Fated Hearts

I hadn’t planned to start watching this yet.. Really, I hadn’t.. But somehow, I fell straight into its trap... I thought I would just take a quick peek at the first ep and before I knew it, it was six in the morning five episodes down and no way to stop.. It’s that good, no wonder the ratings are so high..

Whenever I watch an enemies to lovers kind of story, I never get tired of that slow shift when they slowly grow into each other.. They begin to learn things about one another.. Their deepest secrets, the softest parts that were never spoken about, the little facts and even their weaknesses.. The enemies to lovers trope here is done exceptionally well.. It’s neither rushed nor slow.. I would say it’s perfectly executed.. After what happened in the first two episodes, I was curious to see how they would ever go from enemies to lovers.. Seriously, they hated each other so much and he really did torture her pretty badly..

FYX and FSG’s love feels incredibly strong and almost beyond ordinary, something that truly left me amazed.. There are so many small, subtle moments that quietly scream how deeply they love each other.. Their love is the anchor that holds the story together through all the tumbles it takes.. Fu Yi Xiao’s emotional and moral journey, from someone bound by loyalty to a woman willing to risk her place, her safety and even her heart for the truth and for her supposed enemy is deeply compelling.. Her transformation mirrors that of our ML Feng Sui Ge, the prince shaped by vengeance and duty who slowly learns that power without compassion is just another kind of cage.. Their love is forged through loss and courage and through the painful realization that sometimes, love itself is the most defiant act of all..

Something that really stood out for me in this drama is the couple and their relationship.. I know I am writing too much about them, but bear with me.. Their relationship isn’t like the cliche ones you see in most dramas.. Their relationship is completely and sensibly balanced.. They respect each other’s strengths and weaknesses.. Both are capable, confident and competent individuals who don’t lose sight of who they are just because they are in love.. This is what I love about the writing, they are intentionally kept as equals.. Neither is portrayed as weak or dependent and she never becomes someone who needs the ML to protect her.. Even the ML understands her strength and intelligence, he lets her take risks when she has to, never forcing her to hide behind him or stop her out of overprotectiveness.. That’s what I hate in most dramas, when they fall in love and suddenly all that ruthlessness or individuality disappears and they just turn into fools in love.. But here it’s not like that at all, and I absolutely loved it..

Visually, this drama is undeniably beautiful.. They have done wonders with the cinematography, framing and color work.. The direction isn’t flamboyant, it’s careful and deliberate as if the story itself is afraid of revealing too much too soon.. I do agree, though, at times, the pacing falters as if the director momentarily loses sight of which emotion to frame, grief or resolve, tenderness or deceit..

The supporting characters were good as well.. I really liked the ML's team.. They were utterly loyal till the end.. But I feel the show spent too much time on the other side characters who didn’t really deserve that focus.. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but personally I didn’t enjoy it.. Nothing about those parts felt worth the time and none of the characters made me want to keep watching.. There was hardly any real character development, maybe with the exception of the Emperor of Jinxia.. But again, that’s just my opinion..

Talking about character development, one character was a complete disaster from start to finish, the Princess of Susha.. She was frustrating to watch, constantly making poor choices and falling for the wrong man.. What she needed was a knock on the head, not sympathy.. In the end, she literally got a sword to her stomach from the very man she loved and sacrificed everything for.. She never had any clear motive and kept walking straight into her own downfall.. Even her revenge felt so shallow, what was she even avenging?? The story tried to frame it as if the SML wronged her, but he was honest from the beginning that he would never love her.. Then she went on to team up with another terrible man in the name of revenge.. The Emperor and the princess were just two broken people making things worse for each other.. He was an awful person, much like the SML.. His last minute redemption does count as character development, but it doesn’t make him a good person nor does it turn their story into some tragic love worth mourning..

The ML at least had one sibling who had some sense and did the right thing, the Second Prince of Susha.. Despite being raised on lies and manipulation, despite having every reason to protect his mother and hold on to power, he still chose what was right.. He stood by his brother when it mattered most.. He has my absolute respect..

All the other characters had fitting endings and every arc was wrapped up really well.. Feng Sui Ge got his revenge on everyone who wronged him and his family, every backstabber met their fate and it was incredibly satisfying to watch.. And through it all, Fu Yi Xiao stood by him, protecting and fighting alongside him, just as she promised she would..

I wanted to mention a few other things..

There was one thing I think they overdid, the face filter.. It was just a bit too much.. They really could have eased up on it.. At some points, CZH looked like he might melt if the sun hit him..

These Chinese historical weddings are just so beautiful.. The attire, the colors, the whole aesthetic, it’s pure bliss to watch..

I have to mention the torture scene, when she tortured him, he seemed to enjoy it a bit too much for it to be called torture.. The man was out there thriving in pain..

There have been quite a few female general characters this year and a lot of talk about who did it best.. But now, we finally have a clear winner.. Hands down, the title goes to Li Qin and her character Fu Yi Xiao.. She was absolutely perfect, fierce, graceful and beautiful.. The way she carried herself was simply sublime..

Overall, this drama was an absolute feast to watch.. I would have rated it a solid 9.5 but all that beautiful buildup led to what felt like a small firework.. Don’t get me wrong, I still liked that firework and thought it was beautiful but deep down, I was hoping for a grand finale of explosions, a huge, epic scale war to end it all.. And also, putting a character who didn’t do a single right thing throughout the entire drama in charge of a country was just plain ridiculous.. She never once showed intelligence, responsibility or even basic morality.. There was no real character development that could justify giving her the responsibility of ruling Susha, that was a huge misstep on Feng Sui Ge’s part.. Chengyang on the other hand, showed far more potential and leadership qualities.. For these two major reasons, I couldn’t bring myself to rate it any higher than a nine.. As much as I wish I could give it a perfect score, these two glaring flaws held it back for me..

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Meeting, Falling in Love, Staying Together, Standing Side by Side, & Never Parting.

Enemies to lovers done the first time the right way. This has become my favorite drama of CZY (though not character as that's forever I believe reserved for LZ), I knew he could do a general but the ruthlessness of his character more out of necessity to survive in his surroundings as the first prince was very much brought home here. I'm proud of him; he exceeded any expectations I had. I knew LQ could handle herself in her role as I have seen her in them before and many of the supporting cast. So this series really for me was following the leads mantra of meeting, falling in love, staying together, standing side by side & never parting.

Pros: CZY's character or FSG was my favorite and not because I follow him but I honestly wasn't sure he could pull off a ruthless general or the Killer God of Susha as it was his first try but now I can say he has--for me at least--joined the ranks of ZLH, WL, and LYN of men who could burn the world to the ground as a general but at the same time do so for the woman he loves. And his FL or FYX could be an equal partner for him because she was a general in the enemy country as well and her skills aren't to be trifled with. When they fought together later on, their tacit understanding was seamless, which was beautiful to see. Their chemistry was red hot even when they hated each other. He fell first but she wasn't too far behind and their sparks for each other really flew with that first kiss when she confessed first. FYX was the type of woman who didn't just wait around, she knew how she felt and knew he felt the same. He had some jealous and funny moments before the official confession that made everyone around them get it but not say anything. It was too funny. Even the audience was like "we know, dude!" LOL!

