Story of Kunning Palace

If only the secondary characters had been allowed more room to bloom.

I almost dropped it at episode 32.
I really tried to like this drama but by episode 10+, I realised I was slowly starting to look forward to the secondary characters story and would have stayed if they have been given say...five minutes tops every episode from 10 upwards. And then when episode 32 happened, I just couldn't fake it anymore 😭.
I couldn't pretend even for the dramatics of Dingfei and I really wanted to see more of the Jie-hui and Lu-Yin couple. Oh the story it could have been!
I was highly expectant of cast and story even after the basicality it decided to adhere to right after the sixth episode. That commonly plot vice of going back in time and wondering why the new timeline is not sticking to the script after hijacking it, then scrambling around trying to make it work and causing disastrous results. It ain't that drama for me, but you could enjoy it. Try it.

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Beautiful and engaging masterpiece of drama

Absolutely the best drama I have seen in every aspect:
- perfect pacing
- interesting and engaging plots
- excellent acting
- great chemistry between two main leads
- amazing delivery of the complex character (XW) by the actor
- all the actors/actresses did great job, they all suited their roles
- the ending is very satisfacory and makes the journey of 38 episodes that more precious and worth it
- the music is beautiful and suits the drama so well
- the actions scenes all look very well

This is the very first time the entire show stole my heart.

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The most satisfying ending EVER for a historical chinese drama!!!!!

I have watched a lot of historical chinese drama. Almost in all of them, they will closure the drama in like 1 min or so leaving us with so many questions. But ladies and gentleman, this drama has the perfect ending. We got all the characters ending and of course our Main Leads happy ending in DETAILS !!! *chef kiss* PERFECT ENDING. I give this drama a solid 9/10 i would have given it a 10/10 if only they gave us more details of the past life, like her affairs with the MLs, her emotions like why she was so pbssessed with having power and the empress position but most importantly i wanted to know badly the outcome of all the characters in the past life.

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Perfect drama with lots of interesting plots

BaiLu and zheng linghe both are good looking and great potential to play strong characters. I personally liked BaiLu because she is the one who described her role gracefully. Jiang xiuening who played by BaiLu had so many relationship issues which caused her hell. All of her characters justified very gradually and most importantly her co male artist all of them are so sweet and doing their job greatly. Zhang linghe and BaiLu both have great chemistry which can show off camera.. and yes of course BaiLu always had relationship with her co star so not like they are lovers etc.. I just find them looking great together

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Invicible Love String and Fate

Started with the rebellion under Xie Wei and Yan Lin (Yan Family) during the Shenjie governance, force Jiang Xue Ning as the former empress of the fallen dynasty deciding to suicide. However, JXN got second chance to restart her life and fate from the writer.

Suddenly everything started again at her age of 18. She having the memories of rebellion and every mistakes she once made, trying her best to avoid and fix everything hoping for a different outcome. She was once an arrogant, never looked into a detail but just focused on how to be an "Empress", this time she being a humble one but not dumb fix everything to the origin. Giving back the destiny that once she steal, however everytime fate lead hear getting near to Xie Wei.

In past life, she feels regretful towards Zhang Ze, Yan Lin, and many others. This life she manage to keep her friendship with Yan Lin in a good terms, not betraying him as a friend. Zhang Ze is a man with a word, a man that loyal, a man that once she fallen for but not able to being together, after a long way Zhang Ze finally building a feelings toward JXN, however JXN already gave up and having a special indescribeable fate with Xie Wei

Finally they manage to clean up the dynasty that full with evil, Xue family, and also Pingnan rebel. This time Jiang Xue Ning really able to change destiny, yet building a love relationship with Xie Wei

Well written drama story line, Good OST that suitable with every condition, and Actor who is manage to show their character.

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Feeling cheated...

The series started out so fantastic in almost every way: the plot, the characters, the visuals, the pacing, the charisma. It was a strong 9 or 9.5 score for me for the majority of the series until the last 10 episodes or so, where it all went terribly wrong. The downfall was almost predicted as around episode 30, I was wondering how they can possibly wrap up the story in only eight more episodes.

However, not only did they completely rush through to its finale, the steady and beloved personalities of the characters declined in such a way that it made all of the prior episodes feel like a bad investment. The plot that was so carefully paced out and so well done... became mush. As just one small example, when the ML sacrificed his precious hand and was stabbed multiple times, apparently it ended up not being a sacrifice at all. His hand was merely wrapped, still usable, and the rest of him just miraculously recovered overnight. This type of nonsense didn't occur previously.

