The Double

An ending that pulled the whole show down

The drama is actually quite a fun watch. You know from the get go what sort of drama it is going to be and you can sit back and just enjoy the beautiful cinematography with ease, because the plot armour is going to be thick in this one. No drama, no stress. Our characters never really face setbacks themselves, but the people around them do, so the leads come in as a sort of messiah to save the day.

Yes, it is a typical Mary Sue. And no, there is nothing about the plotline that is original or never seen before. We have it all - the OP couple, the spineless father (that suddenly finds one by the end), the jealous half-sisters, the obsessed lovers, the court drama etc. YetThe Double has taken the same formula and delivered it in a bottle that people will buy just for how it looks…like stanley cups.

The leads seem to be in their comfort zone with acting, with Xue Fangfei being a more peppy version of Wei Yinglou. But the acting in general is quite good. The drama does many face zoom shots, which are really a hard hit-or-miss, especially when it comes to Wu Jinyuan, but Wang Xing Yue does them quite well. However, the two antagonists - Liang Yong Qi as Shen Yurong and Li Meng as The Eldest Princess, Wanning- stole the show. The two bring a depth and emotionality to their characters that the leads seem to lack, allowing us the space to understand their characters better. It is almost like the plotline tries to do the leads dirty. Everyone gets a sad backstory for being evil, even Ji Shuran; I dislike it when shows don’t do that well. Especially for this type of story, such backstories only annoy or seem meaningless.

As you progress in the story, you find yourself confused about Shen Yurong’s intentions - is he protecting Xue Fangfei, is he remorseful, is he manipulating Wanning, or is he really evil? Even till the end, you wonder what his actual plan is. Liang Yong Qi shows us Shen Yurong’s descent from an upright and happily married scholar to a morally corrupt, murderous and unhinged man who himself doesn’t know which of his words are the truth and which are false. Though he blames the world for making him the way he is - hungry for power to protect himself and his family. Shen Yurong comes from a poor family. His father’s death was caused by someone powerful and they were unable to even seek justice. The final words Yurong’s father left behind were “be the most powerful or you will always be the one being crushed”. And his struggle to become the most powerful also comes with giving up his morality and love. He values the struggles his mother and sister went through to raise him to his level so for him they are non-negotiables. So when pushed to the corner, he sacrifices Xue Fangfei. Every Time he meets her since then, he always seems to be on the brink of a mental breakdown. You can see he struggles with his choices- both past ones and the ones he knows he has to make. He hates the man he has become and seems to want to return to the way things were - to start afresh. Almost putting the whole country in jeopardy to achieve it. Every scene takes him closer to the desparation of a cornered powerless man fighting off the demons he created. I can't say I am dissatisfied with his ending, It is sad to watch a man who had the potential to be good to turn out be the most pathetic. As Xue Fang Fei said, I hope he reincarnates as a powerful noble so he can finally hold up the morals we all know he possesses at his core.

At the same time, you don’t see Wanning as anything but a princess drunk on power. Someone who likes to hold her “sacrifice” of being used as a hostage for the enemy kingdom and her poor treatment there to get away with murder. And she gets away with so much that it doesn’t make sense at all for any emperor to tolerate her! Sometimes I found myself wanting to scream at the emperor “Just use Xiao Heng to spread the Princess’ true character which can give you a chance to investigate and prove it and THEN get rid of her!”, but I guess I am too modern to understand the intricacies of imperial politics. It was annoying, seeing this seemingly motivationless woman just kill someone because she fancied her husband. But then you get her backstory - you see the humiliation, the torture, the pain, and the torture she went through. She is treated like a low level concubine and not a princess, being used to the whims and fancies of her captor. A hauntingly beautiful scenery to mask her inner turmoil. She has been abandoned in a shed with sheep and goats. She walks into the middle of the lake in the winter, forcing herself to miscarry the child in her belly. Which eventually leads her to not be able to have children. As a woman myself, it was hard to see all that and not even feel an iota of empathy. It makes everything she does make so much sense. She thinks the country owes - she suffered while the rest of the country lived in peace. She takes what she wants, rules be dammed. She is delusional and obsessive, but it makes sense. Despite her sarcasm and mean demeanor, she genuinely fell for Shen Yurong. The possibility of being with his child makes her lose that evil edge, making her softer and less domineering, yet that is only for Shen Yurong. In the end, her death also is decided by her, she lost for the first time since her return, and not to Xue Fang Fei or Duke Su, but the love of her life, Shen Yurong.