They started out as enemies from kingdoms constantly at war with each other but her losing her memories from being literally shot off a cliff and barely surviving plus being hunted by assassins. An ancient Doctors Without Borders type of place saved both of their lives as she had shot him with an arrow before all that happened to her. It took a lot of physical fighting especially lashing and biting for them to call a truce which thankfully happened early on. Anymore biting each other and I would have called this a vampire flick lol! She lost her memories after being betrayed by her then supposed lover (XJS or Nutsack as I called him because he played an equally obsessed with FL SML in another series) another prince of that kingdom who was in cahoots with some masked man from his kingdom who was for some reason allowed to give them orders. Funnily enough who the masked man turned out to be was spoiled by the show, when they released a poster of the characters one of which was holding the mask and otherwise easy to guess. But the dude couldn't fight himself to save his life and if he went against nutsack, would have gotten his ass demolished.

Betrayal was the name game here first for FYX with her amnesia that cleared pretty quickly and sworn brothers as one betrayed everything and her when he tried to kill her especially when the main reason for it arrived as a marriage alliance so it sped things up for her and a miracle doctor treating the emperor helped her with a very risky surgery. But another thing I liked was that all the negative stuff like amnesia or misunderstandings between our leads was cleared up pretty quickly. Even FSG's own amnesia after he was betrayed by his best friend MRY aka mask man and his father who professed his loyalty to the emperor yet killed innocent people brutally (still waiting for someone to avenge Eunach Ma or say something about it), was essentially ready to throw all of that away to keep his treasonous son alive; planned and nearly executed FSG; it was brutal and violent even burying him alive, his amnesia after they brought him to the Storm Alliance, saving, blindness, and amnesia maybe took 2.5 episodes. It was dealt with accordingly.

The amount of harm and betrayal FSG went through just the series let alone was staggering. This man never did anything to anyone and just wanted his kingdom and the people to prosper but the gunning for the throne and back games just made it nearly impossible. Just about everyone was corrupted included the emperor or his father. For the most, he was a good emperor but as a father, he knew what happened to his mother, was there, covered it it up, and kept the murderer around to hone FSG as a ruthless leader; when that came out, and how everyone who didn't submit should be killed even ordering FSG to kill FYX who read him to rights, was disgusting and I'm glad both told him essentially to go fuck himself. He was a horrible father to FSG and didn't deserve an amazing son like him. Towards the end even FYX asked how a kind man like him could exist in a world where he's faced so much betrayal even from people who were supposed to love and protect him. But I and many others believe he received all of his mother's genes, after all it was she who established the Storm Alliance.

At first I thought the Storm Alliance was nonsensical and should be placed in the cons but than I read what another viewer in the comments wrote and I had to agree, their time with the storm alliance was a time for FSG to obviously recover but also understand the real meaning of the word family. Also there was a decades old misunderstanding thinking his father ordered the raid on Storm Alliance so many of its members wanted revenge on FSG even when they didn't really know who the real culprit was (it was the PM and his private troops; but these folks already hated the emperor for what happened to FSG's mom so just blindly point and shoot; they were stupid but at least when they turned against each other for the strict rules, FSG and FYX brokered the peace and he promised to find out the truth, which he did). His was broken thanks to the murder of his mother by the PM and the cover up by his father just to make him ruthless enough to take the throne. No one in his family was actually "normal" save for his younger half brother who never wanted the throne either but who's mother and grandfather--the same PM--were trying to do everything in their power to him on including killing both the emperor and FSG to do. He also had a younger sister but that's a mess for another paragraph. It was FYX, his brother guards, the Q something battalion that got slaughtered while trying to keep the chasing goons away from the carriage carrying the barely clinging to life FSG after being dug up from his grave, and the entire Feng battalion, some who were killed for not supporting MRY the loser who couldn't fight but the rest of the battalion submitted though under pretense until their general returned. As FSG said himself, FYX was the most important to him along with his brothers in the Feng battalion because though not blood, they were his family. FSG spent most of the show trying to find out the truth behind his mother's death while at the same time warding off attacks of the PM, the Empress, and MRY's faction. So now having FYX and before they fell in love, he was also helping her uncover her memory and then she helped him with his.

There were so many really great nuances in this series the most recent was when FSG regained his and how that click happened. The director showed the imagery in his brain and his face from moment to moment and it was great. Same as when FYX remembered it was nutsack who shot her off the cliff in the first place. It was a pendant he wore when he first arrived for the marriage alliance and randomly met in the street, after a shooting match, she saw the pendant and remembered and signaled to FSG to help her even though they weren't together yet. They already had that seamless tacit understanding even back then.

I just wanted to say about the ending, though they more less closed out the majority of the characters well, I'm actually happy with the ending. FSG never wanted to become emperor regardless just like his brother who went into seclusion after finding out about all of his mother's crimes. He was Regent as he left his sister to govern but put her on probation for 3 years and in those 3 years if she did well, he'd crown her as empress otherwise he'd name a worthy successor. Plus he brokered a 10 year deal with FYX's country not to fight but let the common people settle down. No matter what, he was still in charge and his kingdom was the powerful one. But he and FYX went to live quietly somewhere as they showed them just relaxing on a mountain top, chatting and shooting arrows. He promised her the grandest wedding in 3 years while she said if he didn't behave, she would deal with a feather duster so that was a cute ending.

Plus, I love the fact that usually when kids are gunning for the throne, everyone is cut throat and this is the probably first drama I've seen where siblings genuinely love each other, even though the sister was a lost cause eventually after hearing the death of her father and brother, she thought he was dead, and then learning he was alive, understood how much he meant to her. As for younger brother he never did a bad thing to his older brother, no matter how much crap his mother and grandfather filled his head with. So this is the first drama where all the siblings genuinely love each other in that kingdom. Meanwhile, in lunatic kingdom, you have siblings trying to kill each other from a young age for the throne and other things. In ML's kingdom, the ones that were doing all the cut throat fighting to stick their kids on the throne, were the parents because they never asked the kids what they actually wanted and neither brother wanted the throne so it's quite unusual, but I'm glad to see that kind of sibling love for a change.

