Story of Kunning Palace

Favorite cdrama in years

I've been watching chinese dramas for YEARS (probably over a decade), and this is the only cdrama I've watched on repeat ever. The characters are well written, the romance is believable, and there's also an endgame/political setup that is emotional and worth cheering for. The female lead's setup is already intriguing, since it involves a female lead that has to (re)navigate her life decisions in a a thought-provoking way, and generally a male lead that is supportive of her throughout this navigating of the court intrigue/personal relationships. For me, the elements that make a truly wonderful and rewatchable drama are as follows:

1) Strong female lead - the female lead has to be written in a way that I want to cheer for her. There are a lot of characters out there, but the female lead has a strong drive/ambition and has a reason for wanting to accomplish her mission that to me reads as noble and worthwhile, while also being spunky and fun (and I absolutely love Bai Lu's acting, she is perfectly cast for this role). It's just super fun to watch a female character acting in her own agency and trying to navigate life

2) Excellent chemistry between both (all?) leads - really good believable chemistry always gets me. enough said here, their scenes speak for themselves :) this also links to that I want both leads to be believable in their chemistry. Good acting to me is where I forget they're an actor, but truly believe they are the character they're portraying, which is definitely done by both here!

3) Good pacing & political intrigue - love me some plotting for the dramatic tension in the storyline, and I think dramas really shine when both leads have a brain and work together, and get to know each other over a shared interest/smarts rather than just a love at first sight. the dramatic tension of first life vs. fixing things in second life also drives the plot and kept me on the hook; when I watch a drama, having it be interesting and an easy watch is v important

4) good quality costuming & scenery - I hate when other historical dramas look cheap or over the top, but I've aesthetically loved the costuming here :) one of the things I appreciate is seeing Chinese-style costuming and scenery, love that aspect of cultural exchange.

The whole support cast is excellent too, hope all the cast members get lots of awards for this show!!

Read More

SOKP: Where Royal Intrigues Are More Complicated Than Your Ex's New Relationship Status

HOLD ON TO YOUR IMPERIAL HATS, DRAMA ENTHUSIASTS!!!
Because "Story of Kunning Palace" is the kind of show thats more addictive than a caffeine IV drip. SOKP is not your typical tea-sipping romance-infused drama, its a captivating enigma wrapped in a historical conundrum, with more plot twists than a labyrinth. Its a tale where reverse harem meets mystery, and every character is so swoon worthy, even the palace walls are blushing <3

Bai Lu, our badass heroine, here as Jiang Xue Ning isnt just conquering hearts; shes slaying political foes and looking fabulous doing it💋There r 2 handsome dudes Zhang Zhe and Yan Lin, both vying for her attention like contestants in a royal reality show. Its a reverse harem showdown & jiang xue ning is the unwitting queen bee, swatting away admirers like theyr pesky palace mosquitoes. Jiang xue nings heart is like a rubiks cube & the poor guys—Yan Lin, Zhang Zhe, and Xie Wei are all trying to crack the code. Basically its a love triangle turned hexagon.

Now our man Zhang Ling He as Xie Wei; handsome as a greek god and jaw sharper than a ninja throwing star (HAD TO MENTION THAT LMFAO) isnt just part of the harem circus. Hes the unsung hero, & a guardian angel silently dropping nuggets of wisdom and occasionally facepalming at the chaos around him. Hes the guy secretly supporting jiang xue ning like a lovestruck ninja in the shadows. Beneath his sarcastic remarks & harsh words, lies a love so deep it makes Titanics jack and rose look like they had a casual fling. It felt as if watching a superhero show where the hero doesnt realize hes the hero, and the audience is collectively screaming, "Dude, shess right thereee!!!!!!"

The Xie wei mens trio, they are real comedy gem in this drama. The hilarious sidekicks, the MVPs of comedic relief, and the reason you'll be snorting your tea while trying to keep up with palace politics.

But lets talk plot, Jiang xue ning, after a bad ending in her past life, is back in the same palace, courtesy of fates twisted sense of humor, i guess. As if someone hit the "replay" button (quite literally) on her royal misadventures, and shes trying to navigate the maze of intrigue on her own.

Xie wei, our handsome badass, is so oblivious to his own feeling, he doesnt even realize hes fallen in love. Jiang xue ning is the oblivious queen, zhang zhe & yan lin are the competing court jesters, and xie wei is the dashing main character with a heart so hidden even he cant find it. Jiang xue ning remains blissfully unaware of the love vibes radiating from him & xie wei himself is probably wondering why his heart does the cha cha cha every time shes in the room ✨😝

Theres another baddie xue shu, the queen of making you simultaneously root against her. Shes got more schemes than a bond villain. Is she the villain?? the antihero?? or just a girl boss ahead of her time?? The plot is so mysterious and intriguing that an award winning storywriter would be taking notes.

Now, lets talk about the cast; stellar performances that could make a stone statue emote. Its like watching a masterclass in acting, with every eyebrow raise and dramatic pause deserving an award.

"Story of Kunning Palace" isnt just a drama; its a royal rollercoaster of emotions, a comedy of errors & a mystery that'll have u yelling. Seriouslyy. the chemistry is so palpable m surprised the screen hasnt caught fire yet. This drama isnt just good; its SO good its suspicious. its almost like finding a four leaf clover in a field of dandelions.. rare and borderline unbelievable.

As the grand tradition of slow burns, 'Story Of Kunning Palace' leaves us with a burning desire for more, more romance, more drama, and definitely more zhang ling he & bai lu moments that have us reaching for fire extinguishers. If ur not watching this drama, ur missing out on a hilarious, heartthrobbing, and mysteriously addictive masterpiece. I had alottt of fun watching this drama so i bet u will have too!!!! so GRAB ur popcorns & prepare for a journey so entertaining, even shakespeare wouldve been jealous ;D

Signing off
Thanks for reading the review <3
Yours, Angel

Read More