Big_Red_1011

Props to 2FL for coming clean to ML. This is the benefit of shorter 12-episode dramas — there’s less need to drag things out.

Novel is different from the show, so we don’t know exactly what will carry over. In the show, there’s romance between the leads eventually (based on previews). In episodes released so far, FL claims to be betrothed to ML’s dead brother and takes on a role of a grieving widow which makes ML very suspicious of her. But — as so many dramas go — we expect them to bond over shared revenge and develop feelings for each other.

Description is from the novel. I often only skim the first 1-2 sentences because MDL summaries are often wrong or spoiler-ish.

It was very heartbreaking 💔 My only wish is for their demise to be slightly more surprising. Even the young ML knew there was a chance it was a trap. And you’d thought dad + 6 brothers could’ve found a way to avoid this despite Crown Prince commanding them… sigh, I know this was needed for the plot but still. Oh, and screw the Crown Prince 😡

I think the Emperor probably knows the Prince lied, but it’s not a good look to blame the Prince

I know this is needed for the plot, but let’s be honest — the generals should have known better than to fall into the obvious trap even though the Crown Prince was commanding them 😳

Thanks! Will move it up my watch list :)

WDBTD has no romance? It’s had more romantic/intimate scenes than ten typical C-dramas put together 😁

Thanks! Haven’t had a chance to watch it. Does it have a good ending?

It’s nice that rating goes up on MDL, but it’s more important the drama is doing well in China (10000 heat index, etc.). For better or worse, people involved don’t get paid based on MDL ratings & reviews :)

In addition to the dramas mentioned by the other poster, check out When Destiny Brings the Demon. The censors in charge of that drama fell asleep because they allowed so, so many intimate scenes (kissing, “dual cultivation”) that it must be a near record ❤️‍🔥🫣

Out of 2025 fantasy C-drama couples, this one and the couple in When Destiny Brings the Demon might be my favorites ❤️‍🔥

Welcome to xianxia / wuxia / fantasy dramas 🤣

The drama varies quite a lot from the book but both had happy endings :)

I didn’t have Royal Rumors on my radar, but added it to my list. Thank you!

You are welcome! There are so many dramas, it’s impossible to keep track of everything so I’m always listening to suggestions and try to suggest some good ones too. MDL summary for AYtO isn’t fully accurate, so that’s why I gave a brief overview. I can’t tell you too much though because of multiple spoilers that exist and would ruin the surprise (like in LITC).

It’s my favorite historical drama that I’ve watched so far (although, I’m not an expert). There’s some lying initially because ML is trying to catch a bandit leader and FL was his favorite concubine, allegedly (FL lost 2-3 years of memory due to being deathly wounded; amnesias don’t last long in drama thou 😉). It starts light & peaceful but scope of events becomes bigger and bigger as the drama progresses (from catching a local bandit we go to military missions to political machinations to empire wide events). So it’s not like Flourished Peony where most of the focus was on business. And FL in AYtO is as skilled in martial arts as she is skilled in business 🥰

It’s weird when already-shot kissing scenes get cut. It cannot be censorship because When Destiny Brings the Demon had a lot of kissing and “dual cultivation” scenes.

I have to seek solace in re-watching “Are You the One” when I get tired of tropes, cliches or illogical decision-making 😳🥺🙄

I have to imagine most of the times stars don’t have full scripts in front of them when they sign up for a drama because so many dramas either drag in the middle (esp. modern dramas made artificially longer by tropes like misunderstanding/breakup) or have very questionable endings 🤷😳🙄