There were a plethora of villains in this story but PM, serial killer dad, and nutsack were the best. The first two as veteran actors they made their roles believable especially serial killer dad of MRY who was more believable with the mask and the computerized voice than without it. When it was revealed (though most of us already knew) it was him, it was more like ok no big I can be myself and I'm crazy so I'll join the lunatics. It was a good role for him as he's usually in protagonist roles so though not as top as the three he still did a good job, though his father's switch between loyalist to serial who gets pleasure out of the kill was Ted Bundy all over again. And Nutsack, he's an obsessed with FYX lunatic, who had a hard life (being poisoned not helping) that didn't excuse him from all of the evil he did including to the FL. But he expected to win her back like his delusion was the highest of the story up to the moment FSG and FYX killed him together. Never dawned on him that they were done the moment he shot her off the cliff. Also, emperor lunatic who would kill a person if the air wasn't up to his liking but fell in love with XY because she didn't behave like a dog but would talk back to him and be head strong made him all happy and it made me just want to go bathe. The actor himself did phenomenally well considering he too usually plays protagonists so his first lunatic morally grey antagonist was very convincing and he did a great job.

I love fight scenes and we had some pretty awesome ones especially when FSG was involved. The final fight scene between him and Nutsack was awesome. You could tell that Nutsack had great sword skills that actually matched FSG's though still on a lower grade but FSG won that battle alongside FYX because he also had more strength and he threw nut sack around the room and basically wipe the floor with him. I thought that was awesome and FL coming in at that last moment really helped a lot as well. I do really wish also there was a better moment with FSG and serial killer dad when he realized that the emperor never intended to kill him nor his son, but they assumed it and did all those horrible things to FSG and the assistant to the emperor who still wasn't avenged well I guess he was when FYX shot the arrow through serial killer dad, but no one mentioned him. Nobody even knew where his body went. Wish we got to see more of the fight scenes we saw BTS not just in flashbacks. Costumes were gorgeous and FSG's home as well as lunatic kingdom interiors were just beautiful. OSTs ok.

Cons: His sister and the entire lunatic kingdom was just no for me. Her growth in survival after the slap and giving herself to the emperor lunatic but she spent all the time breaking her brother's heart because she fell for nutsack at first sight yrs ago without knowing or caring who he really was and no matter how others tried talking her out of it, she just saw life through rose colored glasses, even threatening to kill herself to her brother to help nutsack escape. She lowered herself to such a place where she was willing to give him a one nightstand which was cheap and nasty. It wasn't until he slapped her for being the real bitch for falsely calling FYX a bitch and saying that she was in love with her brother but still toying with him; than & after a few more incidents where she found out about her father and brother being dead did she finally start to think about revenge and survival. Survival I understand but she was in enemy country thinking she was going to get revenge? Girl, sit down. Getting pregnant by the emperor and then when nutsack started his plan, he essentially stabbed her and no more baby or babies ever; honestly though I felt a bit sad for her, she reaped what she sowed. She did have blood on her hands even if just one person. I'm glad she spilled all of that to her brother. So though we saw her survival growth, I couldn't bring myself to bond with her character.

A plot hole that I found was they never explained how Nutsack and MRY met in the first place and why MRY was allowed to give nut sack and Weiran orders like he was their boss. MRY couldn't fight to save his life so if he went head to head with nut sack with a sword, he would've been dead in under 50 seconds. We also saw what happened to him when FSG fought and killed him just with his hands forget swords. So when exactly did they meet and how was never explained. We got great back stories on a lot of characters, but that important one somehow fell through the cracks. Also wish they would've shown whether MRY harmed that short minister that's an opportunist that though he helped the young brother emperor he also led MRY to the secret hideout of FSG. Though he swore he wouldn't tell, I guess he lived because he told MRY where FSG and company was, but I think younger bro should've realized that something was off and I hope he either retired him (off with his head) or took him from his position because the future would not be so bright with someone like him but then again with the sister governing, he probably doesn't have a very long time left as a minister of anything. She could smell a rat a mile away.

Plus, nutsack kingdom was edited weirdly to just randomly show up while we were getting the main story. Sometimes the timing was just off. And the one OST "Don't Cry" was played like the thing just wanted us to vomit it. At the end it played and was cut suddenly as danger BGM had to come. Did the sound editor not know that sometimes silence or just soft instrumental music was enough? Less is more in this case really! The fake woods were obvious but then I don't how much of a budget this had. Otherwise, I had no other issues.

Would I recommend it? 100%! It's an amazing series that I couldn't even write everything I wanted because of the 10K limit (do they seem to have lifted the limit cap); but this is what you want to see in an enemies to lovers series!

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A delicious enemies-to-lovers romance, bloody bites and all.

How fast does it take for an arrow to reach its target?
In the hands of a master? Seconds.

That is also how fast loyalty seems to shift during times of unrest in our drama, Fated Hearts.

Susha and Jinxiu are rival kingdoms. Just as the Feng Battalion of Susha is about to win the key battle of Pingling city in Jinxiu, the first prince of Susha, Feng Suige, gets gravely struck down by the infamous red-clad archer and general of Jinxiu, Fu Yixiao. A singular arrow is all it takes to miraculously turn the tides of war. With Feng Suige's life hanging in the balance, the Feng Battalion has no choice but to retreat. However, instead of celebrating this victory as a national hero, Fu Yixiao finds herself fleeing for her life a day later, pursued by a swarm of assassins. What happened? Who is after her? And why do they want her dead? Fu Yixiao isn't quite sure. She is injured and alone. She has no trustworthy allies and no memories of the events leading up to this moment. In order to uncover the truth and survive, Fu Yixiao reluctantly agrees to an alliance with the man she tried to kill, Feng Suige.

The tension. The violence. The chemistry. Just wow. Dare I say, Fated Hearts is one of the best enemies-to-lovers romances of 2025? Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige didn't just start off hating each other — they were out for blood. It was honestly difficult for me to watch the first few episodes because of all the whipping, kicking, punching, slapping, and biting (especially the biting!) Ironically enough, the brutality was also what made the story so compelling for me. It sparked my curiosity, and I wanted to know how two people who despised each other this much could possibly ever fall in love. I guess the writers knew exactly how to hold my interest, because they delivered just that. Only through a series of shared life-or-death experiences did Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige began to trust and eventually respect each other. It was so delicious to watch unfold, because as our protagonists fell in love, so did I with their unhinged characters — and I say this with admiration.

Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige shine brightly as individuals, but they are absolutely magnetic together. They are strong, selfless, loyal, and petty. So petty, they take the phrase "an eye for an eye" literally. They are each other's equal, and I appreciate this so much in a story like this. I've seen so many fierce male leads in dramas before, but none of them can compare to Feng Suige. What a man he is. His commanding presence and sass are uniquely his own. His charisma is so captivating, I couldn't keep my eyes off of him every time he walked into frame. Chen Zheyuan effortlessly brought Feng Suige's intimidating and softer sides to life, and he really impressed me in this role. And Fu Yixiao? She is just as wonderful a character. She carries herself with such believable confidence that I never once questioned her abilities as a battle-hardened general. I admire her sharpness and discipline. Even though she used her cold exterior as a shield, her kindness peeks through, and I couldn't help but root for her from the start. Li Qin's acting is mesmerizing in this role, I am officially a fan.

