Excellent drama. I don't know why i put it off so long.
This is my favorite work Zhang Ling He has starred in. I didn't care for the plots in "Princess royal" and "My journey to you". But story of Kunning palace is awesome. In fact, all the actors were awesome in this drama.The plot is nothing we haven't seen before, but what makes it riveting is the character's and seeing their internal frustrations.
And omg, was i blessed with so many hot kissing scenes towards the end lol.
I only took off .5 rating because the xue family plot was getting annoying at the end. I think they could've made it like 2-4 episodes shorter between dragging on the main enemy and female lead's indecisiveness.
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this drama is all worth your time . Its a rollercoaster of emotions.
the script, directing ,acting of this drama is amazing ,its a piece of art overall. the male lead acting was very good ,you could feel all the emotions from his acting specially in the last 10 episode .the story is full of twist .you will never feel bored . a minus in this drama is the FL even after reincarnation she is a little confused and very hesitant towards the ml. I understand why she was hesitant the first 20 episodes but after that she started to act a little too confusing (?), and frustating.BUT overall i have never watch a drama like this .I recommend this to everyone including the one that watches rom com.Was this review helpful to you?
Watch it for the love of Zhang Linghe if nothing else
Let me first write why everyone should watch the drama: Zhang Linghe looks absolutely gorgeous as angsty angry ML.I'm not a fan of Bai lu but she acted so well. Their relationship will forever be iconic.
The story was fast paced unlike most of c-dramas (I'm used to watching k-dramas so no offense here to c-drama lovers as I'm used to series ending around 16 episodes).
The bad parts: badly edited and directed. It gets confusing at times. wasted enough time on Consort Shu character which was not necessary.
All in all this drama is a treat and one of the best to come out in recent years. A must watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
Mixed Feelings
I'm at a loss to explain it but I want to express my opinion. the overall story of this drama is mixed, it can be either framed or trapped, and it has many twists and turns but a happy ending. because this drama based on a novel has a dark story. I don't think it's a wuxia(?) but a political conflict without any spirituality.But I hope BL and ZLH can act together again in a wuxia/xianxia/xuanhuan drama, I love their chemistry.
and I'm here to express my frustration, I commented on this SOKP page they attacked me, then I better delete my comment. what's wrong with the fans of this SOKP drama attacking me so much? is it because this SOKP drama is overrated? this makes me afraid to comment again and the fans of this SOKP drama are so terrible.
It's different when I commented on Tiger and Crane page, no one attacked me.
even though my favorites are ZLH and BL but why are SOKP drama fans so horrible?
I hope SOKP drama fans don't become horrible.
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The romance part was more of an aside for me, as I wasn't really buying it between the ML and FL. The side characters were constantly mentioning how the ML and FL acted differently towards the other and how they must love the other, that the whole thing just felt forced, as if they were trying to convince the audience of this fact rather than letting their actions speak for themselves.
I probably wouldn't ever rewatch this but this was an enjoyable drama. If you like palace politics, you'll probably like this as well! Nice OST, good acting, and satisfying ending.
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This review may contain spoilers
Overcoming the Past is An Uphill Battle
The cast did a great job with this show. The first few arcs learning about each character was great and enjoyable but towards the end though the final arc had some pacing issues. Some people said they were bored with the beginning arc but imo it gave us much needed character development and world building. I wish this show had at least 5 to 10 more episodes because the developments were rushed especially for the main couple.Our FL was in constant inner turmoil for her past life actions for good reason but I also pitied her for it because for the longest time she punished herself for it. Even when she has fixed all her past life wrongdoings she always blamed herself for it even for the stuff she had no control over. For the ML the past was just as traumatic if not more. He was forced to mature too quickly and survive through any means. It caused misunderstandings between the two of them which took a while. they both needed a lot of healing and made love a bit twisted and difficult for them two.
I know a lot of people will probably hate the ML because the other two supporting leads were such green flags. Still if you think about everything they've gone through it just shows how they are the best fit for each other as their connection and love runs the deepest. ( It also helps watching the mini episode of their wedding because they were so darn cute.) Keep an open mind when watching this drama and looking forward to watching more of these actors.
Warning: kinda red flag ML but honestly my biggest complaint is the lighting and filters at some points lol
Faves: The ost of this show and the whole cast main leads and supporting cast did a great job
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GREAT PLOT AND STORYLINE
Love Bailu. i really like her character and the plot of the seriesalthough there are some parts that made me cringe. i really enjoyed the series as a whole and the side characters as well.
kinda wish there was more on you fang ning and lyu xian though. but really enjoyable. 38 episodes went by relatively quickly without dragging too much.
interesting redemption arc for the female lead. trying to find her way back away from destruction. taking the whole “if only i could do it all over again” into play.
