Story of Kunning Palace (2023)

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!!

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May the baddest man win.

This is the drama adaptation of a popular female harem web novel "Kun Ning" (坤宁) by Shi Jing (时镜) with an interesting approach; readers voted on who the female protagonist ends up with. It is a dark and gripping tale of intrigue, conceit, betrayal, revenge and redemption. Jiang Xuening is the alluring but resentful, selfish and ambitious daughter of a court official who ruthlessly parleys her charm and cunning into becoming empress. Her schemes lead to the downfall of the royal family and the ruin of both her childhood sweetheart Yan Lin and the erstwhile incorruptible Zhang Zhe. Desperate and full of regret, she barters her life with the blackbellied Xie Wei to save Zhang Zhe. She finds herself reborn as her 18-year old self with a chance for a do-over. She vows to do better this time, to steer clear of the bastions of power and the malevolent Xie Wei. She tries to use her preternatural knowledge to save Yan Lin and Zhang Zhe from their sad fortune. As she embarks on a journey of atonement, she discovers there is an element of destiny that pulls her towards the center of power. This time, with greater wisdom and insight, she uncovers hidden secrets and unexpected allies that help her better grasp the intrigue unfolding around her. Is that enough to change their destinies or are they doomed to the same tragic fate?

This story explores the causal links between the past, the present and the future.; the idea that if only knowing what we know now, we can go back and do what we should have, could have but did not do. It begins with a Ning'er who is already a fully realised character that is not yet revealed; a charming beauty who had the world at her feet and lived a wicked and self-indulgent life. Even though Ning'er's goals change, her innate nature stays the same. The past is told in flashbacks just before the moment plays out again in the present. This works in terms of the more detailed plot points but dilutes the character and relationship stories. Thus while Bai Lu pulls off her role well overall, the piecemeal telling of the backstory doesn't capture the depth of Ning'er's regret or the layers in her relationships with some of the main characters.

Where the storytelling falls short is in Zhang Zhe's arc. To me, it is the most pivotal love story in the drama. He was the best of men, a morally upright official who betrayed his principles for her. And she was a selfish person who was so moved she became selfless for him. Their emotions were so powerful it pushed them both outside of themselves towards a mutually destructive outcome. Sadly unlike the novel, their do-over relationship is shallow and barely scratches the surface of the unfinished affinity between them. It's a pity that instead sticking to the novel which better fleshes out this arc they wasted a bunch of time on the nasty Consort Shu's boring and tropey petty antics. Wang Xingyue delivers such an empathetic portrayal of Zhang Zhe that I was disappointed his character was short changed by the narrative.

As for Xie Wei, I have a weakness for unapologetic, unspeakably damaged, vengeful and morally ambiguous characters like this. Zhang Linghe delivers an intense portrayal of this dark and complex role. Although he overdoes some of the snarls and sneers, his performance overall deserves praise and is his strongest to date. Every time the full fury of Xie Wei's fiery death glare flashes across the screen, I go weak at the knees and my brain turns to mush. Yups, I am definitely a "may the baddest man win" kind of girl. Xie Wei is far from the best man but they are well matched, morally flexible ends justify means kind of people. Their romance arc only takes off later on but it is worth the wait. A mutual understanding develops gradually between them before things get really hot and steamy. When it does, their audacious chemistry explodes in a way that sets a new bar for passionate kiss scenes going forward.

Even though the political conspiracy is not that complicated, it is well told and riveting. Xie Wei's origins are a bit too obvious early on but I enjoyed how Ning'er and Xie Wei work together to uncover the conspiracy. They are both diabolical in how they manipulate the different factions around like chess pieces. The villains are no pushovers but they are overshadowed by the force of nature that is Xie Wei and Ningér's combined dark ruthlessness. This is not an action heavy drama but all of the fight scenes were well shot. I particularly enjoyed the vicious ferocity and absolute glee with which Yan Lin cuts through a melee. I hope this fight maniac Zhou Junwei's small indiscretion does not stand in the way of future roles in action intensive wuxias. Outside of one unnecessary and infuriatingly gratuitous death, the drama ends on a strong note after a bloody, intense and thrilling showdown.

While I enjoyed this drama immensely, the storytelling left me vaguely dissatisfied; as if I only watched the cliff note version of a story that had a lot more depth, nuance and substance than the drama managed to convey. This director is not great at knowing which plot arcs to give more weight to and has an unfortunate predilection for over-bright spot lights and spinning cameras. The production values are mediocre at best. This is a story that had so much potential it deserved to be in the hands of a better director and a better budget. I still rate this a highly reccomended 8.5/10.0.

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A bustling place, or a battleground, a life of absurdity, a story of mistakes and regrets - KUNNING

Story of kunning palace is an intriguing spin about Jiang xuening, daughter of a minister official who made her way to being an empress with the price of betrayal towards her loved ones. Her greed lead to her own demise, with woes and regrets. By the grace of God, she gets another chance to turn the wheels of fate, prevent the mishaps, and change her mistakes from past life.
And coming back to main review:
- the plot is fabulous. The acting, dialogue delivery it was all beyond my expectations. The chemistry between all the leads is no joke. It has dynamics between " fl- male bestfriend" " evil lady- upright official", and "enemies to lovers" troupe! And guys, we have ANGST, one of my super fav genre. Romance isn't the main genre since it's a slow burn, but whenever it's there, it's insane level!

