Best show with character development
This show is amazing. I was put off from it for a long time because the emperor (ML) looked unattractive and I couldn’t imagine the FL being with him but then as the show went on I see why he was made to be unattractive. For context, the emperor here is supposed to be the same person as the male lead in Scarlet Heart (who looks totally different) and I just couldn’t reconcile the two lol.
This show is about a young woman facing the realities of the royal harem, not a love story. It is a show about a clever and kind young woman having to change herself in order to survive. Every single episode was gripping and interesting. The villains were well written and the protagonists weren’t just helpless damsels in distress. The character development is just *chef’s kiss*.
Zhen Huan took control of her own destiny, and that is so empowering, especially for a woman in that era. Of course, she had to play within the rules of that era and she knows to bide her time. So her actions seem realistic for that era (unlike the FL in Yanxi Palace, which is a show that is commonly compared with this one). You can always see the reasoning behind her choices. I love intelligent FLs and Zhen Huan is a great example. She is a queen (well technically an empress dowager) and she slays.
Some of the Chinese cultural aspects flew over my head, but if you are well versed in that area, you will have an even deeper appreciation for the show. There is a lot of nuance and indirect communication that one would miss if one doesn’t know the culture.
This show is about a young woman facing the realities of the royal harem, not a love story. It is a show about a clever and kind young woman having to change herself in order to survive. Every single episode was gripping and interesting. The villains were well written and the protagonists weren’t just helpless damsels in distress. The character development is just *chef’s kiss*.
Zhen Huan took control of her own destiny, and that is so empowering, especially for a woman in that era. Of course, she had to play within the rules of that era and she knows to bide her time. So her actions seem realistic for that era (unlike the FL in Yanxi Palace, which is a show that is commonly compared with this one). You can always see the reasoning behind her choices. I love intelligent FLs and Zhen Huan is a great example. She is a queen (well technically an empress dowager) and she slays.
Some of the Chinese cultural aspects flew over my head, but if you are well versed in that area, you will have an even deeper appreciation for the show. There is a lot of nuance and indirect communication that one would miss if one doesn’t know the culture.
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