A gripping series with wonderful casts
I started watching this drama with no expectation since I just accidentally came across it. The first two episodes grabbed my attention immediately and I found myself waiting for new episodes to drop daily.The casts were great especially the leads. The romantic scenes were shot beautifully and the hugs can make one’s heart flutter. The misunderstandings were resolved quickly since the leads had clear communication. The female lead in this series was very charming, emotionally intelligent and was able to stand up for herself without needing others to save her 24/7. Despite the female lead being able to defend herself, she also has her own weaknesses which I found refreshing and this differentiates this drama from others. Not to mention that the male lead also believes in his partner’s ability to handle herself.
However, in the middle of the series, the plot slowed down and I had to fast forward certain scenes. There was also a plot that took up a few episodes but was not given a proper closure. Near the end of the series, a new plot was being introduced and it just felt so sudden without any buildup.
Overall, this is a great series for those who are searching for a light-hearted romantic series.
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My quibble is with our main male hero. There he is - a whole generation older than our female lead. Gently supporting and guiding her in the background. Always restrained, virtuous, and serious.
You keep waiting for the flip when he loses his cool or reveals how he feels, but it hasn't come as of yet and it's dragged on enough I can't stand to finish this drama.
The female lead is intelligent and spirited and is not at all a damsel in distress the impetuous young men around her who are not worthy of her have interesting personalities and actually were one of the reasons I kept watching, but as the plot goes on they get sidelined more and more.
Which just leaves our stone faced male lead. Gently chiding and pushing and occasionally slitting someone's throat. The slitting the throat part is so out of the blue its more disconcerting than creating some sort of bad boy aura. Especially disconcerting since it's over taxes.
It's true that this type of romance usually isn't my cup of tea, but there are exceptions - I loved My Dearest, but this one just doesn't appeal.
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A Standard Plot with Boring Beats
I’ve made it to episode 12, and honestly, the domestic conflict here strongly reminds me of 'The Glory' style of plotting. You’ve got the legitimate daughter cast out because of a 'bad omen' prophecy, the villainous concubine and her children, a spineless patriarch with zero integrity, and the 'weak' primary wife.To be fair, this type of trope is starting to feel a bit exhausting, especially when layered with the usual palace politics. Even 12 episodes in, I’m still not feeling the chemistry between the leads. I haven't quite engaged with the storyline or the main characters yet.
The only thing keeping me interested so far is the production design. The costumes and accessories, especially for the female characters, are stunning and look so beautifully crafted.
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A Beautiful Yet Painful Story
I started watching A Splendid Match because of a TikTok edit I saw online, and I needed something new and different. Cisha really did justice to the character of Lord Chen, and I’m definitely open to watching more of his shows from now on.One moment in the show that made me bawl my eyes out was Ye Xian’s death. I cried and cried because his death was so painful. All he ever wanted was acceptance from the world, and he finally got it at the cost of his life. It was beautifully written and one of the most emotional parts of the entire series.
My only issue with the show was the ending. I felt like something was missing, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I just didn’t like the ending as much as I hoped I would. I really wish they had properly honored Ye Xian’s character after everything he did for the kingdom and for the king. He sacrificed so much, and I wanted to see some form of recognition or tribute to give viewers closure and consolation for his character.
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A splendid drama
It's been a long time since I've seen a good drama. There has been a focus on idol and romance dramas lately with little substance. This one stands above those with it's strong acting and good story.The early plot introduces the family structure and politics, which reminded me of that standout drama, The Story of Minglan, except the FL in this case is the legitimate daughter who's in a stronger position than Minglan. She's wilful, smart, mature and she understands politics for her young age. Her wilfulness is both to her advantage and to her detriment.
The ML is introduced as a more mysterious character whose motivations are revealed over many episodes. He radiates a formidable presence, exudes a quiet intensity, strength and authority, all of which the FL initially feared. But over time, as he became drawn to her unusual characteristics, she soon realizes that he is more than just dependable.
Due to his sensitive position in court and his relationships with it's powerful members, the ML maneuvers the political tides with care to protect himself, those he cares about and also his own goals. While some dramas would glorify the ML by sending him to war that ends victoriously, the battles for the ML in this drama requires fortitude and wit.
I am halfway through and wishing the ending wasn't coming so soon.
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I really, really tried.
When I got to episode 11 and found myself fast forwarding through 90% of the show, I knew I had to drop it. This felt like watching one of those cheesy web dramas. I can handle 15 minute episodes with those kind of production values and mediocre acting, but the 45 minutes in a full length was a slog.If I *had* to pick one thing that wasn't bad, I'd pick the SML's story. At least he had flaws and character growth.
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It was indeed “ A Splendid Match”
The whole point of this drama was the “splendid match” between a young, feisty, intelligent girl forced to grow up too quickly and an older man who is calm, clever, and incredibly cunning. The drama gave us exactly what it said it would from the title.From the romance and masterful plotting to the epic battle scenes and the young, brilliant emperor, everything was amazing. This is officially my favorite drama after The Untamed. It’s been a long time since I connected this deeply with a drama.
I have rewatched it so many times, I love every minute of it, I love YeXian character, WINWINs acting blew me away especially towards the end when he owned his character. Oh Cisha expressions on his face was just perfect. I am a sucker for people that act with their eyes, you can see pain, joy, sadness just from looking at their faces and for someone that was playing a calmer man, he nailed his role. That was a 100/10.