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This review may contain spoilers
This Deserved More Honestly
This is a very well written story with intriguing plot, interesting character depth and quite soulful acting from the main leads along with sizzling chemistry that fleshes out the romance and brings it out. However, as it did not follow the novel properly and wasted time on unnecessary arcs and characters, it kinda feels unsatisfactory as a novel character. The intricacies between the characters, the development of romance between the leads felt quite short and not fully fleshed. It feels like the director did not understand which part to edit, or which plot arc to give more attention to but just rolled with it which is very apparent in regards to the romance between the main leads. For example, in the novel after You fang yin is killed Jiang xuening was devastated and it was Xie wei who brings her out of her shell. when Xie wei was injured, jiang xue ning would place flowers on the windowsill of his room to show her care etc. Bai lu and zhang ling he had such excellent chemistry and it was mostly wasted and the vision unrealized. Even in regards to Zhang zhe, they just explored surface level tension and nothing more.The acting of the main and supporting characters carried the whole drama and honestly this needed more consideration and definitely more budget.
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Review by someone who loves morally grey leads
⭐️ Overall: 8–8.5/10
Story arc & pacing:
The drama takes its time in the first half—there’s definite dragging, and a tighter edit could have strengthened the momentum. Yet this slow burn lays necessary groundwork. Once the second half kicks in—especially around the Yan Lin rescue plot—the stakes elevate, flashbacks hit harder, and everything clicks together .
Character depth & acting:
Jiang Xue Ning and Xie Wei shine as morally grey leads, neither saints nor villains . Their dynamic shifts from wary confrontation to deep bond, fuelled by secret pasts and cunning strategy. Zhang Ling He captures Xie Wei’s trauma with raw intensity, and Bai Lu gives Ning the right balance of strength and vulnerability . Even side characters like Yan Lin, Zhang Zhe, and Princess Le Yang are well-rounded—rare in palace dramas .
Romance & chemistry:
This isn’t fluffy love—romance grows from desperation, guilt, possessiveness, and eventually loyalty. Their relationship feels earned. The love triangle is handled thoughtfully—it never feels clichéd .
Final act & conclusion:
The climax brings justice, redemption, and closure. Some viewers note a few conveniences in the final resolution, but most plot threads tie up satisfyingly .
⸻
👍 Positives
• Rich, multi-layered characters—leads and supporting cast alike.
• Acting is compelling, especially in darker emotional scenes.
• Slow pacing evolves into gripping intensity by mid-series.
• Romance is complex and grounded, not sugary or predictable.
👎 Negatives
• First half felt overly long and could’ve been tightened.
• A few plot resolutions near the end feel rushed or easy.
• Romance turnaround may have benefitted from a bit more buildup.
⸻
Verdict:
An atmospheric, character-driven palace drama with emotional weight and moral complexity. If you’re patient at the start, the second half delivers powerful payoff and memorable performances.
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Acting, storyline, development are all good story of the kunning palace is amazing!!
Ah! I really enjoyed watching the story of the kunning Palace. The story, acting, visuals were all magnificent! It is definitely one of the bests cdramas to come out this year. Moreover, the characters especially xie wei who was played by the actor Zhang Ling He, gave such a phenomenal performance. I was really impressed with how he protrayed Xie Wei as a man who has been thorough so much hardship thus devloping a cold and shrewd personality. He is someone that I am looking forward to seeing more of his works and how his acting can further progress. However, I would also like to mention that at some points during the drama i did feel like he over dramatised xie wei’s character a little bit which came as kind of scary? But nonetheless he put on a good performance! As for Bai Lu, I am pleased with how she presented ning’er as a character. I think she did a wondeful job in showcasing her fragile side and how strong and smart she is. I want to give an overwhelming praise to yan lin’s actor as his character development really warmed my heart with how the actor managed to show just how much of a silly but really sweet boy he was. (i fell so hard when he was fighting in last few episodes, he looked so badass 😭) and ofc the actor who played zhang he i love you such a handsome man but his acting was really flawless i really think he put on a good performance in showcasing how self righteous. zhang he’s character was. Furtheremore, I think the story for kunning palace was executed pretty well but towards the ends it felt a bit rushed like the pace was inconsistent, so that kind of took the ratings down. Additonally, i felt like towards the end the director could’ve made the character’s deaths more vile because truly makes no sense how them being killed of just like that was a “satisfactory” ending for the viewers. Anyways i really did enjoy this cdrama and heavily reccomend for anyone who wants to watch. :)Was this review helpful to you?
ZHANG LINGHE ??
This drama really surprised me! The plot is full of twists and keeps you guessing, with just enough romance and suspense. The leads have amazing chemistry Zhang Linghe and Bai Lu are both so good in their roles. Zhang Linghe really stands out with his acting skills in this drama, delivering a strong and believable performance. However, his character has some red flag moments that add tension and complexity, making the story more interesting. Overall, his role adds depth and excitement to this palace drama. Visually, it’s stunning with gorgeous costumes and sets. If you love palace dramas, this one shouldn't be missed!Was this review helpful to you?