Fated Hearts' exploration into family, betrayal, and second chances is nothing new, but did I still enjoy it? Yes. I have a soft spot for stories involving close family units — whether they are blood-related or bonded by choice — which is why when the loyalty of some characters was tested, I took their betrayals personally. The fallouts were sometimes predictable, and yet, they still succeeded in making my blood boil and my stomach turn. After all, how can humans be so selfish and let their desires break even the strongest of bonds? I don't know the answer to that question, I don't know if any of us do. Although, I am glad that characters weren't completely written off just because they've made mistakes. They were allowed the chance to reflect on their actions, grow, and change their fate — if they chose to do so. Some of my favorite moments came from characters I had misjudged. I was completely surprised by some of the choices they made in the end. I liked that the protagonists' relationships with the supporting cast were just as important as their relationship with each other.

What truly amplifies the emotional impact in this story for me are the beautiful cinematography and unforgettable osts. I've seen some criticisms for the loud background music, but personally, I didn't mind it. I don't know how many times 'Raging Waves' by Lars Huang played over a crucial scene, but I know that every time it did, it moved me to tears. I distinctly remember the scene where Fu Yixiao was surrounded by enemies, and she had to surrender her only weapon in order to de-escalate the situation because someone she cared for was held captive. The enemies decided to attack anyway, and Yixiao thought all hope was lost... then Suige suddenly appeared. The camera panning from Yixiao's shocked face to Suige's protective gaze and the emotional surge of 'Raging Waves' playing in the background added so much depth to this scene. It was the very moment I started to ship the main couple, because it gave me chills. And there were so many instances in the drama that were just as touching to me for the same reasons.

I would've gave Fated Hearts a perfect rating if it weren't for the issues I had with the antagonists. I like complex antagonists as much as the next person, and I don't mind time being dedicated to fully flesh them out, but their origin stories and motivations must make sense to me. Unfortunately, most of them failed to convince me here. There are no grievances they suffered in the past that could possibly justify all the evils they committed in retaliation. The extremity of their actions felt a bit out of place. Almost like the cartoon villains you see in children's shows. It didn't help that instead of slowly easing us into the antagonists' backstories, the writers decided to hit us with them all at once. It made those episodes incredibly slow for me to sit through, and for a second, it even made me question if I should continue. Thankfully, a few of the antagonists did grew on me (against all odds), and all of them got the consequences they deserved by the finale. Too many times do heroes forgive and forget and leave the villains go unpunished. That wasn't the case here, and it was so refreshing. Their satisfying endings made suffering through the draggy episodes worth it.

I was in the middle of a drama slump when I started watching Fated Hearts and I was really hoping it would be the one to pull me out. Thankfully, it did just that, and I became addicted. Fated Hearts might not have been perfect, but I was completely engrossed in this world and I became emotionally invested in the lives of Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige. Did I learn something new and life-changing that I didn't know before? No, but this drama gave me something exciting to look forward to everyday. Plus, the drama's take on the importance of family, the value of loyalty, and the gift of second chances were nice reminders, even if they were a bit generic. For that, Fated Hearts is one of my favorite enemies-to-lovers romances of 2025. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all fans of this genre. Sit down, buckle in, and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster ride.

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“The so-called fate and who gets to decide it”

(⁠っ⁠.⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)⁠っ 💗💗 Now hello, my dear "little songs"~ It's review time!✨
('Little songs' as in 'Xiao Ge' derived from Yi Xiao and Sui Ge's names, which @Ximena helped me think of for our fandom name~ Changed the original one I thought of, but anyways... let's move on~)

First of all, I want to shower the cast and crew with the praise they truly deserve. Well done and thank you, [Fated Hearts] Team, for presenting us with a fresh take on the enemies-to-lovers plotline, featuring strong main characters and no unnecessary misunderstandings between them! Chen Zhe Yuan's Feng Sui Ge and Li Qin's Fu Yi Xiao are the power couple we've always wanted to see on-screen. They remain steadfast despite external factors and significant events, such as amnesia. The initial episodes, showcasing their bitter enmity, are so realistic and vivid that it’s easy to believe they could k!ll each other without hesitation. What ultimately brings them together is indeed fate, acting in ways neither of them is initially aware of. Both characters are absolute and straightforward, and I loved how their love developed naturally, without feeling forced. They are drawn to each other’s light and become each other's saviours.

I want to give a big round of applause to the veteran actors who portrayed Emperor Feng Ping Cheng, Prime Minister Zhuang Shen, and Murong Zhong. These characters were the most memorable scene-stealers, apart from our fated couple. Who can stand idle when their children are at risk and faced with past injustices? The character arcs of these three fathers are solid, each with valid reasons for choosing their respective paths, even if they are ultimately unforgivable. Feng Ping Cheng often says it's fate, but is it really? Another standout performance came from Qin Tian Yu as Emperor Xia Jing Yan of Jin Xiu. I loved how he delivered harsh truths to the naive Susha princess.. 〜⁠(⁠꒪⁠꒳⁠꒪⁠)⁠〜♬⋆.˚ Who would have thought he would become one of the characters I’ll miss? If there were a spin-off miniseries for this drama, I would love to see the story of Xia Jing Yan and Feng Xi Yang— that would definitely be 'bad and crazy'! ( - ᴗ •́ )✨ Another favourite of mine is Lu Ke. He brings such big puppy energy, much like a Chow Chow~ ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵). He may seem aloof and wary of strangers, but he has absolute devotion to his master and commander, Sui Ge. ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ

True to its name, [Fated Hearts] showed us what fate truly means. "Why did you do this? Why won't you love me? Why can't you understand me?..." There were many 'whys' questioned by various characters in the story, and those were the fuel for their simple desires, which eventually led to greed, betrayal, and wrong choices.

