Editorials 
not a detective series
it's not a detective series, it's a court drama romance with a detective elementthe murder cases do happen, but they're more just an excuse for Qin Wan and Yan Chi to involve themselves in court politics.
I like that the romance is clear and they already share their mutual feelings pretty early on, but they're not in a state to publicly declare their relationship so it's kind of a slog. I also like that there are some light pairings for the side characters too - maid x best bud; best girl x court bro
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Couldn’t continue
Is it just me or the acting is super terrible?The ML acting was amazing but the FL did lack abit of emotions. But some of the other supporting characters’ acting were super awkward and fake. I tried to watch up to episode 5 through the badly acting but I just couldn’t. But after seeing so many people commenting that it gets better, I decided to watch it one more time before stopping it in episode 11.
I really couldn’t continue it if I want to , so I would rate the rewatch value super low.
The story was also abit lacking, the mysteries were all quite easy to grasp and solve. I came to watch just for the romance. The romance between the two leads were quite strong but I didn’t really see the chemistry between them.
Therefore, I wouldn’t really rewatch this if I could. It’s just a waste of time.
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This review may contain spoilers
One Major Flaw
With series like this, there are a number of factors you know you'll be overlooking. This series indeed contains many of these flawed factors but the one I couldn't overlook was the female lead and her entire persona. I'm a huge fan of strong and independent female characters but it feels like the industry is going overboard these days or they are just confused. They want to portray how tough the woman is, but also don't want to give up the "damsel in distress" who is saved by her handsome man just to build the idealistic romance.This particular FL is self-righteous and obnoxiously hypocritical. She constantly claims how much experience she has and what she knows but when she loses her cool over nothing, she then blames it on the lack of experience. She is painted as someone who can do no wrong in her coroner and medical skills as well as someone who knows how to assess people around her and manipulate as needed. This isn't believable when she's throwing temper tantrums too many times. Her coroner and medical skills are also not believable when she finds a multitude of dead bodies and just goes on a high rant about how she underestimated the evil in the world. Wasn't her entire persona based around finding vengeance? Overall, her personality isn't of someone who is truly professional but more like a spoiled teenager who is riding too high off of the skills she picked up from her background and family.
The ML is less annoying but also quite dull. He's painted as someone who's rugged from war experiences since he was a kid and someone to be highly feared/respected by many but then pretty much immediately follows the female lead around like a loyal puppy. He has enough redeeming qualities to still keep him in the game but not enough to make up for the shortcomings of the FL. Can we also lay off the overly dramatic FL/ML scenes with slow longing looks at one another and change in music to emphasize what we all already are aware of? How many times does it need to be shoved in our faces? At least for series in this genre? Subtleties can be a strength.
This was given a higher score because the actual mysteries and the unraveling of them were done decently well. The costumes and action scenes weren't a major turn off and it would have been much more enjoyable less the items mentioned above.
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Slow-Burn Mystery with Too Much Investigation
I'm not going to write much about this drama because I dropped it after Episode 18.The story itself isn't bad, but there are just too many investigation cases. It does have romance, and I found the main leads quite compatible. However, their romance doesn't really begin until around Episode 15, so it takes a while to develop. There are also two side couples, which adds a little more variety.
The biggest issue for me was the pacing. The drama starts off well, but it never reached a point where I felt excited to watch the next episode. There weren't many "must-watch" moments that kept me hooked, and eventually it became boring for me.
Another reason I dropped it was because I watched it on YouTube, where it only had French subtitles. I had to rely on auto-translation, and many lines weren't translated properly, which made it even harder to enjoy.
As for the story, the female lead takes on someone else's identity to uncover the truth behind her father's case. He was framed, and she also lost her entire family because of that incident. The male lead is a prince who leads an army, but he's also investigating a case that's connected to the female lead. They eventually begin working together to solve the mystery.
Personally, I would have preferred to see the male lead more on the battlefield than solving investigation cases. He discovers the female lead's true identity, yet he still falls for her. I expected a bit more drama after that revelation, but the show handled it in a more romantic way. I think it worked for many viewers, but by that point, I had already lost interest and ended up dropping the drama.
