The Princess's Gambit

Gamble to Survive

Edit: please be aware this review is only for the first 21 episodes LOL everything lowkey went downhill from here as expected.

Wow where to start? I'd just started my little binge of cdramas again and after finishing a very mediocre modern cdrama with 0 chemistry (COUGH passionatelyinlove) this is EXACTLY what I needed. 2 seasoned actors who clearly know what they're doing and the angst + tension + chemistry is all there! I've been seeing a lot of reviews saying they don't see the chemistry between Meng ziyi and liu xueyi and I guess chemistry is subjective, but personally I think they're a great pair. Love seeing Meng ziyi in her natural state (clever, strong, independent) and after watching blossom, while she isn't as clever and self sufficient as she was in there, her character here does a good job of surviving in a whole new nation on her intelligence alone while being poisoned and with the fate of her little brother's life in her hands. This is my first time watching liu xueyi and I really like him! He does moody brooding ruthless ml really well. Now more into the plot:

I've also seen some people mention how this is a harem and they didn't expect him to have concubines and a whole wife before marrying the fl into his house as a concubine. You guys this was really not that serious, he literally paid the other women 0 attention and only interacted with the fl the entire show basically LOL. I think in the novel it was a bigger deal, as in he likely frequently slept with the women and had to actually give attention to them - but usually dramas will water this down for us haha (thank god). Also they're literally all there because their families wanted to spy on him since he has so much power in court. And if this somehow still bothers you (SPOILER! he ends up divorcing all of them except our fl - wow if only all historical men were like him huh?)

It's not exactly a unique storyline but they do have a few factors they stand out, such as the fl coming from a different nation and forming a political marriage alliance with ml. I guess also the fact that even though she's a 'princess' in title, she actually isn't treated like one at all by her royal family. The poison was an interesting touch that drives the plot forward, fl being unable to fully betray either side with her every action but forcing herself to eventually reveal her true intentions. Now the more common plot point is the ml having a lifelong grudge against someone else in power and working his way towards his revenge. One thing I do like about this is that the emperor isn't seen as a good guy who wants to get rid of all the corrupt officials in court, and he doesn't treat the ml as his right hand man entrusting him with everything. He's someone who has to keep both corrupt and good in balance within his court, otherwise he could very easily end up overthrown (similar to the princess royal, where the emperor has one side of a noble family backing him up, and without them there's bound to be major problems). That said, I don't love the guy, but I appreciate the complexity in character.

One thing I absolutely love is the setup for the ml and fl's romance. Ml has never trusted anyone in his life, and very much dedicated to getting rid of anything/anyone that gets in his way. Fl has even bigger problems, she's a good person to her core, yet forced to do bad things for the people holding her brother hostage. Mix that in with her having to lie to ml every step of the way, gaining and losing his trust back and forth, it creates a loooot of angst. I don't think it creates high blood pressure for me, but it's definitely the right amount for what I can handle right now. People seem pretty frustrated with the amount of miscommunication but it's not really miscommunication is it? Fl has a reason she can't say all these things to the ml (hello? spies and little bro gonna die). And it's really not up to her to prove to him that she's a good person when she has time and time again shown her good character. I feel like I could name a million dramas with actual miscommunication and I don't think this is one of them. How else are we going to have things revealed one by one without the curated misunderstandings?

Anyways I'm currently at episode 21, can't believe they have the freaking amnesia trope but whatever. I just hope this is resolved super soon. Also really can't wait to see actual romance between ml and fl because whatever we're getting before is pure hate love relationship. I need to see the ml actually madly in love with her RN. I absolutely LOVE when the dude is in the wrong because I feel like we see a lot of dramas where the fl does something wrong and causes a bunch of trouble for the ml. I can't say I'm gonna love their dynamic once they get together but I hope it's not too lovey dovey otherwise it was a waste of all that angst and tension.

