Fated Hearts

Intense Political Schemes Amidst A Sweet Enemies to Lovers Romance

This show made me wonder how much better it could have been if made even longer and allowed the leads to ALSO be morally grey.

Positives for me:
• 2 vastly different yet similar countries showcasing palace politics
• The first several episodes show casing a brutal enemies-to-lovers that puts the emphasis on them being from enemy countries having tried to kill eachother.
• Not shying away from blood (no pink and your imagination)
• War and fighting scenes "mostly" feel realistic


Negatives for me:
• Plot threads were dropped and "barely" brought up again
• Several things just had to be "just go with it" while watching
• The ending scene explaining what happened to everyone left a LOT of questions in my head
• Once the leads were TOGETHER they became boring background figures where everything interesting was happening elsewhere while they were being "heart-eyes even in dark days".
• The Storm Alliance could have been fleshed out and actually had something DONE with it but instead it felt like a plot convience they slightly expanded upon to give the leads time each episode.

At the beginning of the show my favorite characters were Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige. By the end, I rolled my eyes every time these perfect people were on my screen and my favorite characters were Feng Xiyeng and Xia Jingyan.

Perhaps some of my distaste for the romance of the leads came from the production repeating their songs over and over and over again. I wasn't feeling hearts, or butterflies or tension but instead thinking "really"? The song for the Princess was also repeated A LOT and may have the same effect for other people but it honestly almost came across as an irony when it came on for her each time something bad would happen and tears would well in her eyes so I didn't really mind it as much.

The side characters were interesting but I felt they could have been fleshed out MORE in order to give them a deeper motive. For instance we never quite learn "exactly" what some of the actions people take were supposed to achieve...
• Why did the "masked man" meet up with "person from Jinxiu"? What did the masked man ACTUALLY gain from it?
• Why were there camps in Susha?
• WHY attack the Storm Alliance back then and how was this place SUCH a secret?
(I could go on but that would require spoilers even posing the questions...)


Ultimately I liked the show a lot but it REALLY made me wistful for a thought on what it might have been able to be if made a bit longer and to have allowed the leads to also be grey characters.

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Enemies to Lovers...done right

Cast:
Firstly, before watching this drama, I didn't know Chen Zheyuan and didn't remember Li Qin (though I watched Princess Agents). I saw some short videos of the earlier episodes and intrigued by the leads whipping each other. I was initially worried that CZY's pretty visuals might work against the story, but he played the role perfectly (and I'm gonna keep an eye out for his future works). And I love Li Qin as Fu Yixiao. She's strong, elegant, and believable as a female general. As I started watching the drama, I was in awe of how gorgeous Fu Yixiao is.
I know the drama was mainly betting on CZY's popularity, but it would not work this well had he been paired with a less suitable actress.
Supporting characters are all generally good. If i have to pick one to critique, it'd be the SML. For the amount of screen time he gets, his character is flat, and he had the same face in the whole show. Acting-wise, the Jinxiu emperor actor, Qin Tian Yu, was a better actor in my opinion, and I wish he got a better ending.

Story and pacing:
Overall, it's nicely paced. The earlier episodes were exciting and I'd enjoy rewatching them. However, Jinxiu scenes in later part of the shows felt draggy and I had to fast forward them. The princess character development is also weak. They tried to make her sound like an independent woman with strong opinions, but she was a brat from start to finish. I think her screen time is even comparable to FYX if not more.

Comment on the source material:
While I was waiting for new episodes to come out, I decided to check out the original novel (which I tend to do if I get curious enough about the story). I have to say, this is one of those rare instances where the adaptation may be better the source. The plot in the novel is quite chaotic and the romance is less enjoyable. I dropped after skimming ~2 chapters.

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Exceeded My Expectations!

Fated Hearts has quickly become one of my favorite dramas this season. The story is gripping from the start, blending political intrigue, emotional depth, and a compelling enemies-to-lovers dynamic. I usually dislike amnesia tropes, but this one actually makes sense within the story — it adds emotional weight and depth to the characters’ growth rather than feeling like a convenient plot device.