They both have tragic ends, never even coming close to their goals. Though as they reach their end, you feel a tinge of regret for the people they could have been had they not been dealt such unfair cards in life. But that also means the main characters would’ve continued on as their incomplete selves.

That is something the show portrays very well. The leads are well matched in terms of cunningness, smartness and wit. In fact you can see there are gaps in one’s strengths that are filled in by the other. For example, Xiao Heng starts to lose his cool when Jiang Li is in danger, while at the same time Jiang Li keeps her cool (even the emperor comments on it at one point). Jiang Li tends to go overboard, often placing herself in danger, which is where Xiao Heng steps in to pull her back. Jiang Li does take a lot of support from Xiao Heng, but initially it is mostly to involve him in her scheme so if exposed he can help her, but later that support is freely given and she takes advantage brazenly. The love confession is unspoken - they both know, only a confirmation of affection (along with a pan away kiss scene that makes you want to pull Yu Zheng’s fair out) is needed and they KNOW. In fact they have KNOWN for a long time about each other’s feelings and I find that so so so refreshing.

There are honestly only good things in my mind about the drama. It is a splendid watch. I wanna binge on it again. THOUGH the ending was FRUSTRATING and UNNECESSARY. Even though the special episode was a little awkward (maybe because it was so rushed and the snippets were really too short), you kind of understand the importance of post production work that goes into adding the dots on chemistry. Like usual, I am going to pretend the drama ended at the marriage scene and they had a happily ever after.

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It is always the least anticipated one that does wonders

When everyone was waiting for all the big dramas of the year to finally air and end the wait...all they did were just to disappoint the viewers with mediocre acting or boring script. Excessive CGI and stellar cast cannot save the drama either if the plot isn't going anywhere. And we have been graced with such CDramas for quite some time in the last few months. I really find it interesting that most of the dramas that are not hyped much ends up being the best ones. It was the case for this drama as well.
The story isn't too complex to give you headache but still makes you want to stick till the end and despite having many loopholes here or there you would still be on the edge and wait for the next episode. There is nothing much to nitpick about acting when veteran actors are in the side roles and many of the actors that we already love are in the drama. I was surprised by a few actors who didn't leave much impression on me in their other shows but despite small role they did really very well in this one. The main cast and and their characters reminds me of LLTG a lot. ML is just so Ling Buyi and FL is just like Shaoshang. (If you tone down them a little). I loved all the scheming and bonding of the characters. Though the main lead do not interact a lot (especially in the first half) but when they do it is all sparks. All the subtle expressions and longing eyes are enough to make your heart flutter. Towards the end it feels as if plot was dragged a little bit and the open ending leaves audience with bitter feelings but the special episode make up for it. For CGI: Special mention for the music competition episode- it was little too much but still very beautiful. From music to production design everything is top notch.
Overall it is one of the best dramas of this year which you shouldn't miss at all. I highly recommend this one.

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Checkmate of Desire

The Double is the kind of drama that drags you in with a single, devastatingly elegant move: a story of betrayal, vengeance, and unexpected alliances. It’s visually arresting, every frame composed like a painting, every costume and set carefully designed to signal wealth, power, and danger. But beyond the eye candy, it’s the slow, deliberate unfolding of Xue Fangfei and Duke Su’s game of wits and hearts that keeps you hooked.

What makes this drama sing are the performances. Wu Jinyan as Xue Fangfei channels raw, controlled intensity, her expressions carrying grief, anger, and cunning beyond words. Wang Xingyue’s Duke Su is the perfect counterpart: commanding, sharp, yet capable of subtle warmth that reveals his depth without undermining his dominance. Together, they are a force of nature, a fire tempered by strategy, chemistry sparking in every glance and calculated pause.

