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It was almost good-ish but..
Despite similar plot having been explored in many other dramas, I had high expectations for this one due to its impressive production quality. The beginning showed promise, with events seemingly aligning in the FL favor, and I largely overlooked the family drama subplot. Initially, it appeared that Xue Ning and Yan Lin's relationship might evolve romantically, only for her to opt for friendship instead. The pacing was pretty good at this point, I was impressed.Suddenly, Xue Ning becomes fixated on Yan Lin, determined to protect him from all the dangers of the world, without fully understanding the motivations behind his past actions, including his betrayal (if I recall correctly, he even assaulted her?).
While she remained wary of Xie Wei from the outset, Yan Lin received a pass despite his association with him. She vilifies Xie Wei without considering her own stance.
The introduction of Zhang Zhe felt underwhelming after much anticipation. Xue Ning's sudden fixation on him, resorting to her previous tactics to win him over, seemed driven more by a desire to validate her goodness rather than genuine affection. Her moment of self-reflection following Zhang Zhe's mother's second death felt forced, especially considering her subsequent emotional outburst, which contradicted her established character. But when Xie Wei showed up and hugged her, it became evident that it was merely a setup for the introduction of Xie Wei as the new romantic interest.
As for the "plot", up until episode 25, Xie Wei seems to be in the palace for revenge. As for Queen Dowager, she seems to have had played a part in the conflict that started it all. Xie Wei is trying his best to keep Yan family safe while trying to remove the obstacles and that's where we are now, and by the looks of it, I think it will continue for at least the next 5-6 episodes which I can't endure.
Overall, the series was passable entertainment until this point, but I find myself reluctant to continue beyond episode 25. What I anticipated as a revenge-driven narrative devolved into a clichéd toxic romance drama prioritizing runtime over plot development. Nonetheless, it earns a 6.5/10 for its commendable performances and high production values.
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An Interesting Reverse Harem Romance
Chinese heartthrobs Bai Lu & Zhang Ling He are in the news for all the right reasons. Following the success of her Xianxia romance “Till the End of the Moon” and her current on-air drama “Only for Love”, Bai Lu is obviously a fan favorite. Similarly, Zhang Ling He has been riding high on the heels of his recent IQIYI releases “My Journey to You” & “Tiger and Crane”. Adapted from the web novel “Kun Ning” (坤宁) by Shi Jing (时镜), “Story of Kunning Palace” depicts an arrogant Queen’s journey as she falls from grace, commits suicide and transmigrates to the past to redeem herself. Surprisingly, both Bai Lu and Zhang Ling Zhe are playing roles that are morally grey. Bai Lu’s character in “Story of Kunning Palace” might seem quite similar to her portrayal in “Till the End of the Moon”. But Jiang Xuening is definitely different from any of her previous renditions. Zhang Ling Zhe recently played a grey character in “Tiger & Crane” and his “Xie Wei” has similar dark undertones. It seems both actors wanted to try their hands at playing shady characters and, shockingly, they are good at it. Directed by Chu Yui Bun, the show has a star-studded ensemble and is based on the concept of a reverse harem. Yes, that’s right. Jiang Xuening has quite a few admirers in this storyline and the show majorly focuses on her burgeoning relationship with each of them.Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/11/10/story-of-kunning-palace-first-impressions/
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Very Good Story
This is Bai Lu and Zhang Ling He are blended well. It is not as good as Luo Yun Xi with Bai Lu.This drama is intense as My Return To You! Suspense drama. I hook on this story. It is mystery solving case than a writer who wrote herself into drama. I notice Chinese drama tended to copy from one story to another to make another story. Therefore, the story is similar. Actor and actress made the different.
So far I enjoy it and it mixes of suspense, humorous, intense, antagonist, etc.
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BEST PLOT BUT A NOT SO GOOD CHEMISTRY
This is the first time I'll be writing review in kisskh even tho I'm not new in this website. I just wanted to share that the plot of this story is beyond magnificent. The writing, the satisfaction it gives to viewers, the angst, and everything. One problem is that, one actor was so good at his role that made me want him to be picked by the female lead. Yes, that's you, Yan Lin. I dunno but the writers made sure he'll be loved by viewers including me. I haven't finished it yet so I still don't feel the chemistry between the female lead, Ning'er and Xie Wei or whatever the male lead's name is but I hope I could feel the chemistry in the next episodes. It is slow burn, which I love btw, but I just really couldn't feel any chemistry of the female lead with both male leads named Zhang Zhe and Xie Wei (or whatever his name is, I repeat) because I am really a sucker for Yan Lin. After I finish this cdrama, I'll change the ratings depending if I get to like the chemistry cos that's the only problem with this cdrama imo.Was this review helpful to you?