We follow the harrowing journey of two wounded souls desperately trying to escape the depths of despair, where betrayal has left its deepest scars. Fu Yi Xiao was one of the three formidable warriors who stood by the Prince of Zhennan, the illegitimate heir to the Jin Xiu Kingdom. Together, they faced countless trials, always having each other's backs in battle. However, the unwavering trust they built crumbled when their master prioritised power over the bonds they shared. Xia Jing Shi, the Prince of Zhennan, presents himself as calm and collected, seemingly plotting his rise to power against his foes, yet he is no different from the very people he claims to despise. Yi Xiao has endured a lifetime of torment, but the brutality of her past only intensified when she uncovered the truth behind her suffering…

On the other hand, Feng Sui Ge unwillingly had to embrace all the thorns in his soul. He's been stabbed in the back many times, both metaphorically and literally. (If only I can hug him tight to comfort him, but I'm also scared of Yi Xiao's arrows.. (¬_¬") & Sui Ge's neck-breaks (ᵕ—ᴗ—). . .) Despite his father’s harsh upbringing to make him strong and ruthless, Sui Ge managed to survive years of mistreatment. Unfortunately, his father, Feng Ping Cheng, cannot love properly, and the anguish of losing the love of his life pushed him into deeper darkness, which only deepens Sui Ge's suffering. However, our ML pulled through with the help of his brother-like best friend, Murong Yao, and his close aides and subordinates, but this glimmer of light didn't last long either. The tender friendship between the two 'brothers' faltered after a certain tragedy, giving way to insecurities, grudges, and an unspoken rivalry from the young master Murong...

Watching [Fated Hearts] made me reflect deeply on the concept of fate. Susha's emperor blamed nearly every misfortune and responsibility on fate, as if it were the sole explanation for his troubles. His ego and pride ultimately led to his downfall at the hands of those closest to him. The Zhuang clan's greed and overconfidence have resulted in their own demise; they can blame no one but themselves, as it was simply karma coming back to haunt them. As for the Murongs, I initially felt sympathy for the father. If not for his unreasonable son's actions, Murong Zhong might not have resorted to such extreme measures. However, we can't definitively say that this was the only reason for his actions. It could also be that his long-hidden grudges finally surfaced, with his son's fate serving as the trigger and the final straw.

This raises the question: "Was everything determined by fate, or were they simply the unavoidable consequences of past actions?" Was it predestined that the two royal families of Susha and Jinxiu would descend into chaos, or were their chaotic ends the result of their own actions? Was Jinxiu's red-clad archer destined to become a vassal of Susha's God of Death, or did their decision to unite lead to the end of the war? The question remains open...

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Sha Shi 杀石 or Smirk and Soap?

Jinxiu’s flamboyant red-clad commander Fu Yixiao, the most magnificent archer across two warring kingdoms, takes careful aim, her moon-shooting bow coiled tautly at full draw. Her arrow unerringly strikes her enemy Feng Suige, the first prince of Susha, in the heart, halting his charging battalion in their tracks. The Susha army has no choice but to beat a hasty retreat, only to find assassins hot on their heels. Then, because makjang never met a cliché it didn’t hug, Yixiao tumbles off a cliff and wakes up with amnesia. Fate, that tired scriptwriter, deposits her in the same neutral sanctuary as her enemy. Of course he captures her and is perfectly justified in smacking her around as payback. But our feisty lady warrior bites, scratches, and kicks back as good as she gets. Domestic violence rom-com? The show thinks so.

I found the initial violence between the leads distasteful, but the narrative does a good job developing their relationship organically after that. It starts with suspicion and reluctant collaboration, then evolves into shared understanding, respect, and unwavering trust. Yixiao is no love brain; she methodically pieces together and tests her scattered recollections from the day she was ambushed and betrayed. Feng Suige more or less figured out what happened but gives her space to investigate and reach her own damning conclusions while he hovers protectively in the background. This convincing progression from enemies to lovers is well portrayed by both Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan. They are charismatic, conversant actors, and I enjoyed the romance—but for some reason their screen chemistry didn’t rock my world. Maybe it was Chen Zheyuan smirking through Suige’s first confession, or maybe I was too distracted by how obviously their love scenes were reenacted from Yang Mi and Mark Chao’s iconic ones in Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, down to costumes and sets.

Plot wise, the drama starts sharp and then free falls into increasingly sensational with over-the-top twists and high emotions centered on familiar tropes and unhinged character archetypes. Each subsequent arc is a triangle of lunatics, masked nobodies; a bunch of bat-shit-crazy mini-makjangs mashed together into an incoherent and ultimately unsatisfying story. Don’t get me wrong—there were many riveting confrontations where scathing truths were delivered in a dramatically satisfying manner. Sadly, the motivations and grievances underlying all the burning resentment are shallow, even petty. Ultimately there are no good villains—just a bunch of spoiled brats and their over-indulgent parents, all victims of their own deluded ambitions and warped sense of justice. Even Feng Suige lost me after he made an irrational case for his love-brained sister, then a hostage princess no less, to ascend the Susha throne.

It is clear the writers have lost the plot when the most rational and understandable character ends up being Xia Jingyan—the unhinged Jinxiu emperor. I enjoyed his arc with Feng Xiyang a lot more than even Suige and Yixiao’s story. Acting-wise, Qin Tianyu steals every scene, cycling tyrannical, humorous, forlorn, and almost empathetic. His formidable aura made Chen Zheyuan’s "menace" conveyed by a lopsided sneer look like a toddler practicing scary faces. Even though he tones it down to a bearable level here, this actor’s tendency to overact loses me time and again. It is only after he abandons the sneer in the ending arcs that his acting seems more authentic and less performative. The supporting cast is strong all-around and ham it up for all their worth through all the emotional showdowns and exaggerated plot twists.

Li Qin remains the sole reason to finish - she is fantastic in this role of a commander of men who can hold her own against the best and the worst of them. As story progresses Yixiao becomes relegated to playing bodyguard while Suige’s agenda plays out. Meanwhile, Jingshi remains a rational and somewhat empathetic antagonist until the final arc where he becomes completely irredeemable. It was anti-climactic to watch this cunning and calculating antagonist seal his own fate by making an out-of-character and delusional love-brained decision. But what really ticked me off was I stuck around for the lovers-to-enemies arc. I wanted to see Yixiao's revenge, her arrow, his heart. I was seated for Sha Shi 杀石, an ancient Chinese makjang take on Kill Bill. What I got instead was a man stepping in to get the job done right. Tarantino would never have robbed the Bride of her agency like that. The ending was exhausting and I have no words to waste on Suige’s harebrained ideas about succession and governance. On the bright side, there are too many people with mental health issues running amok in both Susha and Jinxiu that they are certainly doomed kingdoms not worthy of memory or survival.

Verdict: Visually stunning, addictively theatrical, narratively bankrupt. Li Qin earns every point; the rest is smirk and soap. 8/10—for the first ten episodes and one flawless archer.



Best lines:
I can change him - Feng Xiyang
My condolences - Feng Pingcheng

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Certainly one of the better 2025 dramas!

Pros:
- The revenge really revenges.
- Important dialogues are well-written.
- The actors all put in the work.
- The leads' attitudes to each other.
- You don't have to wait to the 75% point for a lame confession, with one hug as it transitions into the credits. It's not that type of show.
- The viewer never suffers. It's not that type of angst.
- The villains aren't just clownish evil for evil's sake, but have reasonable motivations, with a dash of "once you're too far down the wrong path you can't turn around".
- Outside of the leads, there's a lot more characters delivering friendship, loyalty, brotherhood, family bonds, and so on. Compared to something like A Journey To Love though, the supporting characters of the ML's soldier crew are a bit more one-dimensionally loyal and otherwise don't have much personality.
- Some of the sets look really refreshing compared to the always-same palaces viewers got used to. The costumes are decent too.
- On the female general scale, this female military commander FL is typically more convincing than the average seen in Legend Of The Female General, Shadow Love, Wonderland of Love, etc.

