I love this ending.
Bai Lu, my favorite Korean actress, consistently impresses with her ability to embody and breathe life into her characters. Her portrayal in this drama is no exception; she effortlessly makes the role her own, delivering a truly believable performance. The intelligence woven into the storyline took me by surprise, and I find myself compelled to rewatch it, eager to catch any nuances I might have missed initially.Zhang Ling He, a relatively new actor with four years under his belt, continues to show remarkable improvement with each project. His depiction of a character with two distinct personalities within the same time period is a testament to his talent. The first episode demands focused attention, and his compelling performance truly stood out. His captivating eyes, a personal weakness of mine, added depth to his character, resonating with my emotions throughout the drama.
This journey was an emotional rollercoaster, evoking tears, smiles, and even prompting me to throw my slipper at the TV in moments of heightened engagement. The stellar cast, comprised of many talented actors, contributed significantly to the overall excellence of the drama. Special thanks to each of them for their dedicated efforts. Kudos to the writers for crafting a compelling narrative, and I'm particularly grateful for the inclusion of martial arts in the storyline. The swordplay was a delightful element that added an extra layer of excitement. It was surprising that Zhang Ling's second persona didn't engage in much martial arts, leaving me yearning for more. Nonetheless, the overall experience was truly worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Explosively Exciting and Enjoyable!
I went in blind and was blown away by this fabulous drama! <3I want to wax lyrical about it and now that I am done with the drama, I can't wait to re-watch it. I have already started watching clips to relive specific special moments like the explosive kiss scene featuring our darlings - ML and FL. I am on a bit of "SOKP" withdrawal at the moment...
What I LOVE about this drama:
- As always, suspend disbelief and fully immerse in the DRAMA of this drama. This drama is very dramatic with all its shenanigans... plotting, scheming, killing, protecting, lying, saving, loving...
- The ML is completely Da-Bomb Great in this drama. I watched one drama featuring him previously and thought that he was good. But, whoa, here, he is GREAT! He is AWESOME. He is MAGNIFICENT as Xie Wei. I love his snarls, growls, jealousy, plotting, smart mind, eloquence, the way he loves, the way he is petty, the way he is forward-thinking, the way he tries to move away from his past... I think ZLH brought this character to life splendidly and no one else can do a better job than he. ZLH is XIE WEI and XIE WEI is ZLH and no other actor can do justice to this character anymore because ZLH delivered spectacularly!
- The FL remains adorable in her own ways from start to finish. BL is a great actress. I have watched several of her dramas and she does shine!
- The plot is highly riveting and exciting. I want to go from one episode to the next. The drama's pace leaves me breathless and also, breathless for more!
- The entire cast is wonderful and I like that even the less significant characters have their opportunities to shine and to deliver. Because of everyone's stellar contribution, the drama is certainly superbly fine like excellent and expensive wine. I like that JXH is constantly good. She does not turn out to be a bitch in disguise. I like that the loyal characters like DQ and JS and FYQ all stayed faithful and strong.
- The OST is memorable. I have been listening to it over and over again.
- Story plot tries very hard to make sense throughout and I appreciate it! Everything is tied up nicely towards the end too which is wonderful.
- Happy, happy ending which is a complete plus point for me. It thrills me to see ML and FL having their well-deserved Happily-Ever-After.
What I DO NOT LOVE:
- Just some 'minor' issues - the villains are damn annoying. I hate Xue Shu and Xue Yuan. And well, all the baddies. But, I understand that every drama needs baddies or else, what drama will we have?
- I cannot fathom how Xue Yuan just keeps on wanting to kill his own flesh and blood. Even his son is not so ruthless and blood-thirsty. He is definitely mega-villain. I hate him and all the Xues (other than ML, of course; and ML says that he is no longer a Xue and a Yan).
Overall, I love this drama very dearly. It is superb. I highly enjoyed it. I came to it rather late but better late than never... I want to encourage everyone else to watch it and to enjoy it too! :o)
I generously give it a perfect score because, to me, this drama is truly dramatically magnificent!!
<3
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Loved it.
Great fantasy/historical series. The ML totally shined in this series. The acting was amazing, Yes, he was amazing.I had been waiting for a good one and I totally found it. This is a captivating one. You’ll grow to love the characters even the ones you think you’d dislike. There was action, drama, romance and a little humor. The chemistry was very present between the leads, even before the things progressed. You could sense it. The ML did an amazing job keeping me captivated. He totally lead all the way. His wits, dominance and communication were strong and enjoyable. The FL was great as usual.she was smart as well. Her character did frustrate me a bit in the beginning but she pulled through. Although we have all seen a somewhat similar storyline, I have yet to see one that was this rail, well written, and had so much passion behind the cast. I love the consistency amongst the characters in this drama, and I also love how their character grew and we had the opportunity to see that through their actions and their communication, and let’s not forget the emotions that they portrayed through all of those things.