The chemistry between the leads is undeniable. Their tension is electric — every confrontation, every stare, every quiet moment is layered with emotion and meaning. I’m almost certain this is a “he falls first” trope, which makes it even more satisfying to watch unfold. The male lead’s inner conflict and loyalty are portrayed beautifully, while the female lead’s quiet strength and resilience make her incredibly easy to root for.

The pacing has been tight and purposeful — only 18 episodes in, and not a single scene feels wasted. Even the intense fighting scenes fit perfectly within the story; this is an enemies-to-lovers drama, after all. The physical and emotional tension mirror each other in a way that keeps you hooked.

As the story deepens, new layers of mystery and heartbreak start to unfold.

It’s also no surprise Fated Hearts is this good — it’s directed by the same person who brought us two of my other all-time favorites, The Story of Kunning Palace and Ashes of Love. The emotional tone, rich cinematography, and intricate storytelling definitely carry that same signature style.

Overall, Fated Hearts has everything I look for in a historical romance: layered writing, strong performances, slow-burn tension, and a perfect mix of love, loyalty, and betrayal. It’s the kind of show that lingers long after each episode ends.

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Addictive drama with perfect chemistry!

I’m not someone who usually writes reviews, but Fated Hearts honestly deserves one. From the very first episode, I was completely hooked, the music, the acting, the story, and the overall vibe were just so addicting. Normally, I get bored halfway through most dramas, especially when all the political parts start, and I end up fast-forwarding, but this one I didn’t skip a single scene, I actually felt sad when it ended, it’s one of those dramas I wish I could forget just to experience it all over again.
Huge thanks to the amazing cast, especially Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan, their chemistry was perfect, their performances were so real and emotional. I’ve always loved strong female characters, and this drama gave me exactly that, a pure, intelligent, loyal, and strong heroine whose love and dedication felt so perfect. The male lead was incredible too, he lost everything but never gave up, loved her deeply, was strong, intelligent, and his determination made their love even more captivating. The fight scenes were epic, the enemies-to-lovers storyline was executed flawlessly, and even the second lead’s storylines were amazing. Overall, it was just so perfect, I don’t even know why I’m this obsessed, but I am