Mixed:
- Once in a while, the cinematography or editing impresses you so much that you want to immediately rewind. Sadly, it's rare, and a lot of this powder is fired at the very start.
- In the middle, the plot gets a bit weaker for some time, when the twists all twist at once.
- The fighting scenes are a mix bag. There is strong attention to detail in the front, but later on you can spot lifeless actors/stuntpeople doing "left-right-left-right" pretend-fighting in the back. Maybe that kind of lazy production is due to budget limitations?
- The FL being voice acted by Duan Yi Xuan made me hear the Till The End Of The Moon FL (Bai Lu) all the time.
- The comedy is hit and miss; there's only one duo in the later episodes who really deliver.
- Kiss-wise 2025 viewers are spoiled by WDBTD, and this isn't it. One wouldn't be wrong to claim that another couple in Fated Hearts has more chemistry than the leads.

Cons:
- The OST. There's barely any songs, and the ones they have aren't memorable. If Goblin or anything Chen Xue Ran is 9–10/10, and Till The End Of The Moon like an 8/10 in the OST department, then this is a 5/10 or something.
- The ending / post-story could have gotten more screen time.


Primarily I would have liked some characters' story arcs to end in different ways (but it's not a choose your own ending book) and others to be fleshed out further.

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Real enemies to lover troupe and justified the title-Fated hearts

It’s a story with complex characters and a straightforward plot, yet it’s impossible to hate anyone in it. Every character, even the ones labeled as “bad,” shows depth and potential — you end up admiring them in some way. What I loved most is that it’s the kind of drama you can enjoy without judging anyone because each person has their own reasons and emotions that make them real.

The hero is a truly powerful figure — fearless and determined. He would go against anyone who threatens his loved ones, even if that person is his own father, the majesty, or anyone else. Heroine stands for righteousness above all. Even if someone close to her does wrong, she wouldn’t hesitate to oppose them to uphold what’s right.

The positive side — the leads are like ride-or-die partners. It was so beautiful to watch! The chemistry between them is truly amazing. We couldn’t take our eyes off them. The female lead has a strong character, and her expressions, everything, are just top-notch. It’s a solid 10 out of 10 for me.

Chen zhe yuan: nailed his character and micro expressions ..
Li qin: she justified as female general and her acting is top notch

It's a HE. give it a try❤️

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Shakespeare will happily explore and discuss this Odyssey of Fated Hearts with you

Buckle your seatbelts and get ready to sacrifice sleep, because Fatal Hearts is not an adventure for the faint-hearted! Themes are strategically layered and already unfolding as you hit the ground running, once the opening song finishes. Each development deliberately concealing twists and surprises is akin to swift sharp action unleashed from various angles by deadly weapons.

Within eleven minutes of the opening episode, you are immediately hurled into battles where survival and bloodshed are necessary. By the end of two episodes, intriguing court politics, carefully-crafted dialogues and individual clashing personalities might leave you wordless at the unveiled web of audaciousness and subtleties recalling at least two titular works and multiple characters by Shakespeare.

You are Feng Suige, a combat-hardened cunning prince of schemes with more than an axe to grind about a parent. And what could be better than your arch-nemesis recently falling into your grasp? Most-decorated general of the enemy kingdom who nearly killed you with one arrow, inflicted humiliating defeat upon you, costing Susha many of your fellow soldiers in the Battle of Pingling- Scores must be settled. Traitors must be rooted out. Intriguing cliffhangers at the end of every episode must be dangled.

Will you stay to understand a smile and song of a warrior who must deal with internal foes, while hiding his true heart? Episodes 3, 4 and 5 might make you gasp or crack up at the enmity altered by the dynamics between two headstrong leads, hellbent on winning in various ways and leaving their marks.

Meticulous details in the sets and architecture convey specific moods, intricate and eye-catching. Whether it is Ning’an Palace, Wutong Mansion, Yujing City, Zhengnian Villa or Rongyang Palace, each location is notably different. Costumes and detailing are gorgeous and well-tailored, especially the hairstyles, headgear and wigs for male characters. These details are crucial to elevating the feel of every scene. Each episode consistently spoiling the viewers with sumptuous grandeur or abject starkness recalls the prose of “Dream Of Red Mansion”, a classic where the furnishings, settings and features are lavishly described, providing a feast for the senses. Cinematography and colour palettes are skilfully rendered. The end result is to feel submerged in a soothing bath easing off the stresses of the day, especially where flashbacks are employed to tie-in to the present.

Feng Suige is no moping Hamlet, despite being understandably hurt in certain incidents. This Regent of Susha continuously demonstrates why he is unpredictable and difficult to handle. As courageous as Mark Anthony in “Julius Caesar” is when betrayal finally cuts too close to home, and he must deal with a situation centred on his father. Fu Yixiao is not a wealthy Portia restricted by an over-protective father. Our commoner heroine courageously wields her wits and strategies as sharply as she dispenses her words, constantly on guard despite being significantly disadvantaged within enemy territory. Even when deciding to honour a temporary truce with her arch enemy, she is determined to find out certain truths. Tropes are introduced, transformed and mostly well-handled.

Having read the novel “Yi Xiao”, I heartily commend the screenwriters and directors for their detailed understanding of the original material, as well as many changes instituted to improve almost all the characters and many relationships, while instituting layers and motives to villains to render all charactersas realistically as possible. Any retained incidents from the novel are altered in terms of timeline or context. All this is done while balancing certain themes and specific traits of specific characters from the novel. As an example, what novel-Fu Yixiao did in chapter 11 was instead given to drama-Xiyang to carry out in a later episode. Since I understood the context of that incident in the novel, this strongly adds to the plot plus characterisation of Xiyang.

This drama is divided into three acts. The pacing of the plot and subplots are balanced and well-controlled. You might guess some of the subplots, but there are many twists you will not see coming. Given how enemy kingdoms Susha and Jinxiu are intertwined because of the characters involved, two parallel main plots eventually emerge for the third arc. Shakespeare created plays richly layered with multiple themes and deft barbs. The screenwriters for this drama did a splendid job of crafting a similar odyssey.

What is a father? What is a mother? Are parents always supposed to be honoured with filial piety? How do you define filial piety? Is there a limit which would make someone snap? What are the traits necessary to be a capable ruler? If and when someone claims revenge, is revenge justified? How do you reconcile what you know, with what you see and experience? Can fate be defied? What is destiny?