I love how the story revolved around a redo of events, they didn’t attempt to delude us with major character shifts, however they did show us the change in how our FL chose to interact with others and how that impacted the outcome. It also revealed things that were previously misunderstood. It really brought back to the forefront of how we often perceive things a certain way, but they may not be what actually true. If you are looking for a great historical fantasy fiction, you will absolutely love this one.
Chemistry was onsite everyday. Action didn’t miss a step and the love boat was definitely afloat.
I loved the ending as well. It was hilarious, sweet and cute.
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This review may contain spoilers
Very entertaining
I watched this drama because of the hype surrounding the drama. I was not disappointed.Zhang Li He's performance in this drama exceeds my expectation. Bai Lu's? She is a good actress and brings value to the drama she stars in.
The story is quite interesting: the main female lead gets a second chance to repent her sins. She seizes the opportunity by ensuring she follows the rules of the game of death closely. This time, she is one step ahead of her enemies or she thinks she is.
At the same time, there is another rival who wants her dead. Will the person succeed?
Will she survive in her second life? Watch it.
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There is no love triangle (or rectangle) but it is the slowest of burns
==Breakdown==Background plot - 55%
Romance - 35%
Misc comedy - 10%
Background plot - Excellent
Romantic chemistry - Excellent
Misc comedy - Good
Production value - Excellent
Dear Romance Fans: don't be discouraged by the early episodes, the love story is a MAJOR part of the show (eventually). This drama is definitely a case study in a slow burn romance leading to an extremely explosive endgame.
Contrary to what some folks might've stated, there is really no love triangle (or rectangle, or hexagon, or whatever). Yeah, the FL has a few storylines with other menfolk, but those only serve to enhance her character development (and the ML's character development later on) as well as drive the plot forward. I despise love triangles, but this didn't bother me one bit.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED this one and will definitely re-watch it again, especially episodes 30-38 :-)
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Peace is like a dream, why not fight till I'm damned
Do you believe in second chances? This drama tells the story about a girl who used every way possible and everyone around her to become an Empress. This Empress had a terrible ending and died horribly. Now she is back to the time before she went down the path of no return, and decides to fight against her destiny.The best part of this drama to me, are the three male leads.
Our 2nd ML, Yan Lin is a bright and cheerful lad and the son of a Marquis. He is upright, and dotes on the FL endlessly in the start of the story. I think he has gone through the most character development in this drama. By the end of the story, having gone through much turmoil, he has matured a lot. But he still hasn't let go of his principal characteristics: upright, loyal and bright. This is how character development should be done!
Our 3rd ML, Zhang Zhe comes from a meager background. He has climbed the social ladder merely through his own talent. He works at the Ministry of Justice, quite befitting his just and unwavering character. From start to finish, in every lifetime, he never once takes sides in politics due to personal reasons and only supports the truth wholeheartedly. His romance with the Fl strikes a chord in me. I really like the dynamic between a high ranking noble lady × weak but talented poor scholar. I love the scene where they meet on a rainy day and they leave with their sight still lingering on each other.
Our ML, Xie Wei is the mastermind of most of the plots. He has ulterior motives and is dedicated to taking revenge. The more you get to know his character, the more you fall in love with him to the point that by the end of the story, you get addicted to his character. Can I just say Zhang Linghe is beautiful beyond measure, he looks otherworldly like a peach blossom spirit. Dark mysterious and beautiful ah! At first I was more interested in the 3rd ML with the FL, but as the story goes on, the differences between ML and him becomes greater. ML truly is willing to sacrifice his revenge, his hand (matters a lot cuz he's obsessed with playing guqin) and even himself for the FL. He's cold at the beginning but as soon as he starts falling in love it's like every scene they're together in combusts into fire. Best ML I have ever seen in drama ever. I just wanna watch more of Zhang Linghe T^T.
The FL is not as interesting as the MLs but Bai Lu is a good actress and it's easy to place yourself in her shoes, so it works out.