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Overall, it was a very good series. I enjoyed watching it. The acting, in particular, was excellent. I congratulate the director. Beautiful filming, beautiful acting, beautiful action scenes. Are there any mistakes? I attribute these to the screenwriter. There were many character flaws. I mean, a person's character is what it is. It doesn't change. Their temperament changes. I can't quite explain it. For example, in this series, the princess chooses the prince she sees over her beloved brother. This prince is trying to kill his brother. Knowing all this, it's impossible for her to insist and say she loves him very much. She regrets it later, which the other person already says. I have no interest in it. You're making these things seem like things, in other words, you're making her choose the older brother. Then you end the series by calling this girl "brother." The older brother, who is at loggerheads with the person she said she loved, ends up killing this man. Which one is correct? I don't agree with that. Such a character doesn't exist. There are flaws in the Emperor's character too. I think he's at fault. He kills his father-in-law, the queen, right before her eyes, with his concubine by his side. And then this woman becomes queen. The king, knowing all this, values ​​the queen. No matter how much trouble his son causes them, he blames his son. Ultimately, this father and daughter kill the emperor too. But before killing the emperor, his son kills his father-in-law. The emperor says, "My revenge has been taken." You didn't do these things while you were in power; you blamed your son, and after all, your son disobeyed you and killed this person. You've come to your senses. I think these characterizations are flawed. If a character hates someone, they do. You can't just say, "I did it today, I forgave you tomorrow, I gave up the next day," and then these characters change their character. And then this emperor is forced to call the woman who killed their mother, who caused it, "mother." That's what the father wants. What is this? It's completely perverse. Such a character doesn't exist. These are flawed. They're wrong. Certain things need to be considered before writing. Also, the eunuch, who was always at the emperor's side, wasn't around when the emperor was killed. A huge mistake. How could such a scenario even exist? He comes back hours later. He went for a walk. He went to the restroom. Look, in the state administration, the person in charge is the emperor's sole aide. He doesn't go anywhere without him. So many things happen. Hours pass. If this person leaves, they leave a replacement. They're notified immediately. Eunuch services aren't just sketchy. It's a no-brainer. If a eunuch leaves, another eunuch takes over. I'm not even counting the watchmen. If something happens to the emperor, they're immediately notified. An emperor doesn't just leave himself out in the meadow, acting like a patron. This is a mistake. The screenwriter didn't pay attention to these matters. He's probably saying it happens when the eunuch isn't there. It's bound to happen. A man won't sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, run an errand. But someone always takes over. It can't be just one eunuch. There are a hundred eunuchs, and as many guards. There's a guard commander. They're soldiers. You send them out on command. But eunuchs definitely take orders from the emperor. The screenwriter should know this better than I do. These things were overlooked. I'm not even going to get into the whole issue of a childhood friend and the person most loyal to the emperor acting as if nothing ever happened and then turning into an enemy. These things can happen. But the way he instilled it in us so deeply, making us submit to the emperor and then turning things into a blood feud, seemed too much to me. It was overdone. The fact that his childhood friend's father prioritized the prince and put it on the back burner, and that the prince was saved and left behind to suffer, and then the prince didn't call them, got ingrained in him for years, and he held it in his heart and became hostile towards the prince. That's possible too. But in this reversal, these children continue to be friends with each other. Doesn't one of them ever ask the other, "Why didn't you call me?" They don't ask. They bottle it up and try to overthrow the emperor. That's too much. Then they'll ask him why you continued the friendship. Why did you continue? You became such a sweetheart. You got closer and closer. Then you went behind his back. Things happen when you're a child. Then you can say, "I'm not talking to you." Your mind might not try to plan, but you could have told him to his face. I think these things are missing. But people can get angry and do certain things. I agree. Everyone can write according to their own ideas. It's up to us to watch. As I said at the beginning, I liked the actors. I liked the acting. Our leads were almost overshadowed by the supporting roles. There were some really good actors. Chen He Yi and Qin Tian Yu delivered some excellent performances, practically surpassing themselves. Edie Cheung, Zhao Bin, Li Yu, Lu Xing Yu, Jiang Kai, Michelle Hu, and Xu Xiao Sa—these veteran actors—acted as if they were giving an acting lesson. I really liked them. They tore themselves apart. I also liked Xia Meng, Wang Zi Teng, Zhang Cheng Lang, Sheng Ying Hao, Ding Jia Wen, and Xia Ming Hao. The harmonies between our leads were good. I found Li Qin more dynamic and relaxed. I think it was the director's influence. He delivered a different role than his usual one. Chen Ze Yuan, despite being younger, was very successful. I recommend it to those who haven't seen it.

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Fated Hearts is the true legend of female general this year.

I watch this title for two reasons. One, Li Qin. It is wonderful to see her playing a strong female character again. I was captivated by her acting, for example, in Princess Agents (2017), where she played a spoiled princess who fell into the abyss of revenge. Second, the female general genre, which is a disappointment after "that" legendary one this year. Imagine, with a similar episode 1 depicting "betrayal", "falling from a cliff", and "amnesia", Fated Hearts has stronger direction and storytelling, so that even the hated tropes can become very interesting and engaging. Thus, I know, picking this drama is a good choice for quality entertainment.

The best things to note about this drama are:

First, rich and deep characterization. Each main and primary supporting character has a full explanation of who they are and how they turn into a "different" person throughout the story. The beginning, process, and ending of their growth, whether in a positive or negative direction, are smoothly described without gaps. From enemies to lovers, from lovers to enemies. All is a complete circle with a clear closure. We can understand them very well: their personalities, temperaments, thought processes, decisions, and actions.

We have the first prince of Susha, Feng Suige, who is righteous, brave, fierce, and full of rage; the best archer of Jinxiu, Fu Yixiao, who is calm, mature, free-spirited, and thoughtful. The two are a perfect pair in both fighting and love, with the strong aura of battle-hardened generals. And Princess Xiyang, who is young, strong-willed, but naive; Xia Jingshi, the handsome first prince of Jinxiu, who is treacherous, calculative, and cold-blooded; and Xia Jingyan, the emperor of Jinxiu, who is morally bankrupt, crazy, but kind. These three are tangled in a complex romance that ended in a perfect tragedy. Nobody gets what their hearts desire most.