The revenge plot is precise and satisfying. There’s no wandering from its purpose, no sudden lapses into senseless melodrama. Every betrayal feels personal, every victory earned. While the story is full of plot holes and stretches historical believability, the way the narrative is arranged invites you to suspend disbelief and get carried away on this game of vengeance. Watching Xue Fangfei methodically reclaim what was stolen from her — and at times shield those she cares for — is gripping in ways that make the audience complicit in her schemes. And yet, amid all the plotting, the romance simmers beautifully. It never feels rushed, nor does it derail the main story. The love grows with careful tension, as if every move on this chessboard has emotional stakes that could ignite at any moment.

Supporting characters add texture without overwhelming the leads. Some villains initially appear flat, but later layers reveal motivations and flaws that make them interesting, while their eventual punishment remains wickedly satisfying. Even minor players leave an impression, contributing to a sense that this world exists beyond the immediate revenge.

It’s not flawless: pacing wobbles in the later episodes, some subplots overstay their welcome, and the finale doesn’t quite hit with the intensity the story sets up. These minor issues prevent it from reaching its full potential, but they hardly diminish the magnetism of the central narrative.

By the end, The Double delivers a rare combination: a story that is both visually intoxicating and emotionally potent, a revenge drama where the lead couple’s slow-burning bond is just as compelling as the machinations that surround them.

8.5/10. Razor-sharp tension, smoldering chemistry, and a revenge that bites, even if a few pacing slips and ending issues stop it from hitting a full 9.

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If I wanted to waste hours of my life watching the worst of human nature, I'd watch the news . . .

Our main female lead is out for revenge against the selfish, deluded and truly evil. Much of the screentime goes to these terrible people to the point of frustration. Just as you can't handle one more cruel or petty scene, Jiang Li appears and takes them down. Jiang Li's plots are not overly complicated there isn't tons of intrigue, there's not a lot of gray areas. Frustratingly, also, most of the evil characters are women.

If you were hoping for a romance centric story, the romance is strung out for one or two scenes per episode, with our Duke Su always the puppet master, and never losing his composure or risking anything.

The costumes and production values are a bit low budget and do not make-up for the handicaps of this story. My frustration levels were high, and the rewards too delayed. I'm dropping.

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entertaining enough to pass the time but unworthy of ever being called 'good'

listen y'all..... when i heard that this was a new project by the same director as 'go princess go' i knew i HAD to watch it. the king of camp, and one of the only c-dramas i've seen with explicitly clear queer and trans themes, it was one of my favorites. unfortunately, his characteristic style choices such as dramatic slow mo fabric waving in the wind with falling petals and zoomed in close up shots of the main leads... as well as the stupid goofy campy humor that carried over was NOT enough to make this drama good.

plot is very entertaining, enough to make you want to click next and just keep binging it, because things are constantly happening non stop. i would say the pace is really pretty fast, with one scheme/case after the next. however, i would say that the actual quality of the small arcs of schemes and plots are quite average. often recycled from other revenge/political court dramas, or unsatisfying in their conclusion or how they are solved. sometimes, they just show a quick montage and offer that as their only solution and i'm just supposed to believe that everything is cool and fine now?? esp the luyang silk poisoning case ending was extremely disappointing. a positive note i will give this show is that while the schemes are average and forgettable in quality, the actual longterm plot was simple, straightforward and didn't fall too far from the original set up. meaning that the ending wasn't completely wack and out of the realm of expectation, which is what i have come to expect now unfortunately, from c-dramas. the plot of woman is betrayed---> gets revenge is never lost, and the final ending for xue fangfei and shen yurong is satisfying. otherwise, the plot is ehh.... okay... there's definitely a lot of parts that if you thought about for even a second don't make sense, and there's a lot of meaningless scenes as well. sending xiao heng to battle at the end and killing his side kicks was completely unnecessary.... the story already ended!!! everyone's revenge is fulfilled!! why we gotta drag this out and create meaningless problems for the main leads??? because the only way they know to create conflict and tension is to separate them and have them yearn??????? stupid as hell.