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bland, like dry toast

LXY has been locked into playing a formulaic character for a few years now.
first he (character) tries to kill the fl
then he falls madly in love with her
then he spends the rest of the drama simping hard for/mourning/pursuing/obsessing over her.
and that character archetype always triumphs over the rest of the plot each time, just like his shen zai ye did here. like his background, motivations, all the politics, everything must make way for the formula to play out. boring, shallow, predictable and uninspiring.

MXY pouted and fluttered her eyelashes like taohua's life depended on it, although the role did not call for it. but her character was so fundamentally abysmally written that I didn't care about the actress' mediocre performance. also, for someone that was such a victim, not once did taohua inspire any sympathy. she just cosplayed a bad bitch the entire time while running around like an headless chicken lmao.

I did not see any chemistry between them, they had two kisses before I dropped and they were both as dull as ditch water. I do not recommend. dramas that go out of their way to write unbelievably nonsensical fls and scenarios do not deserve anyone's attention or time.

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Yet another disappointed idol costume drama with terrible plot and bad acting.

The Princess Gambit is yet another flop in the historical costume drama genre. I like Lin Xue Yi, and I am not a fan of Meng Zi Yi. I watched Blossom and ended up dropping it after 17 episodes.

I stuck around until the end of this drama because I like Lin Xue Yi’s acting talents; however, in this drama, the plot was so convoluted and confusing that it was a waste of his abilities.

Their on-screen chemistry was terrible, and I watched it at 2x speed to get past the boring and repetitive episodes. It would have been better if it had ended in 24 episodes.

Synopsis: Princess Jiang Tao Hua of Zhao seeks freedom from Empress Lu’s control by proposing a political marriage to the state of Wei. But upon arriving, she’s attacked and falsely accused of an affair with Chancellor Shen Zai Ye. To survive, she offers herself as his concubine, secretly tasked with toppling the Crown Prince while also searching for the antidote to a poison in her body. Shen Zai Ye, a principled yet ruthless official, becomes unwillingly entangled with Tao Hua amid court conspiracies and power struggles. Though he initially plots to get rid of her, Tao Hua’s courage and cunning earn his reluctant respect. Forced into Shen’s household, she faces constant danger from his other wives and political spies. Still, she uses her palace-honed instincts to hold her ground. As their fates intertwine, the pair form an uneasy alliance against their common enemies. Together, they expose the Crown Prince’s crimes, triggering a power shift within the palace. But with new threats emerging, both must decide if love and peace are within reach — or if the dangerous game of power’ll consume them.

My Reviews:
1. Acting: 6
2. Script: 4
3. Music/OST: 5
4. Production Quality: 7
5. Cinematography: 5
6. Rewatchable: 3
7. On-Screen Chemistry: 5

Overall Rating: 5

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Even the cast couldn't save the series

"Princess Gambit" just fell flat for me. I started the series super excited—both leads were cunning and forced into a relationship to get through things together, so I was hooked from the start. But as the series went on, I forgot why I was even so invested. I wasn’t sure if it was the storyline or the direction the series was taking, but it all just started to feel flat, and half the time I found myself tuning out.

I think I only stuck around because of the cast—I adore both leads—but toward the end, it got so boring that I don’t even know how I managed to keep watching. I finally dropped the series at episode 30. I just didn’t have the heart to sit through the last few episodes when I was barely paying attention anymore.

It’s sad that I couldn’t enjoy this to the fullest.

It is a 5/10 for me

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Teasers That Teased Me Into Dropping It

Dropped. This drama is the definition of wasted potential.

They chose to drag the entire plot using the most frustrating trope ever. Nonstop misunderstandings and miscommunication. Literally every issue could be solved with a five-minute conversation, but no, let’s stretch it over 25 episodes instead.

The female lead wants ML to trust her while she refuses to give that same trust to the male lead. Make it make sense. There’s zero character development, zero relationship development, and the pacing moves at the speed of a dying snail.

Even by teaser episode 23, they’re still not reconciled. At this point, I’m not even hoping for resolution. I’m just exhausted.