If you enjoy investigation-heavy historical dramas with a touch of romance rather than a romance-focused story, then this might be worth watching. But don't watch it just because of its high rating. That's exactly why I started it, and unfortunately, it ended up being quite boring for me.
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This review may contain spoilers
The best drama I've watched
I've watched more than a hundred dramas and this is one of the best! If there's a score more than 10 stars I would definitely score this higher. Love both the main leads who have a good head over their shoulders. Story is flawlessly written and coudn't find any fault with it. No typical cold guy syndrome or hate turned to love cliche story. Everything just flowed smoothly into place. All the bad characters got what they deserved. Villains killing each other was an ingenius idea. Hope there will be more dramas like this.Was this review helpful to you?
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Interesting and very engaging cases with a sweet romance
Well, to start off, the drama honestly hooked me right from the beginning. The storyline is super engaging and stays very true to the novel. The cases are twisted enough to keep you guessing, but still easy to follow, and the chemistry between the leads? Absolutely sweet and swoon-worthy.The drama had in fact followed the novel very closely in terms of script but had slightly changed the beginning because of China's contents and regulatory standards regarding plots like rebirth, transmigration and so on, but the plot flowed seamlessly if you don't think too much into the identity swap of Shen Wan.
Now, about the ending—they did tweak it a little bit to cater to the majority of the audiences, who liked Shen Wan to remain as herself, the coroner who fights for justice. But personally? I kind of felt that with Li Landi’s portrayal, Shen Wan would’ve made a fantastic queen. Most readers felt that Shen Wan should remain free, and not be confined in the palace but I beg to differ. Let’s be honest—Shen Wan wasn’t all noble and selfless after all. She did do amazing with empathizing for the wrong souls out there, and investigating every cases until the truth comes out and justice prevails, but one got to admit that from the very beginning, her sole motivation was her father's innocence. Not that it shouldn't matter but I think if she became the queen, she could have taken her own brand of justice to a whole new level. She wasn't a normal noble lady, and Yan Chi wasn't the typical man of that times either.
Speaking of Yan Chi, Ao Ruipeng's acting was impeccable. He nailed it! Seriously, his acting keeps leveling up with every drama he does. His Yan Chi was everything I expected from the novel and maybe even better. From the very start, his fascination with Shen Wan is so obvious and the romance, while a little slow paced at first, it wasn't dragged on. Their relationship made perfect sense, and I loved how natural it was. All along the novel, Yan Chi had been nothing short of excellent, be it investigating the cases, or fighting for the justice, to pampering Shen Wan, and to the conflicts within the Royal family. Although, a major part of the novel had not been filmed, the part where he and Shen Wan were exiled, and Yan Chi rejoined the army and rebelled, it didn't cause any major plot hole. Though I kind of do wish that if that arc was actually filmed, it would've showed more of Yan Chi's military merits, which would’ve been epic to watch.
The side characters were honestly gems too. Especially, Bai Feng. I have noticed him in Moonlight Mystique, but here, he shined even more. Honestly, I do hope that he gets a main role because he does seem to have more potential in him. And Yue Ning, and Yan Li were equally amazing. These three supporting characters was the reason the show was engaging, having a slightly funny and light hearted romance. Again, I hope the side characters get to be the main leads in a very good script, because they honestly deserve it. The other side characters were equally very good. And let’s not forget the Emperor—if someone can make you hate him to your core, grit your teeth, curse him out, and then still shed a tear for him, then that someone is amazing. He is that someone. Overall, all of the cast were wonderful.
Now, onto the OST. Chef’s kiss. Every single song was beautiful, heartfelt, and addictive. The lyrics hit deep, the vocals were powerful, and the melodies stayed stuck in my head for days. Huang Xiaoyun’s “Don’t Sigh” and Zhou Shen’s “If by Dust” are masterpieces, you don’t even need to understand Mandarin to feel the emotions. And can I just say, I didn’t know Ao Ruipeng and Li Landi could sing this well! Their songs were surprisingly good (though I had heard Ao Ruipeng in Moonlight Mystique’s OST before). Curley Gao’s track was another sweet highlight, romantic and hopeful. Honestly, no skips here—I loved the entire soundtrack.