The ambigious atmosphere is once again no joke. Some scenes are insanely hot and seducing, gosh, my heart still can't calm down. The fact that she has ambigious vibe with literally all the leads is even more insanely heart fluttering. ( I hope my constant use of the word 'insane' can explain how good this is)

I love the opening in the drama, it kinda sums up the whole angsty past life which answers lots of question in our mind and makes the first few episodes less confusing. The style of using dialogues in opening song is new, and I am loving it.
The story contains lots of twists and turns, revenge, unopened secrets and plottings etc etc etc. it's not just romance guys, there's a lot of more than that to it. The tension of revenge in each scene. The anxiety of being caught or betrayed, the excitement of plotting against enemies, is so satisfying. It's not only well written but also a well delivered plot. I personally did not find plotholes, everything was well covered (ofc unless you are curious about lots of things). Each and every little action serves as great potential for further plot developement.

Most importantly, the growth of each character is so beautifully sketched and that doesn't just include the main leads, but many of the supporting character too. It's a tearjerking yet satisfying revenge.

The rebirth may not have changed some of their fates, but it has given them the happiness and satisfaction of being needed, loved, and gave them the oppurtunity of finding their real selves and holding the mirror to them, the themselves that deserved to be shown to the world.
The acting doesn't need questioning to it, so I won't be wasting time on it.
The costumes were so well planned with their character and personality. I will be writing a spoiler with spoiler alert on it at the very end. It's not exactly a spoiler, but more of costume analysis with character sketch. You can choose to read or not.

Negative points of drama:
1) Not a fan of director's camera. Either the camera angles are weird at few scenes and the blinding lights take away your attention. And also there's green and pink filter making its way home. Hope that could be amended in his new works. But don't worry, that doesn't affect the thrill and excitement much. You are still gonna fall in love with this drama.
2) A certain death did not convince me, not gonna say much about this point since it could become a major spoiler again. But once again these two points are minute points. So you better not hesitate to watch the drama just because of these two points.

So to sum it all up if your are fan of following genre:
- smart, quirky and black bellied fl
- domineering, yandre and black bellied ml
- reverse harem
- angst
- well plot revenge
- power struggles
- best retribution to evil character
This is exactly your type! Congratulations you have a recommendation in your 'must watch list'. Trust me, you wouldn't wanna miss this!
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COSTUME ANALYSIS
Jiang xuening: She mostly wears blue costume with a hint of orange shade which signifies her wish to live a peaceful and serene life, yet her witty, spontaneous and bold personality.

Jiang Xuehui: She is often seen wearing purple which depicts that even though she is a girl who looks calm outside, she has a stubborn personality in her. In the last episode, she is shown wearing light red colour dress which telss us her current life is filled with happiness and the feeling of abundance.

Xie Wei: In the former episodes, he is shown wearing dark black or blue colours which represents him as a sad, evil, mystery, cunning, and rebellious character who is willing to die for his revenge. But in latter episodes after he starts falling for JXN and acknowledges his trusted and close family, he starts realising that revenge and death aren't his only goal in life, he must live with and for his loved ones, he starts letting go of his burdens, and hence with his changing beliefs and growth, his clothes colour change to a lighter shade of blue signifying his wish to live a peaceful life.

Zhangzhe: is mostly shown wearing red official costume signifying his morale and upright personality. He is also shown in light shades of grey and green showing his calm and reliable personality.

Xue shu: She is often shown wearing that unlikeable pink colour which looks pretty from outside, when seen as a small object to huge background of grasses and stones, but looking at it up close could annoy you and disturb your emotions psychologically to the point that you would feel like tearing it off. After you start cohabiting with that colour, it series and disgusts you, giving you vibe of fake superficialness. The pink gives a colour of graceful, kind and compassion to her personality from outside, but interacting her could make you realise that she is exactly that shade of pink which disgusts you after you get acquainted with it, depicting exactly that character of novel, whose mere sight disgusts you, you would feel like slapping everytime you look at her.

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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 that's more addictive than a caffeine IV drip. SOKP is not your typical tea-sipping, romance-infused drama—it's 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.

Bai Lu, our badass heroine, here as Jiang Xue Ning isn't just conquering hearts; she's slaying political foes and looking fabulous doing it. But hold on—enter Zhang Zhe and Yan Lin, both vying for her attention like contestants in a royal reality show. It's a reverse harem showdown, and Jiang Xue Ning is the unwitting queen bee, swatting away admirers like they're pesky palace mosquitoes. Jiang Xue Ning's heart is like a Rubik's Cube, and the poor guys—Yan Lin, Zhang Zhe, and Xie Wei—are all trying to crack the code. Basically It's 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)—isn't just part of the harem circus. He's the unsung hero, & a guardian angel silently dropping nuggets of wisdom and occasionally facepalming at the chaos around him. He is the guy secretly supporting Jiang Xue Ning like a love-struck ninja in the shadows. Beneath his sarcastic remarks & harsh words, lies a love so deep it makes Titanic's Jack and Rose look like they had a casual fling. It felt as if watching a superhero show where the hero doesn't realize he's the hero, and the audience is collectively screaming, "Dude, she's right there!"