the most disappointing part of this drama was the two main leads. while the plot moved quickly enough for me to stay focused on the show, characters will always be the soul and heart of a story. creating interesting and dynamic characters who make you FEEL something should be the priority of every screen writer.... or else how can you truly feel committed to a story? xue fangfei and xiao heng spend more time staring blankly, making meaningful eye contact, sitting backlit against a window, slowly walking by a wind fan and giving soft smiles than having any kind of deep character exploration. they are the main characters, and yet they are just hollow and empty shells with beautiful faces. it is incredibly clear that the primary motivations of the director was to make a Beautiful drama, rather than a good one. similarly, wu jinyan and wang xingyue's primary motivations were to look beautiful, rather than act. if that's the goal, they may as well have just made a really long music video or photoshoot that's been turned into a fan edit lmao. literally they are both so soulless and wooden with nothing behind the eyes.... and that is saying something because shen yurong also looked like that the entire drama but that was what we call ACTING!!!! it is clear that both wjy and wxy are just too afraid to emote too much for fear of looking ugly or scrunching up their faces too much, and neither of them are good enough at top tier idol micro expressions to properly convey the emotions in this drama. it's just a lot of raised eyebrows and slight lip trembling as one or two tears gently fall. just kind of looking constipated which gets exhausting after a while. tbh ive seen several wjy shows at this point and she really wasn't this bad in yanxi palace??? like i feel like back then she was more willing to make expressions and now she's become less and less able to act out of fear of looking ugly. i dont presume to understand the pressure that idol actors are under but i've seen plenty of idol shows at this point and it's v clear when the actors are still committed to ACTING.

ok but BACK to the characters.... both xff and xh grate on me because they are so blankly simple and good and incapable of ever making a real mistake. they are both beautiful, smart, powerful, good at everything, talented, etc. etc. etc. went through some kind of immense trauma and are dedicated to revenge, but would never hurt an innocent, etc....... like...... yeah they are good people, but does that make a good CHARACTER???? a character that is worth rooting for, has some bite to them, some complexity??? even just a shred??? i cant just root for someone because they are right and good, they also have to give me a reason to truly love them, to relate in some way, or some extra layers of complexity. xff is actually just a mary sue FR and xh is her beautiful empty flowerpot reward bf for her struggles. there is nothing of substance to their characters, nor is there any substance to their relationship. xff being so perfect only hits with people who enjoy the fantasy of 'what if i was beautiful and gorgeous and smart and talented and won at everything and got the hottest man too,' and for anyone w a modicum of taste it's just endlessly boring. like, everyone always accused wei yingluo from yanxi palace of being comically 10 steps ahead of her enemies in the game and being a mary sue w protagonist armor but like.... at least wei yingluo was also notably DIFFERENT from other cdrama leads. she was also violent and ruthless and would actually stop at nothing for her goals. because it was unusual, it was also refreshing and satisfying to see her leave no mercy for her enemies. she may have won every time but her character was flawed, and she had to LEARN kindness, empathy, and patience. xff is like her sad cardboard cousin who only looks good in a photoshoot and terrible in actual time based media. xh is even more of a joke, we are told that he is violent and ruthless and we NEVER see him get his hands dirty. only his subordinates. because xh is never personally torturing or abusing anyone, you get to continue the narrative that he is a good man, while also pulling girls in with his domineering and powerful character type. i would much rather contend with a xh who is actually cruel, violent and maybe makes us uncomfortable who has to learn how to solve his problems without violence, rather than one with no teeth who's just a perfect idol husband fantasy w a canned sad backstory. there is ONE scene where the emperor puts him under house arrest for 2 days and yells at him for being too impulsive and violent and that's ALL WE GET. and nothing even happens after that anyway! so blaaaahhhhh. meanwhile xff went through something so horrific, and instead of ever dealing with that trauma, she is just devoted to justice, and offers endless wisdom to the people around her. like... there isn't even an ounce of fear or distrust in her, when that would only be NATURAL for someone who went through what she did, would also make her more interesting, and her relationship w xh more difficult. their relationship was already built on him being the great and powerful audience far above a small pawn, so why should she trust that he won't sacrifice her to extend his own goals.... just like syr??? i'll admit that the fact that there was 0 conflict in their relationship, and only good things like mutual support, trust and respect etc. was refreshing to watch after seeing so many c-dramas fall to endless miscommunications and plot-information reveal led conflicts. but what i think people fail to realize, is that a couple having conflict is not bad writing..... a couple having BAD conflict is BAD WRITING. and when you just remove conflict entirely, you remove relationship complexity and development as well. it's literally just... xff does something.... danger happen aaaahh... xh flies in like tuxedo mask to save her and flies away... they have a chat and flirt a bit and have meaningful eye contact... scene ends with wind machine blowing and camera slowly shifts focus to like a flower or a tree in the foreground, repeat 300x until the end when they shyly admit they like each other. it's so funny that people say they have rly good chemistry... my friends i did not know good chemistry just meant sustained eye contact while a wind machine blows and they say a couple lines of witty dialogue at each other. nothing about their interactions w each other feel natural or real or easy and comfortable. I know it's not a romance drama so fine, i won't get too up in arms about it, it doesn't matter, but it never hurts to have a nicely written romance!!