Much of the ensemble cast delivers solid performances. The actors portraying Lu Ke, Yun Fang, Yun Qing, Hound and Cao Yuan as Feng Suige’s soldiers are pivotal in many scenes. Physician Ling and Auntie An are frankly endearing.

As Murong Yao, Zuo Ye deserves a bigger role in future dramas for his depiction of being more than a filial son. This same recognition also applies to Qin Tian Yu, whose performance as the Emperor of Jinxiu is stellar. The Titans splendidly anchoring the supporting cast in micro-emoting and maintaining varying degrees of tension for their key roles are Zhao Bin, Eddie Chuang and Lu Xingyu as Emperor Feng Pingcheng, Prime Minister Zhuang and Murong Zhong. Due to these three veterans forming a crucial core across many episodes, the court intrigue and their impacts as fathers and leaders will capture and sustain your attention, while doing all sorts of oddities to your heartstrings.

Just as Liu Shishi nailed the badass attitude of a seasoned assassin at the top of her game, Li Qin spears the viewer with an unforgettable performance balancing fieriness, restraint and subtlety. Her intimidating icy glance and fearsome aura, combined with excellent fighting movements being deft and economically fatal, embody a seasoned warlord general as an almighty pain-in-the-ass against Susha publicly known as a formidable enemy for Feng Suige. If you want to recommend a female lead in a historical period C-drama as a convincing veteran of war to your military buddies, Li Qin is your practical go-to warrior queen who will also make you melt in later episodes. Also a sterling example of getting to the point and not accepting nonsense.

Can two enemies transform into good friends, resolve misunderstandings, become more than that? Improvements to a connection of two enemies agreeing on mutual usage develops naturally. It is a relief to have a mature couple able to communicate well and demonstrate strong partnership. Little details shared by our leads will soften your toes and bring a smile to your face. Possibly with a chuckle.

Buoyed by a mostly-terrific ensemble cast alongside an experienced leading lady who encouraged him with helpful tips as per the revelations of multiple BTS clips, Chen Zheyuan is the biggest pleasant surprise for me in this drama. I previously could not stand his acting, and I could never finish anything he starred in. Stylists adorned him with well-tailored robes and a well-chosen hairstyle for the wig. Chen Heyi also received similar love. Both actors have different physiques and when they are in the same scene, all that attention to tailoring differences for both actors plays a part in positive audience perception. Glad for the love by stylists and art directors showered on male characters in this cast! When a ML does not get such necessary attention, Jin Han in "Jun Jiu Ling" is an apt example of bad styling and hairstyles likely to throw viewers off and also affect the drama overall, even though he could act well and had enjoyable chemistry with Peng Xiaoran in that drama. I am generally immune to the aesthetic facial aspects of an actor, due to also enjoying plays in theatres where performance is everything eg. line delivery, stage presence and nuances, including knowing exactly when to exaggerate a specific line or words for delivery.

Chen Zheyuan's immersion in this role is laudably impressive, whereby the ruthlessness, cunning and tenderness of Feng Suige in facial expressions and body language is truly embodied. As a seasoned veteran of war and court intrigue, Feng Suige must be playful, arrogant, and ruthless by turns making him unpredictable, and hence deadly. Sharp quips mixed with heartfelt vulnerability never looked better. he doesn't always succeed in his planning, and he can make mistakes. His portrayal and appearance is truly a perfect foil and complement to Li Qin, whereby the chemistry between the leads is heartachingly sweet or sizzles to the point that I considered hiding my eyes more than once. Chen Zheyuan is responsible for the ADR of his character, and he should use his attractive deep voice for his future dramas. His performance snuck up on me especially with his voice, mostly-spot on line delivery plus enunciation, thus enabling Feng Suige to touch my heart and mind. I realised this only in episode 28.

Loftily imposing, Commander of the well-feared Feng Battalion who inspires constant respect and devotion from his men with his choices and actions of years, the Killer God of Susha is convincingly efficient and masterful in battle. His action sequences and combat moves are brutally sleek, especially when he uses his fists. He's a very handy warrior.

One of the best aspects of this drama is a refusal to over-rely on CGI camouflaging overly-simple wire work of limited moves, for fights and battles. CGI has been overused for many fights in many C-dramas after 2008 ("Dashing Youth" and the currently-airing "Dark River" are two of many examples), particularly in xianxia dramas. If you like watching kungfu or wuxia movies from the 90s and earlier decades, plus you also know your stunt choreographers alongside actors capable of martial arts (not just Jet Li and Jackie Chan)? To witness hard work and efforts of individuals in this drama is a huge welcome change from the usual C-dramas busting out too much showy emotionless CGI. The fight choreography is fast and furious, but at times could be minorly slowed down. And at times when it is intentionally slowed down, that slo-mo effect is not necessary. One could quibble that instead of using split scenes, being able to enjoy more of Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan during their fights filmed as entire sequences would have been a bonus because they are very natural in their movements (due to constant rehearsal and a lot of practice, according to one BTS clip). The fight choreographers needed more love. Ambushes and other combat situations are well-staged and executed.

As Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige, Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan have delivered roles as iconic as this drama. I look forward to their future projects. A special shout-out goes to Xia Meng truly understanding her role as Feng Xiyang from start to end, portraying certain differences and similarities between novel-Xiyang and drama-Xiyang. Growing up as Feng Suige’s most precious sister, she is an over-sheltered princess accustomed to everyone indulging her whims and decisions. As Princess of Susha and daughter of two former generals who established the Susha kingdom, Feng Xiyang is not Ophelia. Her determination to insist on a certain matter with the Prince of Zhennan from Jinxiu is based on certain personal beliefs. One choice sets her on a journey with irreversible repercussions and implications, for the finale of this drama and two kingdoms.

This drama is not without its flaws. When considering the overall execution of this drama in all aspects, it becomes easy and necessary to put aside certain medical observations, which is also what I did for “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” (otherwise the drama would have ended in two specific episodes). These directors who helmed "Story of Kunning Palace", "Moonlight Mystique" and "Ashes of Love" (all of which I dropped, due to multiple issues) have minimised bloat in the storyline and significantly minimised certain individual annoying habits, such as a specific car-in-strobe-headlights tendency at the most inappropriate times in SOKP (but this Chang'e-might-go-blind trademark rears its head occasionally in this drama). Certain other trademarks of each director also appear across various episodes. Can you guess which Director is responsible for different amazing profile angles of Fu Yixiao? Editing could have been smoother for the second half of the drama.

Chen Heyi as Xia Jingshi needed to combine the chameleon charisma of Iago with conviction of Macbeth. Visually, he fits the role. He succeeded with the latter, but is less successful with the former. It would have been possible to conceal any acting weaknesses, if the Directors had altered emoting in details needed for certain scenes.