Overall the drama gave me what I wanted entertainment, I was entertained and that is all that matters.
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Slow burn but good drama
While I don't write many reviews, this drama is one of only five that kept me hooked and interested in every episode. I appreciate the FL's strength, intelligence, and forgiving nature. I also admire the ML's ability to be both forceful yet tender towards his woman. The second ML was outstanding; despite his condition, he demonstrated immense willpower, though he sometimes appeared arrogant, refusing to succumb to his limitations. Any drama that makes me cry as deeply as the lead characters is a truly worthwhile watch.Was this review helpful to you?
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Second male lead stole the limelight
Ep 27-28 killed me, I cried so many tears. As much as I love the main leads romance, I think I was more emotionally moved by Ye xians story, I usually hate second lead storylines but his was just sad, he truly is a character of despair, his storyline made me cry a lot. I see a lot of people hating on his character of being a man-child, but i think Gu Jinzhao said it best, when he was outside her window the night before she got married about what kind of guy he is. While she was the love of his life, he was her twin flame.The ending really could have been more, it felt like it was cut short, like maybe the main leads happy in their lives, or something a bit more satisfying to the bad guy ending, cause that was not satisfying, like that was it? The main leads romance was a quiet but mature kind of yearning and love, it's nice to see. A male lead full of nothing but green flags, a female lead strong headed but smart. The way they could understand each other and go through things together is the best kind of relationship to have.
The politics I didn't really care for in the story, it was the typical evil story of corrupt ministers, but him at the end was probably the only evil guy that wanted things to turn around, I see why they don't do that storyline more often, because it looks dumb, you did so many bad things and now you regret? Like at least be a more evil person or something, his wife too was loyal, he literally suffered through nothing, still in power even when he died, he didn't suffer, that's what I didn't like. But I will say I paid more attention than in the other dramas when it involves politics, probably because I wanted to see how the young emperor would go about it. He did well.
All in all solid drama, the ost in the later part really did a number on me, contributed to my cause of crying. Minus points for so much attention on the second male lead story because I almost feel as though he had as much screen time as the male lead, as much as I love the second male lead story, I'm here for the romance, the politics was alright nothing crazy. Would I recommend? Yea, why not.
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THIS SHOW IS NOT GOOD. Trust me, it’s no good.
It is rare to see a show change its main character as quickly and drastically as this one. In the beginning, the female lead was introduced as a refreshing change of pace. She was a shrewd, calculating and genuinely a strong woman. By episode 9, however, that writing seems to have been discarded. She has devolved into an immature brat who spends her time being lovestruck, not even over the actual ML, but over his adopted nephew, a character who acts like a total closed book. Watching a once-promising, intelligent woman turn into a regressive character over a secondary figure can be quite frustrating. The rest of the show does very little to save itself from this writing. While the actual ML is depicted as properly ruthless and competent when dealing with his enemies, the domestic scenes surrounding the FL are difficult to sit through. It is a shame, because the toxic family dynamic itself is likely historically accurate for an abandoned legitimate daughter. The villa is entirely run by the scheming concubine and her wicked daughter, while the female lead's biological mother, who is supposed to be the matriarch, is portrayed as a weak and useless parent who refuses to step up. Ultimately, A Splendid Match is a massive disappointment that can lead to irritation. What started as a promising historical drama with a smart heroine has transitioned into a frustrating, immature mess that may not be worth finishing.Episodes 10–21 gets marginally better than the absolute bin fire of the first nine episodes, but it is still plagued by major problems. While the plot moves away from the FLs initial infatuation, it replaces it with lazy writing, a complete lack of logic and infuriating character dynamics. The 2ML is a difficult character who completely tanks any potential for second-lead syndrome. Despite a decent appearance, the Marquis’s son is a short-sighted individual who cannot see the bigger picture. The ML is desperately trying to save this man's family from ruin, yet the Marquis always accuses him of being petty and holding grudges, completely blind to the fact that he is the one acting in an immature and petty. Least we forget the fact that early on he actually whipped the FL because he was having one of his petulant tantrums because she was giving him some home truths. Very frustrating.
The romance completely stalls out because the female lead has devolved into a bit of an irritating character. The script cuts ridiculous corners, suddenly turning her into an expert archer out of nowhere just to suit the plot. When the ML behaves like a proper adult by confessing his love and proposing, she flat-out rejects him due to baggage over her dead mother, dragging their dynamic into a childish standstill. To top it all off, the show suffers from severe narrative amnesia regarding its core villains. The half-sister and father, whose cruel crimes defined the start of the series, are suddenly treated like background characters and completely sidelined. Instead of giving any satisfaction by punishing them for their past crimes, the script forces us to focus entirely on the father’s extended family and their wicked schemes, turning the show into a frustrating political slog.
Nb. During the first half of this show there are a couple of moments particularly after episode 10 they’re actually quite nice especially between the ML and FL but they are so few and far between that I lose sight of them and almost forget them because of the frustrating elements.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Of the five chapters I saw, I love it.
The series has its mystery and romance, what I like the most, the protagonists are good and I love the plot, so far it is like almost all the dramas of the time, but I like that mystery and romance, I have not yet started the romantic, but I love it, so far I have loved it, nose if the ending will be good. the other thing I also saw is that with everyone has as a romantic connection I would like it to end with the prince nose quantito but the five chapters they do as the best couple now there We have to wait until the end, but we know who it will end up with.Was this review helpful to you?