I love the side characters. You Fangyin and Boss Lyu's love story is soo sad. Love all the people by the ML's side— his bodyguards Jian Shu and Dao Qin and even the fake Xue Dingfei. Love the princess (I ship her 100% with the FL lol). I'm glad they didn't make the FL's sister the stereotypical evil character. Instead she has her own personality, storyline, and development. I really love her color palette and dressing style, goes super well with the character. The other side female characters are cute too (especially the astrologer, super funny).
The villains got so much on my nerves. But it's their job so idk. That Xue Shu is a damned b**** idk how they managed to cast someone that looks and talk evil all the time. I don't feel bad for her one bit. Her brother can go to hell too and so can their mom and dad. Evil family.
Anyways watch this drama, if you wanna look at beautiful scenery and even more beautiful people! 10/10 would recommend.
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binge-worthy
This is one of my 2 favourite dramas of 2023 (the other being The Blood of Youth). Would regularly watch 3-5 episodes at a time, probably took me less than 2 weeks to get through entire drama from start to finish.For me the sign of a good c-drama is when I don't fast forward through scenes or episodes or just drop the drama entirely. This drama had a great story and the plot moves forward every episode, never once had the urge to skip scenes. The cast was excellent and there was not a single actor or character that annoyed me or felt out of place. It's about a lady that goes back in time to try to fix the past. It is a similar concept to Bai Lu's other 2023 drama (Till the End of the Moon) but Kunning palace is far superior to that one. It does a good job of inter-twining her past life with the present as she seeks to change outcomes. I could nitpick at some of the familiar plot devices used in this drama, for example, the evil empress dowager or the corrupt high-ranking official but there was so much that was good about this drama that these can be over-looked. Also liked the music in this drama and how it was used, they don't overdo it with the song interludes which was a nice change. Finally, the ending although a bit predictable was very satisfying and much better than many of the c-dramas from 2023.
This drama is a definite binge watch, once you watch the first few episodes you will be hooked
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drama gets better as story progresses. Got dark vibe.
Story of Kunning Palace - 9/10 -historical cdramaafter quite long time watched historical cdrama. Sadly this drama is just type I hate ful of intrigue alike to korean historical dramas.
Firstly I didnt really like this drama it was dark and even though first eisode made me remember :The Romance of Tiger and Rose: the vibe couldnt be more far away.
Vibe is very alike to :My Journey to You:, but that drama managed to catch mine interest from get go, guess mainly cause Esther Yu and Lu Yu Xiao where both of them are mine favs and their roles was very different from usual ones they plan and they managed to slay it.
Bai Lu and other characters in Kunning palace ... lets say it wanted at least 10 eps from me to grow fond of them to continue watch.
ok shortly first 10 eps I planned to rate 8/10. Till 30ep I planned 8.5/10. And last 8eps + special managed to perusade me for 9/10. Must say I practically binge watched it in one day.
Ok review was too long. For plot and genre just check out MDL.
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A surprise of 2023
I truly enjoyed this drama, and now that I finished it, I have withdrawal symptoms. Honestly, this show has everything that I enjoy:(1) An intelligent female lead that doesnt take crap from people (no Mary Sues here) ;
(2) A male lead that is willing to do what needs to be done to reach his goals (Anti-heroes represent!);
(3) A strong chemistry between the leads (NO duck kisses to be seen);
(4) A couple that teams up and solves their issues quickly (those that scheme together stay together);
(5) A story that has not fillers (missing the mandatory annoying second couple, yay!); and
(6) A very happy ending (in many ways *wink wink*).
Point number 6 was very important to me and thankfully SOKP delivered, I had been burnt many times by C-dramas and there is nothing more frustrating than investing 40 plus episodes on a period piece and getting rewarded with tragic or lazy open ending. So kudos to the cast and crew, this drama was very entertaining, two thumbs up from me.
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Perfect Drama
I watched a very good, high-quality series. Apart from simple mistakes, I watched an excellent series, without any errors or obstacles, everything was in its place. It's a particularly good story, well-constructed and excellently directed. I found little fault with the management. That may also be due to the player. For example; Elisa Ye failed to die. How bad was that? She was already good at playing the bad woman. It must be from there. Fang Yin's death scene affected me the most, perhaps because it was in the last episodes. Actress Melody Tang seems to have been specially chosen for this role. I really saw him as the personality that best suited his role. Such a pure and clean face, the way he played a game accordingly, his performance in the scene where he died impressed me a lot. Here, Melody Tang's and later Bai Lu's games were very effective. I also congratulate the director. I actually cried in this scene. It was a very, very extraordinary scene. The series was completely impressive and gripping. It was perhaps one of the best TV series of recent times. As I said, the story is solid, the editing is very well done, a good director and excellent actors, except for a few people. I liked Bai Lu very much. He's already a player I like. Zhang Ling He is one of the star actors of recent times that I like. Although Wang Xing Yue is young, he is rising rapidly. Zhou Jun Wei appeared little but played effectively. He was also successful in active scenes. It got into my eye. I found it good. I can't help but mention that I liked the veteran actors Huang Hai Bing, Liu Min, Zong Feng Yan. They are very good players. Congratulations. I also liked Wang Zi Teng in this role.I recommend the series to everyone. You have to watch. You will be sorry if you don't watch it.