The FL and ML's relationship was developing quite naturally but then devolved into an abusive/victim/guilt-ridden one in the end. Both of their characters were almost unrecognizable from where they started. Let's not forget the scene where they slept together and the ML decides to propose after (as if this is a modern day setting with no consequences for the women). Or how he tripped his own kid multiple times because despite having settled down with the FL, his jealousy is still out of control. What in the world happened? Did a writer just get swapped out towards the end? It really is such a shame. If they hadn't ruined the ending arc with such nonsense, the series would have been on the top of my list.

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Cdrama Recommendation for Kdrama Addicts!

This is my first cdrama of Zhanglinghe as the lead. I'm not even a cdrama lover but just got bored one day and ended up seeing a post about red flag male leads on tiktok. I saw the poster and strangely i feel drawn to it. Among all the dramas posted there, this is the one that i gave a shot. I said to myself let's just try 1 ep and see if its good. But after first ep i started downloading all remaining eps and binge watched it for 3 days. I got really invested in the story and the characters, especially the leads xue ning and xie wei. This is the first after a very long time that I've gotten so obsessed with a drama. Xie Wei for me really stood a lot! They say he's a red flag but after watching it, he's definitely a black flag. He's character is so intelligent and cunning that he always have plans for everything. Xue ning is also smart and they are perfect for each other. I also like Zhang Zhe from the way he looks at Xue Ning, its a very genuine and warm love. Xie Wei on the other hand looks at Xue Ning with a longing expression and sometimes a bit possesive but he also has his warm and caring side. I like the reverse harem theme of the show and i like that it didn't focus that much on it and mainly on the political aspects of the show. The show is definitely a must watch!

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A Dark Tale of Love, Revenge, and the Cost of Ambition

I went into this series completely blind, and I must say, it was a refreshing experience. Many people found the plot hard to follow, but for me, that challenge was a welcome change. I dislike when writers overly simplify the story and spoon-feed the audience, so the complexity and mystery kept me engaged. Even though I didn’t know all the details from the start, I was able to pick up on the key elements quickly. My advice is simple: focus on what the story reveals, not what you don’t know yet.

At its core, the story revolves around Ning'er, a woman driven by an unrelenting ambition to become Empress. Her ruthless quest for power leads her to betray Yan Lin, her childhood friend, after his family is massacred. However, her ascent is short-lived, as the Emperor dies and Xie Wei, along with Yan Lin, stages a rebellion that seizes control from her. In a desperate attempt to save Zhang Zhe, a righteous scholar and the man she loves, Ning’er makes a drastic decision that alters the course of her fate. She commits suicide in exchange for his freedom, only to wake up in the past, determined to avoid repeating the mistakes of her former life.

What makes this series so compelling is its exploration of power, betrayal, and redemption. The political intrigue is woven with themes of family strife, personal ambition, and the consequences of one's actions. The show is not without its darker moments, but the execution sometimes felt mismatched—while the story is heavy and dramatic, the production uses bright colors, humor, and slow-motion shots that created a strange contrast with the weight of the plot. Despite this, the story itself is gripping, with surprising twists and complex character relationships that kept me hooked as I discovered more with each episode.

The performances are captivating, particularly Zhang Ling He’s portrayal of Xie Wei. He embodies a character that’s ruthless yet strangely charismatic, someone the audience can’t help but root for despite his dark nature. Bai Lu as Ning'er also does an excellent job portraying a complex character who’s not just a villain but someone who’s deeply scarred by her past. The chemistry between the leads, particularly in the slow-burn romance between Ning'er and Xie Wei, is palpable, though the relationship dynamics are far from traditional. While the romance isn’t the main focus, it’s present enough to add emotional depth to the narrative. Overall, I enjoyed the series for its complexity and compelling characters, and Zhang Ling.