can you believe that the characters i like best in the drama are jiang ruoyao, ji shuran, shen yurong and wanning????? because they were literally the only characters with ANY DEPTH TO THEM WHATSOEVER!!!!! (i guess jiang papa had some too, but he was never properly punished for his crimes lmao) even though it was poorly written for the most part and just straightforward, oh they had an abusive parent, or a hard upbringing, or some kind of trauma and that's why they suck :( like i can't even say that they were that well written, in particular ji shuran was the most bleh, but at least they had more going on than the main leads!!! wanning def made me feel the most, and easily she and syr had the better actors in the show. i was prepared to not really like her at first, but she grew on me, and i came to look forward to her and syr's scenes of emotional power struggle and manipulation because it was more interesting than whatever blank staring - gentle smiling xff and xh were doing. by the end they actually got me to feel real pity for wanning, which is an accomplishment for this show. in her, i could see a shadow of zhen huan zhuan's iconic villain, hua fei.... but just a shadow, because she could never measure up!!!! but it was specifically the simplicity of her truest wish, that was almost childlike and innocent, that kind of reminded me of hua fei. i wish she existed in the hands of better writers, because she did have some potential. i am so sick of c dramas w their perfect blank slate good people main characters!!!!! i too, like wanning, would like to drag them into a muddy puddle!!! sick of it!!!!! i may be an american, and used to the likes of our bad guy complex main characters in dramas but like, i'm not asking for walter white or bojack horseman or succession!!!! just like!!!!! something deeper than i am good and perfect and smart and without flaws!!!!! like at least give me a wei wuxian or a xiaoyao or a dongfang qingcang! it's just so irredeemably boring and cowardly to do this jfc.

anyway as much as i complain about the show's characters, a part of me also recognizes how pointless it is.... the main characters weren't characters, they were models here to serve a fantasy..... and that's all this show is!!! it was not meant to be well written, it was meant to be a 40 episode vanity photoshoot! that's all it ever was!! i know that and yet i still get frustrated when i see bad writing!!! but whatever. watch this is u want to numb ur brain and look at pretty people, or scroll on tiktok for several hours and watch fan edits for the same effect.

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Once in awhile, you just succumb …

You know that feeling of “just 1 more episode”…, if that’s what you are craving for recently, you’ve come to the right story.

The Double has 2 things done right. Pacing in the first part of the story, where it matters more to hook the audience in; and casting a strong CP for a 爽文 “shuang wen” - loosely translated as pleasurable novel. Once you are able to suspend logic, you will be able to ride onto the main characters’ wave for the tide is always on their side, like all 爽文 stories go.