And the teasers? Hot garbage. Instead of hyping the next episode, they made me want to uninstall the entire show from my memory.

I literally paid for the express package and I’m still dropping it because I’m frustrated to death. That’s how bad it is. Save your time, save your money, save your sanity.

I came for the male lead. I stayed for a while out of hope. I left because this drama gave me nothing worth holding onto.

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From Gripping to Deplorable: How Careless, Incompetent Writing Ruined the Final Arc | Stellar Acting

"Remember this, Jiang Taohua. I'm not someone you can just call on and cast aside. This marriage was your choice. Even if it leads to nowhere, you have to see it through with me." - Shen Zai Ye

My main purpose for writing this is to refute and debunk the negative reviews posted for this show here on MDL. I feel like they have gotten completely out of hand, unfairly tarnishing the drama's reputation that it clearly doesn't deserve. It's just concerning how the review section was swarmed with massive backlash when, in reality, three-quarters of the show was well-made, making the story not bad at all. I think it is about time we give this story the love and appreciation it rightfully deserves.

Completing this drama made me question the immense hate it has received here on MDL. Honestly, I don't understand where those reviewers are coming from by dragging the entire story down, because contrary to the critically panned reviews I have read here, I, on the other hand, was deeply captivated and entertained while watching this show. It was not bad at all compared to how people described it—be it the storyline, the plot, or even the execution. I would even argue that this is far better than most historical C-dramas you can find out there that utilize the same plots and over time suffer from overwhelming plot holes left and right.

The story was thrilling and compelling. The main plot was tightly woven, while the sub-plots became a great foundation that carried the story forward. Although I will admit that there are plot holes towards the final 6 episodes, but most of them are considerably minimal and did not entirely ruin the show for me. It did cause annoyance and irritation, sure, but definitely not to the point where I thought of dropping the show. Truth be told, throughout my watch journey, it never crossed my mind to drop this drama.

Even the midpoint part, which I thought would finally make me utterly frustrated—based on other viewers' reviews—because of the worn-out amnesia trope, surprisingly didn't put me off at all. In fact, it was executed with the utmost care, attention, and control, adding just the right amount of drama needed to progress the plot and develop the MLs (Shen Zai Ye) romantic feelings for the FL (Jiang Tao Hua) while keeping the story logically sound. I can go as far as to say that this is among the top 5 best executions of the amnesia trope I have watched in C-dramaland to date.

Let me also commend the deliberate utilization and execution of the espionage and political plot devices. I appreciate that they were not utilized mindlessly for some unnecessary drama, and were instead used in a more rational sense that maintains the harmony and consistency in the narrative. What's more admirable is that both of our main leads are not just intelligent but are equally experienced individuals who are capable of easily adapting to any situation they are thrown into, by anticipating outcomes and maintaining contingency plans. Those traits put me at ease and allowed me to enjoy the story without worrying much that one of them might suddenly make a dumb move that may put them in a dire situation. They both work independently but are always there to help one another whenever one is in need of assistance. Which actually leads to my next point...

Although I was particularly annoyed with Jiang Taohua in several instances for stubbornly rejecting Shen Zaiye's help and offers, I just appreciated how he was always there, instinctively, whenever she needed him. It was delightful to witness how he gradually evolved into a companion who knew how to read and understand her without words, and vice versa. This made their cooperation much more wholesome because both of them were present for each other's tough times, even without being asked.

If there's one factor that baffled and disappointed me, one that deserves fierce criticism, it would be the writers' careless decision, combined with their incompetence in providing us with formidable enemies capable of rivaling our highly intelligent main leads. I understand the reason why Empress Lv was kept as one of the main antagonist. However, I think it was otherwise an utterly foolish decision to take out Meng Huaijin—the most promising enemy we could have reserved for the climax—early in the story, only to replace him with the obsessively smitten Mu Wuyin, who has a severe nanny complex. It was just preposterous how they confidently committed to the decision of eliminating their most capable and promising character but failed miserably to develop their chosen one to his full potential—later on even reducing him to a mere, pathetic, highly deluded, lovesick guy. It was just absurd how Mu Wuyin turned from a seemingly clever man into an insane, melancholic, heartbroken damsel in distress towards the pre-climax. They did him dirty, which eventually backfired as it reflects their miscommitment and haste in choosing their main antagonist.

