This review may contain spoilers
Good until ep 32, then goes downhill in a disapointing way
Gosh, this was one huge disappointment.This drama started off well, laying a solid foundation and gradually developing genuinely interesting characters—right up until episode 31. But by episode 32, the writers made a questionable choice that pushed the story in the wrong direction. From there, things continued to go from bad to worse.
Poor pacing became an issue —important side characters introduced earlier were suddenly brushed aside, disappearing from the story for long stretches. Meanwhile, the narrative became overly centered on the two main leads for several episodes in a row, leaving the rest of the plot feeling neglected, imbalanced, and uneven.
Then there’s the ultimate villain—so exaggerated and overblown that it disrupted the internal logic of the entire world. In fantasy tales, when you introduce a great evil, there usually needs to be an equally compelling force of good to counterbalance it. That sense of balance was entirely missing.
On top of that, the script was plagued with inconsistencies, contradictions, unanswered questions, and a growing number of weak narrative choices. What began with so much potential ended up being a frustrating and disjointed mess.
------------ Spoiler Alert : Do not read if you haven't watch the Drama yet -----------------
List of weak narrative choices and inconsistencies
Ep 31 - Shi Ying being vague about his true intentions towards Zhu Yan allows a major misunderstanding to take root between them. For someone usually so perceptive and intelligent, all of a sudden, he's become dumb... This feels frustratingly careless.
Ep 32 - Zhu Yan takes the little boy, Sumo, to an untrusted physician without first consulting or even informing Zhi Yuan. Given that Zhi Yuan likely has the knowledge to treat the boy himself—and that both Zhu Yan and Shi Ying are shown later to be capable of healing him—this decision feels illogical.
Ep 32 - Zhi Yuan lies to Shi Ying about the true culprit behind the attack. After working so hard to build peace and earn Shi Ying’s trust, it makes no sense that he wouldn’t come clean immediately—especially about who was truly responsible and the real identity of the Dragon King. Withholding such vital information undermines both his character and the plot.
Ep 32 - Shi Ying prepares a wedding scroll as a gift for Zhu Yan, placing it in a box along with the embroidered scarf and jade pendant. Then, in episode 34, he makes these items disappear under pressure from the Grand Preceptor’s (Da Si Ming) threats against Zhu Yan. Yet when they finally marry in the tower later on, he never gives her these deeply meaningful items. Why? Are we supposed to believe he destroyed them? I doubt he would abandon so easily after all the trouble he went through for her already.
Ep. 35 – Shi Ying takes his own life to atone for killing Zhu Yan’s friend. While the act is meant to be emotional and dramatic, it comes off as unnecessarily extreme. He could have made his point just as powerfully by stabbing himself in a non-lethal way to show remorse—without making it life-threatening. The gesture feels overly theatrical rather than thoughtful.
Ep. 36 – Zhu Yan is repeatedly described by her master as having only average magical talent—yet suddenly, she's able to single-handedly decipher, master, and succeed in casting a long-lost spell (Star Revival Blood Oath) that no one has been able to unlock for millions of years, according to both the Grand Preceptor and Chong Ming. How does that make any sense?
And if this spell has never been successfully used before, how can the Grand Preceptor confidently predict its aftereffects—such as Shi Ying losing all memories after a certain point (“before his soul is fully restored, he will only remember things from before he met you”)? If this is truly uncharted territory, wouldn’t it be more believable for the consequences to be unknown? A simple case of temporary amnesia would have felt far more consistent and coherent.
- The Dragon
Introduced early on as if he would play a significant role in the story—perhaps even something pivotal—but no. After a brief introduction, it vanishes from the plot, only to reappear fleetingly for a minute here and there, giving empty clues such as waiting for a woman from the White Clan (Ep. 17), before disappearing again entirely until Ep. 40. In the end, it serves no real purpose and plays only a vague role in the unfolding events. A completely wasted opportunity, and frankly, pretty disappointing.