Second, theme and premises. The story is set in a simple, fictional world, so not much prior knowledge is required to grasp the backstory. There are two kingdoms at war with each other. In the peak of their conflict, the tides turned in an unexpected direction due to a single arrow. Fu Yixiao's amnesia serves as a literary device for telling a story of "rebirth to a new person", which transforms the events. The subsequent story follows the paths of revenge for every character and the answers they receive. The killing and blood are scattered almost everywhere. The law is simple: power and loyalty, hierarchy and authority, dictate what is right and wrong.

This drama explores the brutal nature of human beings, particularly their vengeful tendencies. There is no preaching on kindness, peace, love, and the virtue of forgiveness, which is often found in historical dramas. The rules for morality are simple: If you hurt others, you will pay double for that. No room for pity and mercy for traitors. Everybody gets their share of punishment, whether in the form of regret, guilt, loss, hurt, or death. And, everybody gets their lessons, even though not all of them have the opportunity to atone for their sins.

Third, the realism in storytelling. I appreciate that Fated Hearts remains grounded in the reality of war. Civilians and soldiers are often sacrificed by the elites for power. War creates suffering and a generation of orphans who find solace in the bonds of brotherhood. Once they serve those with power, but they grow up learning the truth and fight to protect the civilians and comrades. They learn from betrayal and form a better alliance with the righteous one. Despite primarily telling a story of conflict, this drama also reveals the ingredients of peacemaking. Even though the peace period is only briefly mentioned in the epilogue, our imagination of what will happen beyond the happy ending is clear. It is a very satisfying, happy ending.

Fourth, quality in production. Fated Hearts is not a wuxia drama, but its fighting scenes are all well-choreographed and compact. Every movement demonstrates strength, swiftness, and detailed impacts. Every clash is bloody and creative. My favorite is the fight between Fu Yixiao and Xiao Weiran in the dark, narrow alley. The spark from their swords is so dramatic and beautiful. Other than the fight scene, the director also handles emotional scenes very well. The setting of cities and forests is are bit lame, but sufficient for telling the story. Amazingly, emotions and the heaviness of situations are conveyed through diverse ways, not only facial expressions: from teary red eyes, clenched fists, and tense jawlines, to tone and line deliveries, inner voices, flashbacks, the spatial arrangement, the camera angle, and even the creative use of light and shadow. The background music is sometimes repetitive, but it fits the nuances.

Fifth, we have many rewatchable, beautiful moments between Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige. Their chemistry, both during the period when they are enemies and after they become lovers, is strong. It is wonderful to see their interactions, banters, cooperation, and fights. They are not afraid to touch, hug, kiss, and show care and love. It is we who watch them (including Lu Ke and other battalion members) who are embarrassed. The best thing is: no love triangle, no third wheel, no misunderstandings, no miscommunications, no separation for your sake, no silence to conceal "I don't want to hurt you, so you'd better not know", no overly lovey-dovey or comical moment, and nobody tries to prevent their love. All people who know them support them. Their love is straightforward without detour.

I am so satisfied with this show. I urge you to try, as I am planning to rewatch myself.

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“I’m Enjoying It, But the Female Lead Is Driving Me Crazy ?”

Okay, so I won’t give any spoilers. I’m only on episode 10, but I already have an opinion — and honestly, I don’t think it’s going to change whether I’m at the beginning or the end.

Let’s start with the show itself: it’s pretty awesome so far. Someone compared it to The Story of Kunning Palace, saying it’s just as good since both were directed by the same person. Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s good — strong female and male leads, a great storyline, and that classic enemies-to-lovers dynamic. But it’s definitely not on the same level as The Story of Kunning Palace.

That said, every episode so far has been captivating. The acting, settings, costumes — the whole nine yards — are all excellent.

Now for the con, and this applies (in my opinion) to most C-dramas with a female general or strong female lead. Why, oh why, do they always make the women have less class than the men? They’re supposed to be powerful, not crude. There’s no need for them to chew with their mouths open or sit with their legs wide apart — it completely kills the elegance.

