Story of Kunning Palace

Overall the story was nice.
Some parts were rushed especially towards the end but it was not terrible.

The romance would have been more entrancing if it hadn't started so late. IDK why the authors decided to spend more than half the story dwelling on the "love" story between Ning'er and Zhang Zhe.
Also, Zhang Zhe was soooooo boring to me OMG!!!, I wondered why she was so infatuated with him. He was stiff like a wood half the time they interacted.

Back to the ML and FL, I am not one for toxic portrayals of love between M & F pairings but something about Zhang Linghe /Xie Wei made me close my eyes every time he was rough with her.

I am very impressed by Zhang Linghe and his portrayal of Xie Wei. I found him to be such an emotive actor, leaving the audience immersed in his character's trials and tribulations. Although he is relatively new and young, I see him achieving great things in the future.

This was my first time watching Bai Liu and I am not going to lie, I expected a lot more from her because of her reputation as a solid actress. I found her acting to be mediocre at best. She is not terrible but she needs to master her emotional scenes. Her character annoyed me a little (dwelling on Zhang Zhe) but Ning'er was ok overall. I liked her spunky and daredevil attitude.

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It's a Good Drama but not THE BEST

First thing first, for those who watch this drama because they expect a romantic theme from early episodes, they should wait and be patient. I’m one of those viewers who watch for the genre and it surprise me big time, from episode 1-24, there’s no romance between the ML & FL whatsoever, they maybe respect one another but as a teacher student nothing more than that… It’s all about Political conflicts of the characters background Xue – Yan & endless conspiracies among them, during these episodes it’s infuriates me ‘cuz the ML is a very smart and calm character but the FL so rebellious & overconfidence (though she’s a goddamn villain but she seem to be getting restart like a game, go back to the checkpoint from the beginning before she make herself a bonafide villain). However Episodes 25-31, it’s getting interesting, I’m totally hooked inside the story even though the Romantic part still in progress there’s no result yet. Then from Episode 32 (which clearly reveal the ML intention i.e romantic decision towards FL definitely well written)and the rest is history.
The ML became so fragile and abnormal in the 30+ Episodes.
The Emperor is a dumb idiot character, he clearly knew that his cousin (his Xue Uncle daughter) was a pathetic btch he still slept with her when she use her cheap seduce trick which she became his another harem wife, seems like he mistakenly think with his balls not brain.
When FL run to the army base camp of yan and convice the soldiers general that she’s a friend of Yan Lin and they believe her like that… that doesn’t make sense.
I like all the characters that the ML considered as friends, they are funny & loyal.
From the original poster of this drama it’s already shows that the ML & FL won’t be close or have romantic feelings to one another that soon, it takes time and yes KUNNING PALACE is full of CUNNING people indeed.
This drama has a new style of storytelling, it seems like Bai Lu character goes back through time but it’s not because its only a story inside a novel which is totally fiction and her character in the story goes back through time to her previous self or reincarnation for a second chance. Anyway it’s a good drama but boy from Ep. 01-24 imo its to dull and slow burn, it’s always argument and all that.
Even though Bai Lu was her stage name, in an Episode where her character was framed, the main items in the scenes was all about the ‘Bai Lu’ paper (types of premium paper use specifically inside Royal Palace)…. her own stage name just pops-up in a dialogue.

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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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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.

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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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A True Psychological Triller

Let this story be the one to invoke the understanding of what "letting go" means. At this point in the story, the FL feels as though "nothing has changed". With this mindset, she overlooks others' individual actions. This is where she uses her past life to judge everyone's actions in the present, without acknowledging that the timeline change has affected those actions. Could this be a plot hole? Maybe. I do enjoy the irony of it all. Now the ML and FL have the "misunderstanding phase" I wonder how the writers will approach the second half of this story.

Psychologically wise, this is a great thriller. Although the FL actions could be confusing at times due to her many personalites. This shows how damning our brains can be while reliving memories of violence. It's not easy to remain rational in times of facing continuous stressors and fatigue.

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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....)

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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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