Ep 40 - At the end of this episode, Zhu Yan and Shi Ying descend into the abyss to meet the dragon for an important discussion. The scene ends mid-conversation, clearly set to continue in Episode 41. But no! Episode 41 opens with them already elsewhere. We never learn how their conversation with the dragon ended, how they left the abyss, or how they figured out how to find and awaken Zhi Yuan. And the dragon? Never seen again.
- Legendary Hundun Demon (Ep. 8 & 9)
Existed before the creation of heaven and earth. Born from accumulated resentment throughout history. Even emperor Xingzun of the past was also powerless against it.
Ep 43 - If Shi Ying was able to defeat the Legendary Hundun Demon and escape from it successfully back in Episode 9, then why, in the final episode 43, is he unable to destroy or seal Xuyao—even with Zhu Yan’s help and both of them wearing the magical rings? The inconsistency in power levels makes the final confrontation feel underwhelming and poorly justified.
- The ultimate villain (Emperor XingZun / Xuyao - God of destruction)
Introduced in Ep. 2 at the Ice Clan's Hall as a mysterious human figure wearing clothing, a cape, and a mask. We can see he has eyes, and black smoke fumes out of him. Addressed as "Excellency" by the Ice Clan's members.
Ep. 23 reveals he's the late Emperor XingZun, but he gets killed, and some of the black smoke enters a crow.
After that, the ultimate villain comes back and reveals himself to be just a bodyless black cloud.
In any case, how can there be a God of Destruction without a counterbalancing force—a God of Creation or Restoration? In mythological or fantasy-based stories, the balance between opposing forces is crucial. The absence of such a counterpart here leaves the mythology feeling incomplete and the final arc stretched thin—especially with the unnecessary deaths of so many key characters.
- The 2 Relics that are sealed (Houtu Ring + Heavenly Ring )
Their origins, purposes, and unlocking mechanisms remain vague at best, or unexplained at worst. This lack of clarity becomes increasingly frustrating as the plot unfolds.
Ep. 17 - When the emperor's blood is in peril, the Houtu Ring will emerge.
Ep. 18 - We find out the Sacred ring of the Menghua Dynasty is not located in Konsang but in the ruins of the fallen sea Kingdom. Bai Wei sealed the ring. It can't be retrieved by Xuyao. No further details are given.
Ep. 23 - Kriptic explanation: As long as there is chaos and calamity in the world, the Houtu Ring will leave Biluo Sea and return to Kongsang.
Ep. 35 - After Shi Ying's death, the Demon is able to break the seal and take the ring. How or why this is possible remains unclear. Suddenly, a second ring—the Heavenly Divine Ring—is revealed to exist, but again, nothing more is explained about it.
Ep.40 - The demon now possesses both divine rings.
He declares: "With the combined power of the dual rings, I'll destroy the world. I can use the power of the world to instantly annihilate the entire Yunhuang, then lead the Ice clan to establish a new Yunhuang on this wasteland."
He finds out he can't use them because of the Dragon Soul Seal (cast by Bai Wei on Houtu Ring 7000 years ago).
To break the seal, he needs the blood of the Sea Emperor.
Conclusion:
Altogether, these weak narrative choices and unresolved inconsistencies undermine the strength of what initially promised to be a rich, tightly woven fantasy. While The Longest Promise presents compelling themes and emotional moments, its storytelling often falters under the weight of rushed decisions, missing explanations, and character actions that defy logic or previously established traits. These gaps leave the viewer questioning not just the plot, but the internal consistency of the entire world it built.
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Average Drama, nothing remarkable...
I always start watching a drama without bias and try to stay open-minded.This drama was ok, but quite average, with nothing remarkable... I won't want to watch it a 2nd time.
I disliked the instrumental OST / sound FX: it sounded a little cheap and too cartoonish. But I guess it was the director's intent.
The OST with lyrics was ok, but it did not touch me.
The actors and costumes were good-looking, but I did not get attached to them, and I did not share their emotions as I've experienced with other dramas.
The ending spans over the last 4-5 episodes. I found the story's direction to be disappointing. I didn’t like the choices the director and writer made, and there were a lot of inconsistencies. They could have handled it much better. The plot felt stretched in a direction I didn’t enjoy, and while it held together somewhat, it was far from the best approach. Overall, it was nothing remarkable.