To be clear, I initially wasn't bothered by Meng Huaijin's early death, as it was reasonable and an inevitable outcome at the time—a crucial move to intensify the conflicts in the story and what I presumed would help the plot move forward to a more groundbreaking climax, especially since I had high expectations that they had something more impressive in store for us. However, it was after the pre-climax when the realization finally sank in how they had wasted Meng Huaijin's potential just to make way for the undeserving Mu Wuyin, who ended up being a pathetic and incompetent character in the end. I was left in a state of disbelief, disgust, and disappointment, to the point where I wished Meng Huaijin had not been killed. It's just unforgivable how they sacrificed what could have been an ultimate battle of wits and intelligence for a plot that's merely driven by lust and romantic obsession. It was even more frustrating that the main antagonists we ended up having are a pair of shallow individuals who are only capable when using underhanded schemes, but are greatly overwhelmed and outwitted once faced with unprecedented adversities.

In conclusion, the antagonists designated for the finale are a pair of pathetically disappointing and underwhelming individuals. The only praiseworthy villain that comes to mind is Meng Zhenzhen. I appreciate how they further developed her character in the story while maintaining her rationality until the end! She always had a redemption path laid out for her to choose from, and it's satisfying how she always chose that option.

The next point I want to talk about is the last six episodes, which encompass the climax and the ending. This is the part where minor absurdities and plot holes started spawning left and right. My review will be much longer if I expound on them one by one, so I will just list down my frustrations below:

• The blatant act of letting the main antagonists escape a couple of times: First, in episode 30 towards the end of the Luocheng Arc, they could have easily apprehended Mu Wuyin while his spirit was broken and he was in a state of total devastation after realizing Empress Lv's betrayal, yet they did not. Second, in episode 33, when they were trying to suppress Empress Lv and Mu Wuyin during their attempt to usurp the throne, they yet again allowed them to escape when they were literally right in front of their eyes.

• The hasty assumption of their deaths: In episode 33, I also cannot fathom how they almost immediately concluded that both Empress Lv and Mu Wuyin had died in the fire, without harboring any doubts that it might be a scheme.

• The cliché negotiation: In episode 36, Shen Zaiye tries to talk rationality into Empress Lv's head as if she would ever listen. Thank God Jiang Taohua was there. It was an utterly ridiculous scene to watch—a very worn-out, cliché element.

• The logical oversight with the Yinghuo Flower: In episode 36, when the Yinghuo Flower was burning, they could have literally used their feet to kick the flowers away, since some of them were visibly not engulfed in flames yet, but they did not.

• The frustrating inaction: In episode 36, after Jiang Taohua is freed from the cage cell, instead of helping Shen Zaiye escape as well, she simply stands in front of it in a daze, looking at her master, Qian Mochen, as he dies. At that point, I just gave up.

It's farcical how the script diminished their foresight and sharp judgment towards the end, reducing them from highly perceptive leads into sloppy and careless individuals who overlook obvious things just to create additional drama.

Lastly, I just want to express my gratitude to the writers for keeping the overly annoying and impulsive Xiang Qingying (Shen Zaiye's sister) at bay. She was initially my greatest character frustration in this show, and I am just glad she did not turn out to be even more irritating towards the end. I was even happy that her skills were finally highlighted during the Luocheng arc.

Story - 9.0, To keep facts straight, I totally enjoyed the first 30 episodes of this drama. My dissatisfaction only kicked in when they finally revealed the utterly deplorable path they had woven for Mu Wuyin, alongside the several narrative hiccups and plot holes I mentioned above.