Incompetent ex-Empress
The female lead was an empress in her last life, and for becoming the empress. she must have gone through rigorous training, and study. I thought that she would be a master in these subjects, but why the hell is she so incompetent? I mean, how is this even possible? How the hell did she even become the empress? Even if someone conspires for the phoenix coronet, they must have talent but how did this useless girl take the position?It's baffling, one would expect her to be a master strategist and adept ruler, given the prerequisites for such a role. However, her current incompetence raises questions about her past accomplishments. The narrative appears inconsistent; for someone who secured the coveted title, her lack of competence seems implausible. It challenges the credibility of the storyline; it left me pondering how this seemingly inept character managed to claim the throne.
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I'm so glad they make dramas like this!
The plot is intelligent and edgy. The characters are layered, especially the male and female lead. Loved the interplay & chemistry among the 5 main characters (female lead & her 4 potential suitors), and not just the romantic ones. Enjoyed following the minor cast like Me Lyu, Fangyin, the 2 martial arts protectors of Xie Wei. Loved the drama opening. It barely took any time to get me hooked & enjoy the gripping ride until the end.Suffices to say, I loved the drama!
It left me with much to think about: what it takes to tow the line between good and bad, where to draw the line for myself.
Spoilers ahead:
The villians are rruly despicable, piling on their heinous acts until there is no scope for redemption. I wonder if this was the intent if the story writers - to push until the point of no redemption & leave no room for doubt in condemning them for all their wrongdoings.
And, never mind the cliches associated with it, I loved watching Xie Juan in the real world, smiling freely for once 😍
I highly recommend the drama if you enjoy smart characters, intelligent plot lines, suspense & well-crafted political intrigue, leads who save themselves & others - yes, the female ones.
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ok wow. that was intense af. looking back at it, the main reason i watched it was bc of bai lu my queen (istg none of her dramas are bad bad) but the whole main cast is familiar to me e.g. Wang Xingyue and Liu Xiening from Perfect Match. at the beginning, i felt like the relationship between Jiang Xuening (Bai Lu) and Xie Wei (Zhang Linghe) was literally never going to start, and when it did, it was giving very very large red flag ahh toxic relationship. But ig when they both gave in it was nice to see the peace between the all the characters and especially Yan Lin (Zhou Jun Wei) not becoming a villan out of jealousy. Also, the fact that not everyone except for one died in the end was a nice touch when it comes to ancient chinese dramas, quite a shock overcame me when I realized that not everyone in the main cast was corpseified. The ending was very satisfying to me, no exclusive deaths, no cliffhangers, no mysterious reincarnation, just a happy ending with all the ends wrapped up. I was so into it I forgot it was just a reflection of the "real world" lmao. Anyways, a solid 9/10 from me. Bai Lu is amazing. (p.s. through this drama i realized Zhang Linghe really has a sharp ahh jawline, never noticed that before) (p.p.s papa xie wei is a menace to that son of his. ahhhh jealousy....) Was this review helpful to you?
Not Just Another Palace Drama—This One Will Wreck You (in the BEST Way)!?❤️
Okay, so I just finished watching Story of Cunning Palace and OMG I am OBSESSED!! Like seriously, this drama took over my whole brain—I can’t stop thinking about it. The story is just SO good, not like the usual time-travel palace stuff we see all the time. In this drama so many things are happening, and you're literally going to be so hooked!!Normally, the female lead goes back to the past n got confused etc, trying to get out like that. But here? The twist is that in her past life, she was actually the villain. Yep—the scheming, power-hungry villain who did all the dirty tricks to become Empress. But when she gets a second chance at life, she decides she doesn’t want to repeat her mistakes. She chooses a different path, and that’s where everything gets sooo interesting. The drama shows that nobody is born a villain—sometimes life just pushes them into that role. I LOVED that message.
The best part for me is how mature the whole drama feels. Like, everyone’s character is so well-written, and they actually trust each other, which is so rare in political dramas. The emotions?? Wow. You can laugh, cry, get mad, feel shy butterflies—literally every emotion is there. And the political side of the drama is done so smartly, it never feels boring.