What works well is having Wu Jin Yan casted as Xue Fang Fei - she has this aura about her where you’d want to root for her revenge journeys. Similar to her prior portrayal of Wei Ying Luo in Story of Yanxi Palace, it’s enjoyable watching how Xue Fang Fei in The Double toed the line on not being a pushover, yet still maintain her own principles when fighting against the villains, which were practically everyone except for her lover and chosen allies.

Wang Xingyue also interestingly found his own niche in idol romance show - the dude who love / covet other’s wives. Good thing he is the Duke Su and main lead in the Double this time. (no, I refuse to acknowledge the last part of the show. This show ends with a happy ending as far as I am concern.) I love the slow burn push and pull, the double entendre laced dialogues, as well as the build up chemistry between Duke Su and Xue Fang Fei - such that I am able to ignore the plot logic and some… questionable cut scenes.

Another 2 people who caught my attention was Ji Shuran and Princess Wanning. As the director for this show likes to do close up shots, I feel Chen Qiao En’s portrayal as the evil stepmother who maintain a kind facade and Li Meng’s portrayal of a pitiful bully hit the best mark. These 2 characters have lots of nuanced conflicting emotions that may not hold up as well with less competent actresses. And thus, I am grateful for Chen Qiao En and Li Meng, having managed to express these multi layered emotions on screen for the most part, questionable morals of their characters aside.

Alas, I don’t have much else to say for the plot. Though what I can say is if you are in the mood for a fast paced, addictive story where the smart leads can subvert all sorts of crisis, I’d recommend checking out The Double. Quoting Duke Su, “It sounds like a great show, watch it.”

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A grand tribute ~ Scheming that's done magnificently! | Well served Justice.

"Don't be afraid of falling once and don't let that deter you. You have to forget about the pit and move on. No matter what, I am behind you." - Xue Huai Yuan

The above line from Xue Fang Fei's father truly has left a significant meaning to me. Although it was delivered to encourage XFF to never lose hope and keep the faith. I also felt comforted on behalf of her, because I know, as a viewer, that it somehow has a different meaning for her. It's a reminder and an advise that she should let go of her traumas and free herself of the chains that's keeping her caged in the past. That life is much more brighter and vibrant as long as she keeps on looking at the people who truly loves and cares for her.

Anyways, I want to officially start this review by saying that this story left me in great awe this year and most probably the drama with one of the best story line and character progression of all. I consider it so close to my heart that I want to take my time to carefully dissect the story by highlighting my most favorite elements about it. So, shall we start?

Story line - It was told without haste. I love that they took their time to show us all the crucial events that occured in the show. And despite having lots of scenes to show and address, they simply never took the liberty to magically skip through anything. They made sure that each important scenes are executed and shown in detailed way which also helps us viewers understand the story the best way possible. + The fact that they are able to incorporate a great amount of humorous and hilarious skits left and right made this show extra entertaining to watch. Also, I just wanna add up how crazily jam-packed and/or action-packed this dramas is. I myself was astounded on how skilled they're in deciding which scenes should make it to the final cut. No wasted episode at all!

Overall camera works, editing and all those related stuff - I'm speechless and too overwhelmed to even tell people how satisfied I am on how meticulously this drama was filmed and edited. They seriously got the best team out there. The transitions between scenes are smooth and flawless—well done! Not to mention how insanely indulging the camera angles, focus and choreohraphies are! Chef's Kiss! The camera position and direction are exemplary as it gives us a better and wider view of the horizon where the story is happening. Another thing I extremely love are the close up shots because it somehow made me feel like they're talking to me...like telling me words through their expressions. For some reason those shots expressed and conveyed their emotions clearly and precisely even better than them exchanging actual dialogues. Those are also my most favorite scenes of this drama. The main leads looking at one other without speaking as if they can read one another's mind felt so magical and endearing to me.