So yeah, this drama is definitely worth your time. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, and it might even make you hum Mandarin songs you don’t fully understand (been there, done that). My advice? Grab some popcorn, keep a box of tissues nearby, and settle in. Who knows—you might just love it!
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A Brilliantly crafted drama.
CORONOR'S DIARY was absolutely splendid.I mean, it's a bit plot heavy. But the cases they took up were so innovative, were so henious.... it shook me, at the same time amazed me.
Each and every case was so well written, and perfectly excecuted.
The Imperial family tree is difficult to understand so I referred mdl for that. (Thanks to mdl)
The internla affairs in the royal family was also soo well designed. I was mindblown.
The plot twists....the charcters..... damn. It was super interesting.
I like how tight the entire story was, that the main cause remained persistent throughtout 38 epiosdes.
This drama is more on mystery-thriller side than on romance.
There was barely any romance.... but whatever was presented was satisfying enough.
Yan Chi and Wan'er's love was pure and sosososo based on mutual trust. I loved it.
Ao Rui Peng and Landi Li carried the entire drama. They were absolutely magnificent.
I wauld like to watch more of these types of dramas.
Thanks to the team of Coronor's diary and Iqiyi for making such a gem of a drama.
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That was awesome!
If you’re not into true crime, you might find this one a bit slow, but I honestly enjoyed it so much. The production value is great, and the way they actually show the autopsy process is so cool, it feels very detailed and well-researched.Regarding the romance, I’d say the leads definitely have chemistry, but it felt a little lacking for me. That might just be because I was way more invested in the mystery and the medical genius aspect of the plot than the love story.
This was actually my first Li Landi drama (I’m a long-time Ao Ruipeng fan!), and she really impressed me. She’s very pretty and did a great job playing a brilliant medical mind. I think I’m definitely going to look for another one of her dramas to watch next.
Overall Rating:
I’d recommend this if you love true crime, thrillers, or stories with a lot of political intrigue. It’s definitely worth a watch!
PS: I loved their wedding and their wedding dresses. They also gave plot twists after plot twists.
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This Drama Hooked Me—And It’s Not Just Another Revenge Plot
I absolutely loved this drama from start to finish. Aside from *The Double*, this is one of the rare dramas I watched entirely for the compelling plot and the brilliant female lead. While it begins with the familiar "family betrayed by politics and the emperor, must seek vengeance" storyline, it quickly evolves into something much deeper and more engaging.Landy Li delivers a stunning performance as the lead—her character remains remarkably level-headed throughout, which was refreshing. What stood out most was the beautifully paced development of the main couple’s relationship. Their mutual understanding grows gradually, naturally, and meaningfully. I’m not usually a fan of the “love at first sight” trope, but here, it felt genuinely right and perfectly placed.
Ao Rui Peng, the male lead, is equally captivating—supportive, never disrespectful (even during moments of suspicion), and fully invested in his partner. Together, they form a power couple who lift each other up in every way.
The side plots and cases are intelligently crafted, too. I’ve always been curious about how forensics worked before fingerprinting and modern technology, and this show does a brilliant job of exploring that—without ever feeling dragged out.
The ending felt just right. Without a doubt, this drama ranks in my top 10 C-Dramas of all time.
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A well-written drama with intelligent leads, minimal clichés, and engaging character dynamics.
A series with strong leads & secondary leads, no love triangle, no green tea, no unnecessary misunderstandings, no stupid side plots. A story that justifies the title, it sticks to the plot. After a long time, watch a drama where 2nd leads aren't in love with the leads or trying to break them apart.Yan Chi is smart, calculative, sometimes cunning, a good general. He constantly found himself trapped between politics and his father’s principles, torn between making a choice and protecting his father and his army from political schemes. I liked Ao Rui Peng here more. He played Yan Chi really well.
Qin Wan is smart, mature and judges everything according to law. I loved Landy Li here. Her character was the totally opposite of "The Starry Love"(the only drama that I have watched of hers) character. There she played a carefree, childish, fun-loving but smart FL here she played the opposite of it: mature, patient, smart.