Acting/Cast - 10, What a solid ensemble. What was shown here were top-notch, emotionally expressive, and controlled acting performances from the actors and actresses. I'm extremely impressed by how they truly embody their characters' emotions as if they were their own. Above all, I have to give it to our main leads—Meng Ziyi's big, round eyes made me deeply fixated and absorbed in her acting, while Liu Xueyi expressed his character masterfully in every aspect.

Music - 10, What I love most about this drama's OST is that it's entirely ballads, and they exquisitely carried and heightened the emotional depth of the story.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, If only they didn't degrade Mu Wuyin into a nasty piece of lovesick shit and did not incorporate all those plot holes that tainted the main leads' formidably established attributes, I could have rated this higher.

Overall - 9.0,  Even with my complaints toward Mu Wuyin and the several plot holes in the story, I can still bravely declare that this is a nice watch overall. The last six episodes caught me off guard and left me completely baffled, but I don't think it was to a point where it entirely destroyed the foundation of the story. It is underwhelming, yes, but definitely not to a destructive level.

IF you find my reviews helpful please let me know.

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Wonderful at the beginning and mediocre at the end

This drama for me was wonderful at the beginning and not so good at the end. But no matter how disappointing the final arc was, I really enjoyed watching "The Princess's Gambit".

The first arc about counterfeit money was remarkable. We had just met the characters, and they had just met each other too, so in the beginning everyone just watches each other and is very cautious.

Chancellor Shen Zai Ye, played by Liu Xue Yi, is charismatic, cold-blooded, calculating, cunning, using dirty methods, keeping dark secrets, and he is also a commoner who rose to the highest position. Oh, and he has a wife and two concubines. So chancellor is not at all like the young, virginal, noble ML that are so common in dramas - and that is amazing. By the way, Liu Xue Yi does a great job with characters of this type. Chancellor Sheng is distinguished from other similar characters by his restraint, ability to keep his composure, self-esteem and a little bit of "Marty Stu", which doesn't spoil the character at all.

Princess Jiang Tao Hua, played by Meng Zi Yi, is also cunning, calculating, intelligent, and a spy from a neighboring state where her brother remains a hostage, and is poisoned with a deadly toxin. As a princess, she was supposed to enter into a political marriage with the prince, but due to certain circumstances, she tied her fate to the chancellor (this is not a spoiler, it is clear even from the trailer).

And so began a battle of wits. They worked against each other, and the princess also worked against the chancellor's harem, while the chancellor worked against the local mafia bosses. Then, of course, ML and FL joined forces, but the tension between them didn't disappear. And it was amazing! I watched some scenes without blinking.

The relationship between the main characters developed very gradually and very excitingly. It was hard for them not only fall in love, but even trust each other. Both of them traditionally have very traumatic pasts and presents, which prevent them from seeing the world through the prism of kindness and love.

But when it finally came to love (no spoiler, it's a law of the genre), the clichés and stereotypes poured like rain. And the drama became not exactly boring, but not as interesting to watch as it was at the beginning. Also this was the moment where the plot holes became obvious, because there was nothing to overshadow them.

In the final arc about the search of antidote, there was nothing left of the cold-blooded, calculating, and mean characters. They turned into standard noble lovers who save each other, everyone around them, and the state. This is not bad in general, but in contrast to the first arc, it was disappointing. And the villain of the final arc didn't measure up to the antagonists of the first arc - neither in emotion, motivation, nor logic in general.

In addition to the wonderful main characters, "The Princess's Gambit" has excellent secondary characters. The emperor, the princes, the Meng family represented by the head, son and daughter — all are charismatic, interesting, memorable, and evoke a lot of emotions in viewers (at least in me).

I wouldn't mind if the runtime were increased to reveal more about the second prince, the chancellor's harem, and other mafia clans aka influential families. We were promised mean harem consisting of mafia daughters, spying on chancellor for the sake of their clans. But the confrontations with the FL were shown very little. I want more.
Several influential families were also announced, but only the Meng family was revealed. The rest flashed on the screen a couple of times and that was it. I didn't get enough of the mafia, their secret dealings and their war with the chancellor.