I also just want to mention how the cinematography and CGI was insane during the Qin competition. Like, Hell Yeah!! They gave me so much chills!! At one point it feels like I was watching a Xianxia drama all of a sudden which was mesmerizing and captivating all at the same time. What a performance they got there.

Chemistry and compatibility is Oozing! Something about the main leads has conquered and devoured this entire drama completely. I never expected them to be this charismatic, captivating and tempting all together. Their eye contacts are enough to melt my soul and awaken my romantic bones into life. They've got this chemistry and synergy that is rare for pairings to have. So I would say they have developed a mutual understanding and intangible connection that gives me this heart flattering feeling whenever I watch them. I guess they simply understand each other and has long found the secret recipe on how to make their chemistry work even when they're only giving us the bare minimum. Also, I love that they're not really lovey-dovey but are mature enough to understand and acknowledge their feelings for each other. And on Episode 33, their holding hands scene after XFF went out of the prison was such a mood. I myself was shock to see them being on that stage already even when they seem on guard of each other. Chess piece my ass Xiao Heng. Hahaha!

Ending was satisfying! I appreciate how everyone who the Main Leads seeks justice from got their own well deserved miserable ending and punishment. And although Lu Ji and Wen Ji died at the end, I am just glad that Xiao Heng didn't end up getting killed as well. I better watch the special episode right after writing this review.

Lastl, I personally want to thank the writer for the well deserved Happy ending of the Xue Family. I'm very grateful and is elated to see XFF spending her life in peace and harmony with her little family after all the mess Shen Yurong brought to their life.

"Living is the best revenge against your enemy." - Jiang Li (The real one)

Story - 10, I have nothing but praises and good words for this drama. The story was well written, progression was smooth and systematic and I immensely appreciate how the writer and producer avoided making such ludicrous plot twist and devices.

Acting/Cast - 10, Let's not talk about acting! Cause Heck!! They nailed, cemented and put up a statue of themselves in my head as one of the best in actors/actresses in terms of acting. Wu Jin Yan specially got me on my knees. She's overflowing with this indescribable force that will automatically hook you up to her acting performance. While Wang Xing Yue got me with his charming smile and stoic yet soft facial expressions. The supporting roles are the best too! Special mention to Ai Mi. Girl is on every drama I watched. A person who got good eyes and sense in choosing her projects.

Music - 10, Overall music choice are good. They're melodious and almost heavenly. Specially their main BGM! Their song placement is good and balanced as well. I never feel like it overshadowed or overlapped with any of the scenes it was used to.

Rewatch Value - 10, Solid 10. This is one of those dramas I will surely watch over and over again if only I have time to do so.

Overall - 10, Other people saying otherwise must either have personal beef against any of the casts or their taste is simply nasty bad. This drama deserved a higher rating and success, just to be very honest. Highly recommend!

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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A Subtly Crafted Revenge: The Double Review

The Double excellently captures the entire revenge trope and does not sway throughout its 40 episodes, which is what makes it really stand out. Xue Fangfei carefully executes both her own and Jiang Li's revenge in a subtly planned way, taking out all her enemies one by one. However, I do feel like her revenge was slightly underwhelming. Xiao Heng served more looks than actions and rather acted as a support to Xue Fangfei, magically appearing exactly when she needed him. Nevertheless, he and his fan are absolutely iconic. Their romance is a nice slow-burn with romance not being the main focus, and their relationship slowly falls into place with mutual trust and respect. There is one word to describe Shen Yu Rong: pathetic. At times, I do feel bad for him, but at the end of the day, I feel like he lost the most. When given the opportunity to turn things around, he rejected it due to his pride and lack of courage. I really liked the side characters, especially Tong Er and Lu Ji! The OST is really beautiful, and I actually never skipped an opening or closing song. The reason for my lower rating is because I feel like it dragged and got boring waiting for their revenge to finally happen, and when it did, I feel like it could have been done better; as I said, it was underwhelming. The ending arc was done well and was quite exciting, leaving me with a better impression of the drama. Overall, I rate it 7.5/10!

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