The Xie Wei Men's 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 let's talk plot! Jiang Xue Ning, after a bad ending in her past life, is back in the same palace, courtesy of fate's twisted sense of humor, i guess. As if someone hit the "replay" button (quite literally) on her royal misadventures, and she's trying to navigate the maze of intrigue with the grace of a cat on roller skates.

Xie Wei, our handsome hero, is so oblivious to his own feelings, it's like watching a rom-com where the main character doesn't realize they're in love. Jiang Xue Ning is the oblivious queen, Zhang Zhe and Yan Lin are the competing court jesters, and Xie Wei is the dashing hero with a heart so hidden even he can't find it. Jiang Xue Ning remains blissfully unaware of the love vibes radiating from him, and Xie Wei himself is probably wondering why his heart does the cha-cha every time she's in the room.

Enter Xue Shu, the queen of making you simultaneously root against her. She's got more schemes than a Bond villain. Is she the villain, the anti-hero, 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, let's talk about the cast—stellar performances that could make a stone statue emote. It's like watching a masterclass in acting, with every eyebrow raise and dramatic pause deserving an award.

"Story of Kunning Palace" isn't just a drama; it's a royal rollercoaster of emotions, a comedy of errors, and a mystery that'll have you yelling. Seriously, the chemistry is so palpable; I'm surprised the screen hasn't caught fire yet. This drama isn't just good; it's so good it's 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 you're not watching this drama, you're missing out on a hilarious, heart-throbbing, and mysteriously addictive masterpiece. Grab your popcorn and prepare for a journey so entertaining, even Shakespeare would've been jealous

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

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Best 2023 Historical Drama. Brilliant palace politics with dark romance

This drama tells the story of a female lead who goes back in time 2 years prior to her death to change her fate. In her first life, she is a selfish and manipulative woman who uses all means necessary to achieve her goal of becoming an Empress. In her second life, she realises the many mistakes she has made and tries everything in her power to change her fate and right her wrongs.

Note, the main focus of this story is the palace politics (female lead’s redemption and male lead’s revenge). The romance is a secondary focus but definitely worth it especially in the last 8 episodes. It’s reverse harem so there are three love interests. The female lead loves them for different reasons but only one is her perfect match/true love.

POSITIVE:
- Reverse harem romance is done right! We don't see the female lead jumping from one man to another or loving them at the same time. Each love interest has his own time to shine. We are first introduced to her childhood friend that loves her, then the second man who she admires for his righteousness and goodness, and then the third man who represents the perfect enemies to lovers trope.
- No love triangles or stupid misunderstandings/miscommunications.
- Dark romance with VERY hot kiss scenes.
- Main lead chemistry is hot, hot, hot. Did I say hot!
- Brilliant palace politics talks.
- Morally grey female and male lead that are both smart, cunning and wicked in their own ways.
- Male lead who achieves his goals through his intelligence rather than muscles. It’s rare in costume dramas to see a male lead who destroys his enemies with badass strategies without lifting a weapon.
- The most satisfying happy ending. The story wrapped up well and everyone gets what they deserve.
- Top-notch performance from all the cast and especially the main leads Bai Lu and Zhang Ling He.
- Slow burn romance for the main couple that is totally worth it and all the wait pays off!
- No annoying characters, no unnecessary fillers or draggy plot lines.
- Flashbacks and parallels between the first and second life were fantastically woven into the story.
- Great character development for all characters, main and support. Everyone’s motive for what they did and why made sense!

NEGATIVE:
- Cinematography is a let down but it still does not take away my enjoyment! The director really went crazy with the camera lights which irritated many viewers including me. Especially towards the end of the drama where there are many flashbacks, the blinding lights were showing up every 5 minutes which felt very, very excessive. Also, there were weird spinning effects, pink hue filters and unflattering angles as well as random “wind” blowing the actor’s hair even when they were indoors.
- As a hopeless romantic I would have loved to see more romance between main leads (or at least in earlier episodes) as their chemistry was off the charts however with how the story is set up, it makes sense why it was a very slow burn.

OVERALL:
For me this is THE BEST historical cdrama I’ve ever watched. The political plot is executed brilliantly, the dark romance is chef’s kiss and most importantly the drama portrays beautifully the female’s lead story of redemption and the male lead’s story of revenge. You will miss out a lot if you don’t give this a chance!

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I've seen 250+ dramas, and this is the only drama I've ever given a 10.

I am a vampire freak, who loves romances when they are dark, slow-burn, supernatural, obsessive, angsty and passionate. I love stories with an ML who is red-flag, possessive, controlling, antihero, badass, or morally gray. I like stories about demons, devils, gumihos, legendary beings... you get the idea.