OP song at the beginning is overused. Greater restraint with BGM for certain songs is needed, but that is on the Music Director. The wind machine works overtime, depending on which actor you like to watch. I was not happy with one novel character being greatly altered until inconsistencies of said character for this drama could not be reconciled by the writers, but it has nothing to do with any ratings for this drama.

I enjoyed the OST for the rich symbolism and imagery woven by the lyrics. Sa Dingding’s vocals will depend on your taste. Each song is akin to a mini-poem in itself. To finish, I provide the following links:

Changes between novel and drama (first 33 chapters versus first 16 episodes) and if you have questions, ask away: https://kisskh.at/discussions/768987-wan-xin-ji/145636-novel-versus-drama-differences?pid=3405970&page=1#p3405970

Why a specific arc is crucial after episode 28, including why Feng Xiyang, Feng Suige and Fu Yixiao are equally important at the ending: https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-23851132

~*~*~*~*~

This is a timelessly rare historical period C-Drama heavy in action and multi-layered scheming, with the most fascinating twists and touchingly tender scenes of romance. The last time I was this engrossed with a historical period C-Drama was "The Empress of China", where scheming and story pacing with a strong talented ensemble cast had me hooked. Truly one for adults without dumbing down to the viewers, directors and screenwriters and cast members allow every character to reveal realistic motives and realistic flaws. Post-production is also admirable. Unfortunately as an A-Budget drama, they ran out of money for promoting this drama, but the end results are gripping and captivating. Did I mention the young male actors for Feng Suige, Xia Jingshi, Xiao Weiran, Feng Chengyang and Xia Jingyan are all at least 180 cm or taller?

If your occupation involves inner dealings of people (and how negotiations may or may not work out, due to mindsets involved), you know how people can be many shades of grey, both noble and ignoble and not always lofty or shallow in negatives or positives. All this is entertainingly fleshed out over 38 episodes. An additional 2 episodes for certain supporting characters plus the third arc would help. Best to meet these people through a drama as a viewer, instead of finding out in RL.

Shakespeare would have fun with this, while possibly inspired to devise a new play.

Enjoy the adventures! Prepare the snacks! Eat dinner first! Potentially have towels on standby! Get ready to rejoice, fume, swoon, marvel, mope, and be surprised at emotions evoked by hearts that you are fated to connect to!

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An Unexpected Masterpiece — A Must-Watch Historical Drama of 2025

This is my very first time writing a review on kisskh, and I have to say, Fated Hearts completely exceeded my expectations. When the drama was first released, I didn’t anticipate much, but from the very first episode, it had me absolutely hooked.

Starting with the female lead, Fu Yi Xiao — among all the female generals portrayed in Chinese dramas this year, she stands out as the most convincing and authentic. Her commanding presence, the precision with which she draws her bow, and her sharp, expressive eyes make the character truly come alive. Having seen the actress in previous works where she often played softer, more delicate roles, this performance was a refreshing and powerful surprise.

The male lead, Feng Suige, known for his role in Hidden Love, also delivered beyond expectations. I initially thought he excelled only in modern dramas, but his performance here proved his incredible versatility. His costumes, charisma, and emotional depth are simply mesmerizing — and his chemistry with Fu Yi Xiao is undeniable. Despite their real-life age difference, their on-screen connection feels completely natural and deeply captivating.

The second male lead, Xia Jing Shi, also deserves special mention. His visuals are absolutely striking — a perfect blend of softness and danger that embodies his cold, complex personality. Though he plays a villain, his quiet obsession with the female lead adds a haunting, almost tragic dimension to the story. Having admired his performance since The Princess Royal, I was once again impressed by his ability to convey both vulnerability and menace.

As for the Emperor of Jinxiu, Xia Jing Yan, his portrayal of a psychotic ruler is chilling yet fascinating. However, I was slightly disappointed with how the relationship between the two brothers concluded — it felt abrupt and lacked depth. Similarly, Princess Xi Yang’s storyline left me dissatisfied; her actions throughout the drama were contradictory and lacked meaningful purpose, making her the only character I truly disliked. The fact that everything was ultimately left to her instead of Prince Chengyang was especially disappointing — after all her reckless and self-serving actions, felt entirely undeserved. Her character was, to me, profoundly frustrating; her lack of accountability, and emotional immaturity made it impossible to empathize with her. By the end, I found her presence more exasperating than engaging, and this particular outcome remains my least favourite and most disheartening plot development in the entire series.

Overall, Fated Hearts is a captivating, emotionally charged drama that combines outstanding performances, breathtaking visuals, and a storyline that keeps you invested until the very end. It’s a rare gem in the historical romance genre — one that I would rate 100/10 if possible.

A must-watch for anyone who loves powerful storytelling, compelling characters, and unforgettable chemistry. Highly recommended.

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Pure Enemies to Lovers with not just 1 but 2 storylines.

I absolutely loved Fated Hearts. The story was intense, emotional, and beautifully told. The chemistry between the characters kept me hooked from start to finish.

The only thing that broke my heart was the ending for the second couple. If their story had ended differently, the show would have left an entirely different kind of impact, one that stayed lighter and sweeter in memory.

Special mention to the actor who played the emperor. He absolutely slayed that role. His charm, wit, and emotional depth made the character unforgettable. He has definitely found a new fan in me.

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Great actors and scenography, but messy and weak story

The actors, the cast, the acting are all good.
The costumes, the location, the setting are visually stunning too.
The story is started so strong: the battlefield, the betrayals, the suspicious, the political game, the amnesia of the female protagonist gave a thrilling touch to the narrative . I loved very much the characters characterization too, it was really well done. Every one has a different background, different purpose and the first choices of every one were thorough thought.
But from the second half of the story everything became messy till the final episode that i find very very disappointing.

Too many characters, too many subplot, too strong start, lead the reasoning became from weak to noexistent.
From the second half of the drama, characters stop remain true to themself, they starting doing nosense to their characterization.
They add some scenes only to render the male protagonist more likeable and the villain more bad and less likeable, but the more they add, the more i thought they are the same and less i like the good aura of the male lead.
The male lead obviously has his reasons, but it doesn't mean he is right or that he is good and doesn't give him the right to judge the others.
The same i thought of the female lead. The final result for me is that she has not really loved the sml and while i liked the chemistry between the leads, it lacks reasoning. It's true that love has not reason and no eyes, but one is a prince and the other is a great/strong general of the enimies. Love in this case need a bit of reasoning but every subjected of the prince accepted too easily the female lead... she surely has killed lots of thier comrades... why could she be easily forgiven and given of a second chance, but others absolutely couldn't have any possibility of redeem?

In the end i think my favourite character is Xiao WeiRan, not because i really like him, but because i think sticks on his beliefs till the very end, even is he is a black characterization.

Despite everything i enjoyed the watching

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