Yue Ning & Yan Li were fresh of breath air in the series. Loved their banter and carefree nature.
A reunion of Fan Yue & Mu Jiu. Loved Yan Chi & Mu Jiu relationship. There consent teasing each other about their love lives.
Another best thing about the series is the limited story or zero involvement of annoying supporting characters. Liked that Qin Xiang had zero involvement in Qin Wan, all she could do was to get jealous of Qin Wan. Otherwise, in maximum C-Dramas, her character would be doing a lot of scheming to make the FL life living hell. She deserved that ending of hers.
Yue Ning & Yan Li as well as Mu Jiu & Fu Ling love to disturb our Yan Chi & Qin Wan romantic time, which they rarely get.
One of the best things is that Yue Ning brought the maid to recognize the person who saved her grandmother. Otherwise, in maximum series, it always ends up recognizing the wrong person.
Loved how Yue Ning shut down those Qin bitches by saying my grandma doesn’t even know why you need to visit her. A nice slap to her face.
Loved how Yan Chi secretly observed Qin Wan examining the death body in the carriage as well as arraigning her to examine without her knowledge.
The way Yan Chi prevented Yue Ning from asking to marry Qin Wan by proposing that them be siblings was funny.
Overall, loved watching it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Exactly the Kind of Drama I Love to Watch!
A young woman sets out to unveil the truth after witnessing her parents’ murder. After concealing her identity, she meets a young prince who is on his own quest for justice. With her amazing medical/forensic skills paired with the power behind his title (& his own excellent skills), this duo tackles some of the hardest cases while working to vindicate their loved ones.I LOVE this drama. The plot & pacing were well done, the scenery & costumes are beautiful, the script & cast are engaging. It has a heavy focus on the cases (as it should!) but never feels too convoluted to follow. It has darker elements due to all the deaths they’re investigating, but there’s a good amount of humor to balance it out.
And there’s an abundance of love. Within the blood & found families, amongst the friendships formed, between the “servants” & “masters”. And, of course, there’s the mesmerizing love of our Leads.
They made such a dynamic duo. Both extremely intelligent & honorable, kind-hearted & humble, courageous & loyal. They had such a healthy relationship, 100% supportive & completely devoted. They didn’t give our hearts any stress or make us fear they’d let one another go. They bravely took on any foes & protected their love against any attacks. I truly wish writers would give us more healthy love stories like this!!
IMHO, this is a must-see for fans of historical dramas, the crime & mystery genre, &/or romance lovers. This is one I rewatch again & again! 🫶🏻
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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-
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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : ep.15 💋
- Together : ep.15 👩🏻❤️👨🏻
- BreakUp: Nope 💍
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The best historical mystery drama for me.
How am I supposed to write how good this drama is??I loved EVERYTHING in this drama, the romance, the cast, the plot twists with mystery solving, the female lead being so bold with her solving, her being smart and an independent woman is everything I need in a drama that is 40 episodes. Some people are hating on her character saying that she is too smart or annoying\unromantic sometimes, however that is one of the main reasons why I loved her, she never lets anyone steal her man, steal her job (which no one dares to do), and how clever she is in both solving mysteries and in life. Her man, DUDE straight out of a fantasy story, what the actual hell with his AMAZING visuals, bro fell in love with her at first sight, like dude was head over heels, he was MESMERIZED, I mean she is someone to get mesmerized by just looking at her. The second couple (Princess Ning and Prince Yan Li), I LOVED THEM, but the director\producer did them dirty and didn't let them have enough screentime for their romantic era, even though Bai Fang and Fu Ling are supports I kinda felt they had more screentime than the second couple and they even counted as "main roles" I really wish they will have in the future more romantic dramas with each other, we will get one with Yan Chi and Yue Ning but what about Yue Ning and Yan Li?? Anyways the music.... I thought that such an amazing drama with stunning visuals, detailed background and items, perfect storyline would make the music very outstanding, if you listen to the music alone, on YouTube its VERY GOOD, so why didn't they include that much music is just not enjoyable for someone who listens to a lot of osts. Anywayss, this drama is one of the best dramas I've ever watched, and I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY RECOMMEND IT!!Was this review helpful to you?