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Loved this so much

This is definitely one of my highest rated dramas, and this was probably a curse because I started watching it exactly during exam season, oh well... Nonetheless, I found every episode intriguing and enjoyable. The plot is interesting: the power struggle is understandable and not overly confusing and unnecessary like in many other dramas, instead in this one it was quite fun to watch. Ning'er is a strong character, and although she appears to be very confident after having died in her first life and entered her second one, you can still see that she also brings a lot of emotional baggage with her, and she is not indestructable as often seen in other stories that have a rebirth trope. I found the relationships in the story quite beautiful and it was nice to see that there was trust between characters, such as between Xie Wei and the emperor (I think often there is always some sort of backstabbing, which becomes tiring to watch). I loved how not everything went well even though Ning'er and Xie Wei are smart, like things should go wrong but not too wrong either (as I often see in xianxia dramas, which drives me a bit crazy sometimes ngl). Xie Wei is soooo oh my god, not a good person in many ways, but he still took my breath away. And Zhang Linghe's acting was for me by far the best in this drama, better than in My Journey to You or in Love Between Fairy and Devil. Lu Bai is also a very good actress, her dramas tend to be good as well.

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Far Exceeded Expectations

Going into this drama, I expected it to be good because of Bai Lu. She never disappoints. I only remember the ML in LBFAD, and thought his performance was good. I just never thought this pairing would be as hot as it was.

The opening scene was like sitting at the top of a roller coaster and then the rest was a wild ride of intrigue and passion. What made this so good was the writing, the acting, and the cast. What makes or breaks a drama for me is how the actors portray their roles. I MUST have three dimensional characters in order to keep watching, even if the pacing is slow. Everyone does an excellent job at eliciting emotions here: regret, sadness, happiness, jealousy, anger, despair, and passion.

Speaking of characters, the FL has three, THREE ML's to contend with. Goodness! And they all did such a great job of showing why they loved the FL.

The scenes were beautifully done. I also liked the subtle humor sprinkled throughout and the natural chemistry between the leads. I became a bigger fan of Bai Lu and an even bigger fan of Zhang Ling He.

**I watched this first by myself, and then with my twin who has never watched a Chinese drama. She just happened to watch the kissing scene on YT, and then begged me to watch it with her. She LOVED this! It was great watching this once. It was even better binge watching this with my best friend.

An absolute must watch (alone or with a friend). 10/10.

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Excellent balance from the best historical drama in 2023

This drama grew on me from an 8 to a 10. First I wanted to give this drama a 9 after finishing because I used two days of wondering about what really happened in our character's first life and what Xie Wei was thinking at that time. But then I decided that it was a good thing that I don’t know, the guessing makes it more interesting and the characters become more complex.

This drama has so many great things going on. The actors does an impeccable job. Bai Lu is very good at this sort of light comedic roles and Zhang Linghe surprised me as a very good morally grey male lead. I need to see him as a fully bloomed villain in the future.

The foundation of this story is interesting because it doesn’t tell the viewer everything we want to know. The flashbacks are balanced and the tempo of the story is good. Some parts of the story is predictable and tropey but not to an extent that it is bad in any way. Somehow they manage to give everything a fresh feel, perhaps because our characters aren’t always good persons. They make mistakes but they deal with it. The story is easy to follow without being simple.

The word that keeps coming back to me is “balanced”. A bit of love, mystery, tropes, fighting scenes and palace intrigue. At first I was a bit disappointed by the main leads inability to defend themselves but later I found that refreshing.

It is the combination of not knowing everything from their first life, with the fresh take on tropes and the high quality acting, costume and art direction that makes this drama worth a 10. I can’t find anything to critique. The more I think about this drama the more I like it. This 10 grew on me.

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The Manipulators: Sizzling Chemistry between walking red flag ML & walking red Flag FL

Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75

After finishing “Scent of Time” not too long ago, I was worried that I might find this drama repetitive. Both dramas have a similar premise of being given the chance to go back in time to correct past mistakes. “Scent of Time” focuses on family relationships more, and this one focuses on revenge and politics more. I like both dramas but like “Story of Kunning Palace” a little better overall.

What I Like:

1. Pacing - I am pleasantly surprised that I am kept entertained throughout the 38 episodes. I did not lose my focus or feel that the drama dragged in the middle episodes. In fact, there’s so much going on that I enjoy all the side plots and characters. It’s not perfect, as I want more episodes of the romance between Jiang Xue Ning (FL) and Zhang Zhe (2ML) in the present timeline, and less of the evil girl causing drama. Overall, I am quite satisfied.

2. Xie Wei (ML) and Zhang Ling He - I always love a good gray character, especially for the male character. After the success of Dylan Wang’s character in “Love Between Fairy and Devil”, I am happy to see another deliciously evil and cunning male lead. Oftentimes, he would be a second male lead. This is possibly Zhang Ling He’s best acting to date. This intriguing character provides ZLH an opportunity to showcase a side of him that we haven’t seen. He is so much better in this drama than in “My Journey to You”. Many fans (myself included) love seeing Xie Wei’s side-eyed glare, petty jealousy and cunning ruthlessness. Xie Wei is such a madman and I wish to see more characters like him in the future.