This female lead, honestly, is even more annoying to me than the one from Legend of the Female General. Her arrogance is off the charts. And let’s be real — he hasn’t actually hurt her since the beginning, and she’s already gotten her revenge. So why does she still need to hold a knife to his throat every five seconds? One minute she’s caring, the next she’s threatening to kill him for no reason. Bipolar much? I just hope she stops being so over-the-top and starts acting with some grace.

Everything else about the drama is great, though! Hopefully, some directors take note — you can write strong female leads without making them more barbaric than the men. At least she’s not immature, so that’s something.

*Update finally finished it. It was as I expected. I also hated the princess. (The sister to the ML) She acted like a victim the entire time. Only thing she suffered was from a broken heart from been too stubborn and arrogant. She brought it upon herself. He told her he was never going to love her. Ugh!! Stupid.

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This drama will give you withdrawal symptoms!!!

I accidentally stumbled upon this drama while searching for something new to binge-watch, and wow! I fell so hard for Chen Zhe Yuan! At first, I didn’t even recognize him, even though I had watched HL and WOT. To be honest, I didn’t expect such powerful acting and impressive dialogue delivery from him. I also recently discovered that he dubbed himself, and I’m so impressed! His fighting and romantic scenes were equally eye-catching.
Li Qin and Chen Zhe Yuan made an amazing pair here. They were so believable as the female general and ruthless prince. Their chemistry was on point, and the romantic scenes were beautifully done. What I really loved was how their characters communicated and trusted each other from start to finish. You could really feel the mutual respect between them.
FSG’s character was heartbreaking—betrayed by almost everyone around him throughout his life. But despite all of that, we never see him weak or vulnerable. He’s always resolute, determined to fight through difficult times while upholding righteousness. I absolutely loved his character arc. FYX’s journey was similar, though she experienced fewer betrayals. She too is impressively strong and righteous.
Some of my favorite scenes in the drama were the confrontations between Feng Sui Ge and his father, the Emperor. The acting was so powerful, and the emotions were explosive! Another unforgettable moment was when the Murong father-son duo backstabbed FSG. It happened so quickly, leaving FSG with no time to process what was happening—and we, as viewers, were equally shocked by the sudden twist.
Even though the secondary leads’ storyline felt a bit dragged out at the beginning, the ending really surprised me. By the end, I found myself rooting for the princess and the Jinxiu Emperor, sympathizing with them—especially because of the emperor’s devoted love for the princess, despite how unsettling it was.
The acting of most of the key characters really took FH to the next level. I watched all the episodes without ever getting bored and was always eager to see what would happen next.
My Thoughts:
This story could have been better without the memory loss trope. If Yixiao had formed an alliance with SuiGe while fully aware of how wrong Xia Jingshi was, the plot would have been more satisfying. FSG's memory loss arc, on the other hand, felt like filler, even though we got to see some impressive acting from him during that time.
The secondary leads' storyline felt like a parallel plot. They didn't really interact with the main story except at the beginning and end, which often made it feel like I was watching a completely different drama.
There were too many villains, and the revenge felt a bit too easy, which made them seem weak. I was hoping for at least one truly vicious villain without redemption.
Finally:
I’m not ready to say goodbye to FH just yet. I’ll definitely be rewatching it. I’ve become a hardcore fan of Chen Zhe Yuan! 👍

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Historical done well

This is THE underdog drama of the year so far for me. I came into this with no expectations and was absolutely blown away by how GOOD this drama was. It wasn't just one or two characters that made this so good, but in fact the drama as a whole - the plot was so riveting and engaging that I literally never once felt an episode was boring or wasted. It made me care about characters I never expected to care for. I even started caring for the villains, because we were shown their motivations and past and could relate and empathize with their pain. The plot was so engaging for me that episodes could go by where the main leads would barely interact and I didn't even mind because I was so immersed with the rest of the story.

The whole cast honestly did such a great job with every one of their characters, and I love that there were little to no misunderstandings between the two leads and they were always on equal ground/footing. A lot of the characters are a bit unhinged and crazy (and you can already see it early on in the beginning episodes) so a lot of the times you're caught off guard with just how far they're willing to go, which honestly is one of the things I loved the most about this drama.

100% would recommend for people who love historical dramas or even those who are new to it.

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