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This is the Best Chinese Drama of 2023 for Me!!
I love everything about the drama!!! The directors were able to pieces this drama together very well despite ending with 38 episodes. I did wish it was longer because it was too good for it to end early.I love all the main casts because everyone did their part very well especially Bailu and Zhang Ling He. I’m a huge fan of both actor and actress. I am very happy that I was able to see these two worked together!!! ( q v q )
I want to thank all the casts, directors and staffs for the beautiful drama. It’s been awhile since I have fully watch through a drama without being bored. Thank you for that!
Also, I’ve enjoyed watching this drama with my fellow watchers. Thank you for the great jokes and laughters. You guys are the real MVP for posting and sharing links relating to SOKP. :D
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Who said only bad girls have all the fun
Do-over seems to be the plot du jour at the moment. While most shows in this genre would focus on righting wrongs and get revenge on antagonists, this one took a different approach.In this case, the FL was a cruel and ruthless Queen in her past life. Her path to the top was awash with the blood of both friends and foes. In that sense, she is trying to stop herself going down the same path again and right her own wrongs! This is certainly a more novel take on this genre. I’m excited to see how will the writer spin this yarn.
This review will look at this drama from two different angles. On one hand, the series is very entertaining, full of engaging characters and it is gratifying to watch the progress of the FL in her “new” life. However, if we look at the series with more critical eyes then we can see issues with the pacing, narrative and acting.
There is no doubt that this is a S class production. Sets are lush (love to see their Hengdian bill), costumes are beautiful if a tad generic. There is a big cast so important scenes are well populated with extras.
Bai Lu has the titular role and she owns it. She plays both the evil and good roles with aplomb. My only reservation is that while she is supposed to be a maiden about 18 years old in Life 2.0, she can look and feel a lot older. I suppose that is because in Life 1.0, she did and saw things that would age any mortals. It does make her character a little out of focus in earlier episodes as she dances between an innocent teenager and the ghost of an evil Queen. The question of whether she would flip to the dark side cannot be ignored.
This highlights one of the major issues for me. The show is filled with flashbacks of Life 1.0. This is particularly true during earlier episodes where it is almost like watching a mashup of two dramas. The drama tries to distinguish them by dulling the colour palette of the L1.0 scenes. Nevertheless, this can be quite jarring as the trigger for a lengthy flashback might be a simple chance meeting and suddenly, we are watching an epic battle. Even if we don’t get a flashback, she might pause and have an internal monologue about what she did wrong and what she should do now.
These sudden scene changes can give you a whiplash and it slows the forward momentum. It is also confusing when we try to decipher the significance of each event based on snippets of dialogues and jumbled recollections. What is worse is that Life 1.0 is actually more intriguing and exciting compared to the early part of Life 2.0. She is trying so hard to be good, she is boring. I almost want to watch L1.0 more than L2.0 until about the 1/3 mark. I understand why they did it but by making Life 1.0 so dramatic and impactful, it takes the wind out of Life 2.0's sails.
What I have to say next is not going to be popular. The ML is tall and handsome but his acting left me cold. Most of the time he is stoic and occasionally he gets angry. That’s about it. His dialogue delivery feels flat. Another issue is his approach to romance is quite caveman like. It makes him looks brutish when he isn't. The sad fact is that the two other 2ML's radiate serious second lead syndrome.
On the other hand, acting from the ensemble cast is good. There are the odd weaker links, but the more senior members have certainly earn their keep.
To be honest, the series is much more enjoyable in the second half. By then, the FL's plan to change her destiny is finally in place and she surrounds herself with a group of fast friends. The last few episodes are the best. Packed with epic battles, court intrigues and swoon worthy moments. What more can you ask? The ending is satisfying with all the loose ends tired up nicely.
I commend the writer for being innovative and I did enjoy this drama. However, I was distracted by issues which I can't ignore. It lost a point because of that.
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