This drama isn't about vampires at all. But it's so close it might as well be. He looks, talks, acts, and thinks just like a vampire. All that's missing is the fangs and the superhuman abilities. And it's funny that a drama that is in no way about vampires, is the best vampire romance I've ever come across. It just satisfies my vamp-cravings so perfectly.

SoKP is deliciously slow burn. The best slow burn I know of besides Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre'. An unbelievable amount of patience is required to get to the payoff. But what a payoff. The fire that finally sets off is so hot that it permanently scarred my brain.

Aesthetics and color palate, styling and makeup and costumes... everyone in this drama was made to look incredible. Even the tertiary characters. I'm not saying everyone was stunningly model-hot. I'm saying they brought out each actor's best. This is true on an acting level as well. The directors and producers cared about each actor and actress, about their inner beauty and their natural talent shining through. The execution of this story was almost completely flawless. The casting was perfect in every way. Ling He is so excruciatingly gorgeous, and Bai Lu is beautiful beyond compare in her role here. Supporting cast was incredible and perfectly suited to their individual roles.

The political/intrigue part of the story was interesting, immersive, sufficiently complex to hold your attention, but not overly complex to make you feel muddled and mentally taxed as you watch.

I cannot recc this drama enough. HOWEVER. You will not like this drama if you fall into one of the following categories:

Looking for a green-flag ML---> this ML is morally gray, controlling, manipulative, forceful. There is some throat-grabbing and forced kisses as well.

Like to watch "boring stuff" on 2x and FFW'd during dramas regularly when your attention isn't engaged ---> this story requires your full attention, immersion, and patience in order to experience the full effect of the romance. It will not hold up to someone who is skipping or 2x-ing through parts, because you'll kill the pacing and atmosphere that needs to be established. You can skip some parts in episode 1 to get you going, but after that, I'd strongly advise against it.

This is a very special drama. You can never watch it for the first time twice. So, if you do decide to give this a chance, savor your first watch-through. Watch it on a dark, rainy weekend when you can binge it fully. with the lights out and some candles going or something, and let yourself get really into it. Happy viewing <3

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17 Steps Ahead of King Schemey McSteamy

This series surprised the heck out of me because I never even intended on watching it. When it was postponed I never really thought twice. Then I saw ZLH in MJTY and was intrigued plus at the time I hadn't seen BL in anything nor any of the other leads though the supporting cast I was somewhat familiar with. I'm not a fan of palace politics but this series got me curious from all of the excitement it generated once the drop date was announced. I nearly gave it a perfect 10 if it wasn't for the very few cons, I couldn't get past. But it really was the 17 steps ahead of King Schemey McSteamy.

Pros: It should be very obvious who the favorite character is; ZLH's acting has improved leaps and bounds. This was his first morally gray protagonist and he absolutely nailed it. He was like a mad scientist in every way. I have no idea how XW's brain worked. It was like he was psychic and planned things as he foresaw them. The story originally started more on the FL's side and she too just knocked her role out of the park. It was her redemption/rebirth story plus reverse harem so our ML had to be the 3rd wheel for a while, something that with his absolutely insane jealousy streak was heart pounding and hysterical at the same time.

YL was Spider-Man; dude had supernatural abilities when fighting in that heavy ass armor that the actor even said was really hard to move in. What made this series really worth watching is that other then our cast which were all absolutely amazing; I can't say anyone screwed up their parts, was that the plot was always rolling along. You kept waiting for what's next. You never had to ffw or you'd miss something vital. Furthermore, the cast filmed during peak summer months and in extreme heat, they were constantly on the verge of heat stroke. I loved every member of the cast the ones mentioned above, ZZ, the princess, JXH, the hilarious and yet awesome guards of XW, fake DF, and everyone else, even the villains sans Lord Pinghead as I think he was used as more of a plot device to get the leads together. I'll speak more about him below.

The leads chemistry especially Ep. 36; people should know what I'm talking about. King McSteamy was born! I was actually surprised how much made it in. Usually after a passionate kiss, it's cut to spotlight and curtains or next scene. Here we saw more and it was great! And so glad that the kisses were real and XW was an absolute panther. I could probably write a whole review on just his love and lust plus jealousy alone. From what I wrote in the comments: That whole “JXN: I want you” bit? Woof! And then of course…Duke asswipe is all “I’m gonna rule the world.” Our boy goes “Hold my Qin. Back up dog, emperor and I got this on lock before I even left!” Who saw that coming?!?

XW, uncle, cousin reveal actually brought a tear to my eyes. It was a brief but beautiful moment. Plus XW's jealousy of his own son liking ZZ was too funny and a totally face-palm moment. JXN needs to nip that in the bud before the son starts picking up dad's negative traits lol. Daughter was too cute too. There were so many great moments in this drama; even the villains did what they had to do and for the most part were intelligent so it wasn't like some trope or cliche.

Costumes, sets, fights, OSTs, were great! I probably will come back to write something I missed or forgot lol. Just too much goodness.