What I also really liked about this drama is the cinematography. A lot of it is based on glances, micro-emotions, and close-ups. In the first arc and in the scenes of romantic suffering, this was very appropriate — the actors shown a whole range of feelings and thoughts with a single glance or a fleeting movement of their lips. And this was beautifully shown to us in close-up, making it clear what a particular character had on their mind.
Another technique I liked was shifting the focus from one face to another. It allows you to focus on one character, understand their feelings, and only then switch to another.
When the romantic suffering began in the middle of the drama, these techniques remained, but they no longer made you stare at the screen without blinking. Just beautiful techniques with beautiful actors.

And all this was accompanied by beautiful music that emphasized the emotions and did not distract from the action.

So, what else... The fights here are quite decent, though not exciting. There is only one bed scene, and it is very short. There are few kisses. As usual in dramas with Liu Xue Yi, attention is focused on emotions and psychology, but not on passion and tactility.

In general, "The Princess's Gambit" is worth watching at least for the exciting first arc and the excellent acting and cinematography. And for Liu Xue Yi, of course.

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I started watching this drama because I really liked Meng Zi Yi in Blossom, and her character here has a similar kind of strength and charm. As for Liu Xue Yi, this was actually my first time seeing him, and I have to say — he nailed it. From beginning to end, he held his character so well: tough and decisive, yet tender with those close to him. His performance was just perfect.

The series overall can be divided into three parts:

Part One was highly enjoyable. The story focused a lot on Princess Tao Hua, who had to face her arranged marriage with Minister Zai Ye while also dealing with people plotting against both herself and her husband. These became the two main storylines, and both were incredibly engaging. The battles of wit, the careful planning, the clever moves — exactly the kind of drama moments viewers love 😅.

Part Two shifted gears when the main villain changed tactics, giving the antagonists a much stronger presence. Meanwhile, something that happened to the Princess Tao Hua at the end of Part One made her character increasingly frustrating — her decisions and communication just didn’t live up to the excitement of the beginning. On top of that, the storytelling seemed to put more focus on the villains, giving them so much screen time that they almost felt like the leads (annoying, right?). It took around 10 whole episodes for the plot to get back on track — which felt like forever 😆. Still, I get why the writers wanted to flesh out the new villain characters in detail so viewers could better understand their motivations.

Part Three (Spoiler Alert!) centered on resolving the rebellion against Princess Tao Hua. With the mix of battles, tricks, and strategies, the story became exciting again, leading to the ending everyone probably expected. But here’s the catch — the last three episodes leaned too heavily on flashback scenes, and oddly enough, there were almost no moments showing the romance between the leads. That really broke the emotional flow, especially since the love story hadn’t been properly continued. Honestly, I was surprised at how incomplete the ending felt. This is the first Chinese drama I’ve watched that left me with a sense of an unfinished conclusion.

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FL gambled with her Intelligence and lost. A compelling start to a very tragic downfall.

Ugh. I'm so disappointed with this show like it had the perfect opportunity to have a compelling story, filled with tension (cuz the chemistry between leads was 🔥) and high stakes but unfortunately it fell prey to the cliches- be it amnesia or the so called incredibly strong antagonists losing their brain and doing incredibly stupid things so that the leads could catch them.

VISUALS
Incredible costumes, amazing setting and really nice cinematography.

CASTING
Amazing. All the actors really fit the characters well, Shen Zaiye looked like an incredibly shrewd minister who doesn't even deem the princess worthy enough to match him, and a princess who had escaped her cage, and now must try to carve out the life she deserves while trying to protect her brother.

Look, the premise was so incredibly promising - the show itself isn't all that bad, but pretty generic and full of cliches.
The initial episodes till the cliff scene or even before that are totally worth watching the rest can be skipped, fast forwarded.

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