Educational...
This drama reminded me of Ming Lan, in the sense that it can effectively teach young girls how to behave properly and smartly instead of falling for the bad examples they are surrounded with... It replaces boring lectures with a passionate story well written and superbly acted, and luxury costumes and interiors. The female lead starts in a very disadvantaged position but she slowly manages to gain everybody's respect in a credible way, using her strategic mind to serve her inner strong values, in the effort to concile the interests of her original family and people with the interests of her acquired family. Most difficult task, she stays always very feminine and yet not passive, refusing to be stepped on. The only thing that I didn't like was that the male lead wasn't simply distrustful at the beginning, which was perfectly understandable, but in a couple of scenes he was violent too, grabbing her by the throat. That's the only thing a woman should never put up with! Too many girls delude themselves they can change a violent man, and they need to be taught that it is impossible: you can change a cold man into a passionate one, but you can never change a man with scarce self control into a respectful one.Was this review helpful to you?
A drama ahead of its time
As I'm writing on this drama at the end of 2025, I can't find none of the flaws the 2015 reviews were complaining about; I suspect that it was misunderstood at the time... As a Westerner who's watched a good number of the most acclaimed Chinese and Korean historical dramas, I was simply amazed by SWWTN: and usually I avoid vampire stories as very boring. But this one was "emo" in a very personal way, with a wildly entertaining supernatural thread immersed in a meticulously believable setting. The directors demanded the best in everything: the costumes, the makeups (vampires wear more of it than any girl...), the acting of all the main characters, the backgrounds, the music. There were many subtleties (political ones too...) and I didn't get a single istant of boredom in all 20 episodes. It's like a Halloween tale: but tragic, funny, scary, and sophisticated at the same time! It reaches that rarely found magical balance...Was this review helpful to you?
Stellar acting, direction and costumes
The script was at times forced, but ultimately this is a story of mental illness, so a few incoherent twists in the plot can be excused. It has a dark mood: social glory can exact a very high price... but it is a fascinating and extremely classy kind of gothic mood. I wasn't over enthusiastic of the male protagonist acting, but Duling Chen was incredible in a very difficult role: we slowly acknowledge she inherited her father's carefully hidden psychosis, but her stubborn fight for love will redeem and heal her soul, while her father falls deeper and deeper into his murdering sickness. Her enigmatic mother is performed by a master actress, theatral in a traditional yet unconventional way. So the protagonist is excellent (and her costumes the best I've seen since Yanxi palace, expecially after she's married) but both her parents perform their cursed destiny to a vertiginous level. A feast for the eyes the scenography too. Don't miss this if you love gothic atmospheres with a psychological depth.Was this review helpful to you?