Cons: Very little of these, but the .5 was knocked off for several reasons. Though I wish the modern day wasn't returned to, I understand it was done so because of censorship; I really would have preferred the 7 minute wedding to be in the last episode instead of an extra one plus do it before the scene with kids, instead of her dreaming of XW killing himself per lifetime number one. We're past that, no need to go back. Furthermore, Lord Pinghead's whole arc towards the end felt off to me because, he's supposed to be this murderous insane villain who killed children and destroyed a city but it looked more like just a ploy to get the leads officially together. He really wasn't much of anything. Just a paranoid killer. Duke asswipe had mountains more on him in terms of evil.

Wish they kept ZZ's rebirth arc because otherwise even to the almost end, it seemed he was still pining for her and it felt incomplete. He should have been given his own proper ending. Should have killed loser Xue son as per the novel too. Why was Duke asswipe allowed to stab XW with so many guards around him just because he was staring at JXN? The poor guy was already pin cushioned 6 ways to Sunday. YL and DQ should have finished the job before he even launched himself off the ground. Lastly and this felt the most unnecessary, was the death of FY. They could have killed ZYZ as is, he held her captive and tortured her. Why did she have to grab hold of him and he stab her? He could have just kicked her away and run; he would have been caught regardless and JXN should have delivered the death blow herself like "You think I can't kill you? Watch this, bitch!" FY's death was completely pointless. I don't understand this portion at all.

Would I recommend it? 100% would. It was a gem that I didn't expect to fall in love with but did. The pros way outweighed the cons. The plot was very well handled even the portions that deviated from the book. This is how dramas should be written and done with proper endings. Must watch y'all!

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ive watched over 50 dramas, SOKP tops the list

i wanna keep it short and simple but i can't, my love for this drama is literally through the roof.

STORY - most revenge plots lack good pacing, meaning a wonderful original novel could be ruined and not truly appreciated. sokp political plot was intriguing, the villains weren't written as filler characters; they had depth. romance wise i love how the second and third male leads have chemistry with the FL and get screentime together, sometimes it's conflicting to choose who to root for. i like how none of the relationships are overly toxic, they all have each other's best interests in mind. also it's amazing when FL and ML are both smart, there's always tension in the air romantic or not <3

ACTING - lord this cast is insane, i can't find a single pet peeve about the cast. the entire supporting cast did phenomenal, especially loved xueshu and luxian's portrayal. also chemistry is THERE, not a single moment do i look away or feel bored. i literally wanna jump through my phone screen and yell at the characters to get together. morally gray characters are also made interesting SOKP, bailu and zhanglinghe both made great efforts to understand their characters, and showed thanks to director zhu as well!

MUSIC - when i found out the ost was on spotify i was losing my sht, ive studied for 5 hours with it on shuffle. listening to the tracks make me reminisce my joy of watching the show, it's heavenly music.

REWATCH VALUE - this is always based on personal preference, but for me it's a 10. while waiting for new episodes i would endlessly rewatch even if i what events would occur. wonderful acting always keeps you on the edge of your seat, if i like a drama i seriously wont stop rewatching. it's a complex plot but somehow conveyed well enough for an unobvservant person like me to pick up on the little details.

I LOVE THIS SHOW IN IT'S ENTIRETY, ONE OF THE FEW DRAMAS THAT CAN BE TRULY CONSIDERED A 10/10 IN MY OPINION! also this show is like crazily popular in china compared to internationally, hope it receives more love
- don't hesitate "what if i get bored?" you won't "i don't like love rivalry" you will after this show "i'm planning on watching it later" never delay your own happiness, achieve it now!

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Most satisfying cdrama that I've watched

This has to be one of my favorite cdramas ever. I loved almost everything about the drama from the story to the acting, etc. Even initially, I was super intrigued by the synopsis and I went in with high expectations. I was not disappointed.


The plot of this drama was not only paced well and logical, but it was the perfect amount of revenge, palace intrigue, and romance. The flashbacks of the past life were also placed well. The pacing of the story was quite even throughout, although at the end, it got somewhat quicker, most likely due to the fact that certain scenes may have needed to be cut to meet the current 40 episode limit. Still, it did not impact the pacing too much. The way the revenge was done felt extremely appropriate but also satisfying. There were multiple things that happened that I did not entirely see coming. The romance was quite slowburn regarding the leads, which I think we necessary given the characters, but it also made it so that each of the 3 MLs had their own story with the FL and that nothing was rushed. I think that the climax and the ending were done really well. Everything was tied up really well and almost everyone got the ending that they deserved. I am glad that the end scenes were shown with all the characters that mattered since it made the drama extremely satisfying.

I think that all the actors did a wonderful job portraying their characters. In particular, I think that Zhang Linghe did fantastic as Xie Wei and really made me believe that he was as broken and as vengeful as he was portrayed as. His facial expressions in particular have really improved from his past projects. Bai Lu also did amazing as the FL. I just love watching her because her acting is always on point. The supporting characters held their own and the villains acted heinous enough to the point of believability of their character and actions.