Like you're going to be- INVESTED!!
Also, can we talk about the Emperor?! Thank God he’s not an idiot like in so many other palace dramas 😂. He’s smart, aware of what’s happening, and no one can easily fool him. I actually really liked his character because he knew exactly what it meant to be Emperor.
Now about the love story… oof, my heart. The female lead didn’t choose the man who loved her the most, and honestly, that was sad because that man was just… perfect. 💌 Like, he REALLY loved her. But instead of turning jealous or petty when she fell for someone else, he just accepted it. He was genuinely happy for her. That level of maturity??? So rare in dramas. I adored his character so much.
The male lead had a tragic past, but after meeting her, he grew into such a strong and inspiring character. His love for her was so deep—he wanted to live for her, but he was also ready to sacrifice himself if needed. The only thing I didn’t like was when he sometimes kissed her forcefully just to show his feelings. That made me uncomfortable. But aside from that, their relationship was full of love, care, and understanding.
In the end, Story of Cunning Palace is not just a drama—it’s an emotional rollercoaster. It has politics, love, heartbreak, maturity, and so much depth. It’s the kind of drama that keeps you hooked like, “Oh my god, what’s going to happen next??” I love ZHANG N BAI LU 😭❤️
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One of the Best Palace dramas
One of the best political Chinese dramas I’ve seen. Very well written and the acting was phenomenal. I enjoyed that the main characters had a dark side and through that darkness they were able to find the good within themselves. The passionate love between the main characters and how it developed was outstanding, they saw each other for who they truly were and loved each other regardless. It was also refreshing to see strong female characters that were mature and not so childish and helpless. I don’t mind seeing a female character start off innocent and then grow into a mature woman but some dramas just portray the female extremely childish til the end. Not the case with this drama, all the females held strong roles with personality.
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UM DOS MELHORES CDRAMAS POLÍTICOS
É um drama muito bom! Me lembra Love Like The Galaxy e The Rise of Phonexis! O jogo político, a seriedade da coisa, a pitada de romance ideal... quase perfeito! Então vamos lá para a resenha:Enredo: é muito bom. É sério. Fiel a novel. É um pouco fantasioso, já que ele meio que tem que provar que certos personagens são inteligentes e astutos, então inventa em algumas coisas.
Atuação: muito boa. Quase todos estão de parabéns. Achei essa personagem semelhante a que a Bai Lu fez em Till End Of Moon, mas de qualquer forma, é muito bom. Tem um ator em especial que todo drama ele ta sempre espremendo os olhos e sendo robotizado, mas, fazer o quê.
Romance: um terreno meio perigoso. Temos maios ou menos um triângulo amoroso, mas que você rapidamente já sabe qual é o escolhido. A outra opção foi mais um sentimento de culpa e idealização do que qualquer outra coisa, já que ele era um personagem que era a caracterização da palavra "justiça" e que não fugiu muito disso. Trago um alerta que a abordagem romântica é meio sádica, com muita cena de beijos forçados e enforcamento, o que infelizmente parece ser comum nos cdramas. No entanto, de modo geral, como personagens moralmente cinzas, é por esse caminho mesmo.
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Quite an unique plot
LIKEHow Xie Ju An yearning for Xue Ning's attention - his jealousy making him so hot!
When Xie Wei and Yan Mu talking to each other in front of a withered tree - that scene was touching
DISLIKE
Poor Xue Ning and Zhang Zhe - there were always something there blocking their lives
Cannot believe there is actually someone like Xue Yuan - he is so pathetic
Treacherous King Ping Nan - what a jerk and he should die by a thousand deaths
Selfish Empress Dowager Xue and the silly Xue Shu - seriously..
MUSIC - personal fav
借梦 Jie Meng - 周深 Zhou Shen
REWATCH VALUE
Shall re-watch when I'm free one day
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Finally, a slow-burn romance done properly.
I watched a lot od K-dramas and C-dramas, but this...this was one of the best dramas I've ever seen!!!!Finally, a slow-burn romance! It was so well done, my heart was beating fast because of the main characters tension and the ML yearning!
Zhang Ling he is one of the most talented actors, and he's the only one in my eyes who can play a red flag, possessive, jealous character that desires the FL with all his being.
If I could, I'd erase my memories of this drama to see it again for the first time.
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