3. Acting - the overall acting of the cast is pretty good (but not exceptional) - both the younger and veteran cast. Bai Lu is Bai Lu. You know what to expect from her, though I wouldn’t say she exceeded my expectations. I just saw Wang Xing Yue in “Scent of Time” and felt that his acting is much improved and better here. Even though his character is quiet, he’s speaking with his eyes more. I want more of him.

4. Main Romance - Even though it took a very long while for us to see Jiang Xue Ning and Xie Wei’s romance to develop, it is worth it. They have so much chemistry together. I enjoy the development of their relationship from enemies to working together, then trusting each other and falling in love. Xie Wei is a walking red flag, and Jiang Xue Ning is not that much better deep inside of her. They really are a match made in heaven as they understand and accept each other’s strengths and flaws. The kisses are exploding with chemistry though not gentle or sweet (unless you watch the extra special). But no matter if they were in the past or present, scenes of them together are sizzling hot and you yearn to see them on the screen together more.

5. Sisterhood - I am pleasantly surprised at the relationship between the Zhang sisters. Oftentimes, we either see sisters hate or love each other. But true to the plot and because of the history between the two, their sisterhood develops organically and realistically. They are not forced to be super close.

6. No annoying character - sure there are villains and a girl here and there that are jealous of the female lead. But for the most part, they are not super annoying and are not frustrating to watch. I like many of the characters - the three male leads (all lovely in their own ways), the princess, the best friend, the guards, the sidekicks, and even those girls in the palace. No one really makes dumb decisions that make me want to shake some sense into them.


What I have Mixed Feelings About:

1. Jiang Xue Ning (FL) + Zhang Zhe (2ML) Romance - I was deeply moved by the flashback scenes of them together. Zhang Zhe’s internal struggle of doing the right thing vs. doing the wrong thing for the woman he loves. These flashback scenes are minimal, but they gave us such great emotions and just enough to tell us their story. However, their romance in the present time is not given enough opportunity to develop and move me as an audience. It’s such a waste as both Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue also have great chemistry together. The way they steal glances, try to express their feelings through their eyes, but struggle internally - all could have contributed to a great romance and a big contrast to the main romance.

2. Xie Wei + Sidekicks/Guards - I would like to know the backstory between Xie Wei and his guards and friends. How did they all work together in support of Xie Wei? What else did they go through back in the day? Why are they following him and not the rebellious group?

3. Forced rom-com directing/editing - For a serious historical drama, we should never have so many forced romantic slow-motion scenes and music blasting to tell me how to feel. We have good actors who can convey feelings through their acting and subtle facial expressions, we don’t need these cheap and cheesy shots. I am also so irritated by the bright white backlighting that the director seems to like so much.

4. Dubbing - While I appreciate actors dubbing their own voices, not all are great at reading their lines yet. Bai Lu almost always dubs her own and does it well, and I think Zhang Ling He can learn from her. Some of his lines are spoken in monotone, or he screams and growls a little too overdramatically. Having said that, I am glad Bai Lu, Zhang Ling He and Wang Xing Yue all dubbed themselves. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the cast didn't.

5. Production Quality - “Story of Kunning Palace” does not seem to be a big budget production. The sets are on the small-to-medium scale. The costumes and accessories are average. As I said earlier, I don’t like the lighting and they did not use natural light. Bai Lu’s makeup is uneven and she could have been much more beautiful. I also dislike the use of BGM playing over the music instruments. The OST is OK. Compared to “My Journey to You”, this drama pales in comparison.

6. Fight Scenes - Except for the big fight in the last couple episodes, I am not impressed with the fight scenes. I feel that they are over dramatic and not enough good close-combat battle scenes. Since this is not a wuxia or xianxia drama, seeing someone being punched once and then fly over to the other side is quite hilariously unrealistic. Some guys got slashed multiple times and survived. Others die with one stab.


Overall, I had a fabulous time watching this drama. I enjoy the plot, the pace of the drama (though the ending is a tiny rushed), the development of the main leads’ relationship and romance, and of course the anti-hero male lead. It’s a good mix of romance, friendship and politics.


Completed: 11/27/2023 - Review #381

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