The only thing that could have been improved on was the lighting and angles. There were multiple extremely weird angles shown that took me out of the plot because they were so awkward and weird. In many scenes, there was also extreme lighting shown which made everything super lit. That also took me out of the story. However, compared to how amazing the drama is, they honestly pale in comparison.

Overall, I really enjoyed this drama and will definitely rewatch it. I'm glad to finally get a cdrama that has only minor flaws and issues and that is as enjoyable and satisfying as SoKP is. I'm going to recommend this to as many people as I can because it is just that good.

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If you’re not watching Story of Kunning Palace you are missing out in life!!!

Whoever, is trying to find a drama that will send you in comas back and forth, turn your heart inside out and back in, give you series of asthma attacks!!! Highly highly recommend watching Story of Kunning Palace!!!

Story of Kunning Palace is literally the masterpiece of all masterpieces!!! Bai Lu and Zhang LingHe’s acting of course is spectacular!!! Their abiliy to immerse themselves into their characters as if they were actually JiangXueNing and XieWei and expresss such powerful and deep emotions is insaneeee!!! In addition, their chemistry sky rockets into the sky!!! This is what scientists should study!!! And their visuals!!! Do I need to even comment on that!!! I mean whatever scene they are in they look heavenly beautiful!!!

The storyline of this drama is also sooooo well-written and addictive!!! Just the 1st episode and I was completely immersed into this drama!!! The fact that 5 epidoes were cut due to some issues, this drama is still perfectly paced and doesn’t have any missing parts!!! Also each character has their own moments to shine and have a storyline without it being unnecessary and boring!!!! This drama is probs the 1st drama where I never played forward or 2x speeded it!!! In addition, tho this drama seems to be on the serious and dull side, I guarantee you its not!!! There are many scenes that were soooo sweet, romantic and hilarious that’s makes you blush and smile while sleeping!!!! However, there are also scenes that make you hold your breath from the tension and cry rivers and oceans from the story!!!

Ultimately, everything about this drama is perfection!!! The whole cast, storyline, cinematography, OST, costumes, etc is a chef’s kiss!!! Honestly for me this drama is an infinite out of 10 but kisskh only lets me rate it 10/10!!!

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When the snow fell, you came... breaking my lucid dream to pull me into yours

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"Because letting go is the best choice for memories~"

PLOT:

A broken vase of porcelain is always regarded as a bad omen. The shattered bits on the floor are often discarded. But what if this broken vase is her unconfirmed future? You can’t throw it, you can’t keep it. But isn’t what’s gone, gone forever?

She is a person who dwells in the dream like past unknown of the ways to mend it. At the same time, she is scared to be unbothered and let go. The heart can’t get away unscathed. She was left with questions unanswered and her probable future hanging on a cliff fighting to either survive or fall. I was reminded of 'Kintsugi’ while watching this drama. 'Kintsugi’ is the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with gold. Now what’s broken is repaired, even more beautifully so… That is to sum up this story.

Jiang Xuening, a girl with a twisted fate right from her childhood, originally happy-go-lucky, helpful and an enough kind-hearted little girl is raised with an ambitious brain. She does what she can to achieve her aim. In the process, she lost herself. She lost the ones she loved, she lost the ones who loved her as well. Karma is a boomerang. It comes back to you the with the same momentum. She rose, she fell- as ugly as she went up, she came down. But, the writer of her fate has other plans- “give her a chance”. It’s not like she received none, she did- most often used for the wrong purposes but now she was given a chance in her full state of mind; when she was still HER- her 18 year old self.

She now has the chance to resurrect the broken porcelain with the gold in her hand, and more so- carve it even better. She does it! For she had experienced the price of an act. She does her best, like she has to- to begin with. Forming relationships of heart instead of her aim. Tasting the glory of love than power. She weaves this story like a grandma weaving a sweater for her grandchildren- with love and patience, overcoming the hurdles of the inevitable and slowly weaving into a pleasing garment that saves her loved ones from the cold of misfortune. Ning’er weaves and saves, hugs and safeguards everyone!

I hate palace politics. I always skip scenes with the palace drama. All the schemings, conspirations, plan-hatchings are not my forte. BUTTTTTTTTT I was interested in every palace-noise of this drama. It was interesting, not boring and also not too heavy. I love my manipulative Xie Wei and foresighted Ning playing things on their fingers.

