ways that are childish. His two older brothers are witless and ambitious but just plain dumb. The writer of this show obviously does not have a firm understanding of politics because the way this drama moves in circles with with nonsensical reasoning for their moves and countermoves. Every villain that is introduced, and there are quite a few, are one dimensional characters making decisions based on one specific desire and the people around them just follow along as if that person is not dumb. And these actors were even directed to make the most ridiculous facial expressions that make them cartoony to portray evilness.

I was already struggling to get through this after the main leads father, whom you can not convince me is a person that could have ever held power, became emperor. Even if he was a puppet king he was so ridiculous that I could no longer watch scenes with him in it. Then came the tedious and LONG storyline where the female lead is angry that the Li Ni did not save her useless Young Master. I could have gotten past it and said it was her grief reacting but it went on for soooo long. When they finally find that cute and watchable area where the two are clearly in love you have the intrusion of the love scorned Young Master returning as a villain but in a way that made absolutely no sense. Did no one ask where he had been for months? No one questioned anything and just let him back to lead the army with authority higher than Ying even though she was very close to the general. The forced wedding episode was unbearable to watch for its nonsense. Move on and you have the female lead then forcing the unwilling male lead to become crown prince in order to marry her. It is one ridiculous plot point to another with no connecting strings or firm reasoning for their actions.

The only reason I am giving this a 5 is because the costumes are pretty, the main actors do well, and the OST is nice. But the CGI is horrible, the rest of the acting is bad and the story line is ridiculous.

I really just can't tell you enough to please skip this drama.

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"Wonderland of Love: A Must-Watch Masterpiece of Romance, Strategy, and Intrigue"

"Wonderland of Love" is a captivating blend of romance, strategy, and political intrigue. Xu Kai's charismatic portrayal of Li Ni, the overlooked emperor's grandson, is a standout, while his chemistry with Jing Tian's ambitious and disguised Cui Lin adds a layer of electric tension. The narrative's depth is revealed through Li Ni's internal struggles and Cui Lin's empowering journey. The script masterfully weaves love and political turmoil, creating a compelling and unforgettable drama. With stellar performances and a beautifully written plot, "Wonderland of Love" is a must-watch, delivering a perfect mix of passion, suspense, and timeless romance. This drama is a true gem that shouldn't be missed by anyone seeking a captivating and emotionally resonant viewing experience.

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Too-Perfect Male Lead and a Morally Gray Female Lead

Wonderland of Love is a mix of political drama and romance, following the story of Li Ni, the Seventeenth Prince, and Cui Lin, a strong yet complicated woman. Li Ni is the unfavored son of an emperor who doesn’t respect him. Though Li Ni prefers to live far away from the drama of the royal family, he is forced to take action when his father is taken hostage. On his journey, he meets Lieutenant He—later revealed to be Cui Lin, the daughter of General Cui Yi—who disguises herself as a man to complete her mission. Their relationship starts with clashes and misunderstandings but eventually grows into a partnership and romance.

One thing I liked about this show is its pacing. There are no unnecessary episodes; every part of the story feels important. The fight scenes are exciting and well-shot, and the acting is great, especially from the leads. Even the secondary male characters, though annoying at times, give strong performances. The opening song is also very good and matches the tone of the show.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. Li Ni is a capable and noble character, but I feel like he avoids responsibility too much. He doesn’t want to fight for the Crown Prince position and prefers to stay out of royal politics. While that might seem honorable, it also feels like he is running away from his duties. The Cui family saw him as someone who could bring justice and strength to the kingdom, but his reluctance to act gave his enemies opportunities to strike. His refusal to see the danger in his own family led to the deaths of his soldiers, which could have been avoided if he had taken a stronger stand earlier.

Cui Lin, on the other hand, is a character who grows on you. At first, she seems cold and willing to do anything to complete her mission. But as the story goes on, you see that she’s a survivor, shaped by growing up in a military family that valued men over women. She works twice as hard to prove herself and doesn’t trust people easily. Some viewers think she’s unworthy of Li Ni because of her scheming ways in the beginning, but I think she’s much more realistic. She doesn’t rush into trusting or loving someone, but once she does, she’s all in. A great moment for her is when her father is poisoned, and she defends Li Ni from accusations even against her own people. This shows her fairness and loyalty, which some viewers overlook.

The biggest weakness of the show is the lack of a strong villain. Li Ni is written as such a powerful character that the enemies don’t feel like a real challenge. It makes some conflicts feel too easy and predictable. There are also some repetitive scenes, which can make parts of the story drag.

Overall, Wonderland of Love is a good drama with solid pacing, great performances, and strong action.

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Made me a fan of Xu Kai

Don’t get me wrong, I had nothing against him. This was the first time I really loved him in a role. He’s so expressive and does excellent fight scenes.

The series could have done with a few less “another obstacle” plot lines, eg, Liu Changfeng’s incessant hijinks, the entirety of Gu Wanniang, the apparently most gullible emperor to have ever hit a script.

Overall, though, a great series with some great action scenes. The scenes in ep. 30 (Old Bao, tears) were compelling and gritty. The series really ratcheted up a notch for me there.

Couple of nits - no costume changes pretty much ever. One dress and we’re good. And, the soundtrack was not my favorite by a long shot - but not horrendous.

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Nothing special

==Breakdown==
Background plot / palace intrigue - 65%
Romance - 25%
Random comedy - 10%

Background plot - Meh
Romantic chemistry - Pretty good
Misc comedy - Good
Production value and direction - Really good. The set for the palace was the best I've seen.

I've now watched enough Cdramas to know when a drama is recycled and just another retelling of the same story. This one was very similar to so many others. After episode 20, I fast forwarded most of the episodes looking for something interesting. Episodes 29-31 are quite good. The rest were sluggish / meh.

Xu Kai was fantastic as usual. He's an AMAZING actor. His group of friends were great and fun. This show made me realize he's a great crier and his performance makes me forget I'm watching a TV show. It really choked me up this time.

Jing Tian was very likable in her role when she was bantering or joking. The only issue is she's not a believable crier and that reduced the watchability of her more emotional scenes, making them quite boring. For example, the resolution with her father lacked any impact due to her subpar skills during the scene. I'm not sure I would've noticed if Xu Kai's performance hadn't been so much better in comparison.

Overall, it's a fine watch to pass the time, especially if you're a Xu Kai fan.

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