A promising plot that wasn't let down.

~~~***~~~

“I really want to ask you, why?
In the plots we missed, was there any sincerity?”~

CAST:

Bai Lu as Jiang Xuening. Bai lu’s acting skills will never be a let down. I can bet on to buy a theatre of tickets, as her expressions sell out every single time. Being the one who remembers the future while being able to re-live a different past, she expresses her every fear, every trauma, every love, every hate, every collusion, every dilemma, every wit, every guilt, every irk, every loyalty, every thankfulness, every togetherness, every naughtiness, every incivility, every pain, every joy with grace and finesse. The story revolves around her, so she naturally has so much responsibility shouldered upon and she doesn’t disappoint a second. Her feelings are evident, her wit is ushered. She still cries making me cry with her, she still laughs making me laugh with her. The villainy side was villainous as it should be, her innocence was innocent likewise. Ask of balance in acting while juggling a whole bunch of different characters in one drama, you can’t find a better cast than her. I saw Jiang Xuening the rise, Jiang Xuening the fall; Jiang Xuening the Empress, Jiang Xuening the Second Lady; Jiang Xuening the forest girl, Jiang Xuening the capitalist; Jiang Xuening the seductress, Jiang Xuening the untouchable; Jiang Xuening the friend, Jiang Xuening the foe; Jiang Xuening the love and Jiang Xuening the regret. I saw Bai Lu as Jiang Xuening.

Ling He as Xie Wei. I saw every minute emotion in his beautiful expressive wide face. That of hate, that of resilience; that of love, that of innocence; that of a human, that of an evil; that of torture, that of patience; that of kindness, that of remorselessness. As Xie Wei, he spew what ran in his brain, at the same time hid his plans monotonously as well. He expressed his valour but also his modesty. Xie Wei is a very wise man who can outwit anyone. He pre-plans. He is quick witted. He thinks, he strides. It’s difficult for a quintessentially fit man like Ling He to seem more brainy than muscular and he nailed it. He looked like an intellectual in every angle, yet seamlessly hiding his monstrous bigger half. His eyebrow lifts were a treat to watch. He expressed his suffering in one scene and in the same scene he switches to show his boiling anger. And in the same scene he acts pitiful while conveying his mountain of love. He despises in the same scene and appreciates as well. In that very scene he daunts his fear while flaunting his courage. He switched his expression accordingly with every line of the same paragraph in the script. Ling he nailed Xie Wei.

Wang Xing Yue as Zhang Zhe. I'm a huge Bai Lu fan, I saw all of her dramas and if you do too, we've already witnessed Xing Yue's phenomenal acting prowess through "One and Only". That was just a trailer! He performed very well here too. He fits like a glove for Zhang Zhe. Zhang Zhe is silent and judicious. He is brave enough to tell what is the truth in a palace full of manipulative liars. He dares to pay the price for sincerity if it requires. A righteous man like a lotus in a dirt pond. Xing Yue did justice.

Zhao Jun Wei as Yan Lin. My favourite! I fell in love with him. Boy looks naughty being a hottie. When he was slaying with his armour on as the Viscount, I could not take my eyes off him. At the same time, when he expressed his love towards Ning Ning not only through his words but also his eyes, I was like- "Ning bae, if you won't have him, I shall^_~" I was squeaking with coy. He legit made me blush. I love his character more than anyone else's. GEM. GEM. GEM.

Liu Xie Ning as the Princess. My sweetieeeeee, my cutieeeeeee... I shall call her with all adorable names cuz she was A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. She was the apple of my eye like Ning's. She looked like a Swan bro. Beautiful as hellll! From a bratty Princess to a reliable friend and a responsible royal kin, she transitioned like water. Was I watching Barbie in any case? I guess. I'm fanning more than a fan (┬┬﹏┬┬).

The whole cast was a tailored pick meticulously embroidered to create a masterpiece.

~~~***~~~

“The abyss is in front of me,
I know I’ll be smashed to pieces if I jump in.
How could I go for it knowing this?” Ning’er pitches
“What if I jump in?” Xie Wei replies.

BONDS:

The chemistry between the mains is lit! Like as soon as you see Bai Lu and Ling He side by side, you see two incredibly pretty people looking like a match of the cupid. They do not need a script to look hot together. Though I was like- "bruhhhhh... I'm sailing the wrong ship" in the beginning, the ship overturns and we sail the right ship. Yeahhhh! LOL. I was not just having a treat, I was having an unlimited buffet seeing them together. The romance starts very slowly but as it starts, the heat is felt!

The friendships are my treasured part of this drama. Ning'er being the center and these awesomesauce friendships she forms around her were UwU. Not just the leads, the whole effin cast has sizzling chemistry duh! I live for these bonds! Especially, Yan Lin-Ning Ning and Princess-Ning stole my heart.

~~~***~~~

"The reflection of light will one day swallow you and me~"

APPRAISAL:

I know that the story is that way but I can’t fathom characters vanishing for half of the drama and then suddenly appearing. It’s like they serve a purpose, but like to talk that they serve a purpose than actually show the purpose they serve. So one moment you feel like a character is no longer important but the very same character pops on screen being the need of the hour. I do like the use of all these many characters but at the end of the day I feel few of them appear so okay-ishhhhh to me.
However great job with the main characters in hand. I love the dynamics, the friendships, the relationships. I love how complex they are, yet have a light airy calmness.

The camera angles were okay. Sometimes though they felt like they focused the wrong things, when I observed it better I see why that happens. This added a lot of depth to the scenes in my opinion. However, sometimes the cuts during the scenes to show different angles were not smoothly videographed. It feels kinda raw. For the time Kunning had in between the filming and release, a lot could’ve been perfected. The transitions were okay. They are not over the top minding that it’s not a high budget god-demon realm fantasy Xianxia.

I really love the makeup. I always feel so triggered with c-drama makeup which only aims towards whitewashing the actors which most of the times make them look pale and that often overshadows the acting and the little expressions that the actors try to make it appear on the camera. In Kunning, I see that the makeup nicely helps in bringing the features of all the actors at the same time being very subtle and minimalistic to go with the theme. There were also scenes and characters that required heavy makeup- like Bai lu in the empress era to show her cruelty or viciousness. Also when Xie Wei wilds out in the snow, a devilish kinda cold makeup is given with a nice red eye shadow to differentiate his emotions better. I not only love the character development arcs but also the makeup transition game that is evident in the drama. It’s nice and clear in the Princess’ case. Her makeup becomes mature as her character does. All those beautiful faces of a starry cast and not one face disappointed either with their expressions or their makeup.

The costumes are so-so. The styling is so-so. There is nothing new and nothing you see for the first time in a historical drama like this one. However I still appreciate the intricacy and the nice jewellery which went well with the theme. A job done is still a job done. I appreciate that it was nowhere seen underdone. Nevertheless, not a high on costume and jewellery drama. There’s nothing that goes par or under par your expectations.

The sets were fine too. Won’t say mediocre as they served the purpose. It doesn’t feel like there was no effort put in as the story doesn’t call out for huge settings. So again, no disappointment.

~~~***~~~

"Looking at the sky
anxiously waiting for winter
reminiscing my memories
I forgot that my four seasons don't have you~"

OST

How to even express my satisfaction that I received through the OSTs? Melodious music with eloquent lyrics paired with worthwhile voices stringing into a harmonious enticement. I heard it for the first time and I guarantee that there will never be a last time.

1. Borrowing Dreams sung by Zhou Shen. All Bai Lu and Keep Running fans are well aware of Zhou Shen and his amazing vocals. Why would this song be an exception? What makes it sweeter to me is the fact that they are good friends in real life too and Bai Lu personally thanked Zhou Shen in Keep Running for lending his voice to this masterpiece in her drama. This is also the closing song of the drama and also my favourite from the list. "Take a willingness to lose to exchange for my other half" is my most favourite part. Whether it played during their romance scenes in the drama or during the end credits, this song didn't fail to make me sing even though I sang it in gibberish due to the language barrier. And the song break where Zhou Shen harmonizes "HaaAAaaaaaaaa... HaaAAaaaaaaaa" .... man, I always transport to the Kunning world.

2. Snow Season sung by Bai Lu. Talk of a multi-talented queen who can act, dance, sing so beautifully! Snow season is a lullaby to the soul. Its like a sweet dessert that satisfies the soul after a scrumptious meal. Bai Lu sang "Entering A Dream" in Arsenal Military Academy along with Xu Kai and I got its vibes with this. I'm telling you, when Bai Lu sings such melodious slow songs, its the end of the world for me. I still couldn't take Entering A Dream out of my mind, now this adds to the list. Not kidding, the moment I listened to her sweet voice, I cried. IT IS SOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

3. Three Thousand Worlds Not Meeting You sung by Jing Long. A breath of fresh air. I think this music and Jing Long's vocals drift from the typical Xianxia music to slightly the current R&B side and it's such a refreshing transpose. Yet, it still feels to be within the theme adding to its ambiguity. The main chorus is very catchy and ran in my mind 24/7 during the whole period I watched SoKP.

Honorary mention: Like a Dream sung by Zhou Jun Wei (We hail a multi-talented king too.)

Other OST include: With Love sung by Jane Zhang

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REWATCH VALUE:

I'm really satisfied. Definitely re-watchable. It has a calm feel to this drama (idk), I'll definitely re-watch.

~~~***~~~

RECOMMENDATION:

“Mr. Xie, your ambitions are high
as the clouds in the sky
While I’m shallow and short-sighted
like the mud on the ground.
The sparrow will not know the will of a swan.
A miner’s lady is stranger to the sea.
A mortal hopes for nothing else
but to live peacefully.
Mr. Xie, please have mercy on me.”
⁃ Jiang Xuening to Xie Wei
could Xuening really live peacefully? You gottu watch!

Just watch it y'all. It's worth giving a try. But go with no expectations, you'll enjoy it better.

Also folks, do not miss "As You Wish: Story of Kunning Palace" with few of the cast of this drama. I gushed at every episode with the sultry chemistry between the leads and lovely rapport with the whole cast. It's worth your time.

~~~***~~~

P.S: Was I writing a review or a whole new story? I'm tired X﹏X

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Endless Intrigue and Cunningness

I am writing this review during the dramas half point and I must say it started low, but it has certainly increased in value to a drama I will endlessly recommend! If you’re struggling with the first few episodes just pull through it will likely go down depending on the end as one of my favorites of the year! This drama really has a perfectly fitting name so if you want a drama where both Zhang Linghe and Bai Lu play characters slightly different than the usual roles they play, both showcasing how talented they are. Also the entire casting did a spendid job in my opinion playing their respective roles. As of episode 20 this drama is definitely meeting all my expectations that I have been patiently waiting for since April when I longingly awaited its release only for it to be held back at the last minute. I will update this at the end when I have completed it to let you all know if it held up until the end!

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