------Spoilet Alert : don't read if you haven't watch the show yet------
Speaking of inconsistencies... Episode 16
Tian Yao violently stabs Yan Hui to remove the Heart Protecting Scale—without any explanation or warning. Yan Hui is left completely in the dark, unaware of what’s happening or why Tian Yao suddenly turns on her. This one act sets off a chain of twists and turns that steer the drama in a forced, overly dramatic direction, seemingly just to add tension or appear imaginative.
It’s one of those “WTF” moments that feel completely unearned—where the writing seems to abandon character logic for shock value. In this instance, the writers seriously dropped the ball.
What should have happened to stay true to Tian Yao’s established personality and emotional arc?
He would have taken five minutes to explain what had just happened in Dragon Valley and what he planned to do. He would have asked Yan Hui to lend him the Heart Protecting Scale, promising to return it within three days—because he didn’t want her to die. Then, he would have left her in the care of Bai Xiaosheng and Huan Xiaoyan while he carried out his plan.
This alone would significantly alter the plot of the drama—and it would be an interesting creative exercise to rewrite the entire storyline from that one change just to explore how much better it could have been. But I won’t bother with that tedious task.
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A Review + an Alternative Storyline
A deeply emotional and compelling story that touches the heart, brought to life by a talented, mature cast. The beautiful original soundtrack — both instrumental and lyrical — enhances every scene, supported by well-balanced sound effects that draw you even further into the experienceStoryline plot: big mistake
My only critique concerns a script choice in episode 22 that felt not only unnecessary but also inconsistent with the character’s established personality and arc at that point in the story.
*** MAJOR SPOILER *** DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE WHOLE DRAMA YET
By ep.22, Murong JingHe and MeiLin are engaged and deeply in love. He has also made a crucial promise never to lie to her again — a commitment that, as a writer, must be respected. His character is portrayed as deeply principled, with strong integrity, as well as being deeply protective and emotionally possessive of MeiLin. This makes the decision in that scene feel completely out of place. It becomes evident that the scene was crafted solely to heighten drama and emotional conflict for the audience — but at the expense of character consistency.
In this episode, Murong JingHe is preparing to confront the crown prince. With no options left, he goes all in — a final, all-or-nothing gamble that could either redeem or destroy him. Naturally, he wants to protect MeiLin and spare her from danger if his plan fails. So, he arranges for her to escape
However, the way the writers chose to execute this scene is overly cruel — far beyond what Murong JingHe would reasonably be willing to do. He stages an elaborate ruse with Yue Qin in which he reveals himself as the Master of Shadow Works, lies about his intentions and feelings, tells her about the poison in a mean way, and pretends he intends to kill her. His goal is to break her heart so thoroughly that she’ll be willing to leave with Yue Qin when he arrives to “rescue” her.
This plot twist forces Murong JingHe into months of repentance before MeiLin finally forgives him — a plotline that feels unnecessarily forced, given everything we’ve come to understand about his character.
Storyline plot: what should have been
Instead of having Murong JingHe secretly plot with Yue Qin behind MeiLin’s back, the writers should have opted for a more honest, emotionally grounded scene — one that aligns with the integrity and maturity of the characters involved. Murong JingHe should have spoken directly to MeiLin, explaining his intentions and the plan. The three of them — Murong JingHe, MeiLin, and Yue Qin — could have come together to discuss a strategy as allies who trust and respect one another.
There was no need to bring up his identity as the Master of Shadow Works again; that secret could have remained buried — a dark burden he continues to carry alone. What he should have revealed is that the poison remains active, that he has spent months seeking an antidote without success, and that MeiLin’s only chance of survival now lies in a rare plant that grows only in Yue Qin’s homeland.
Given her condition, she’s too weak to fight. She needs rest. And should Murong JingHe’s plan fail, he refuses to sentence her to death alongside him. That’s why she must leave with Yue Qin.
Naturally, MeiLin would resist — unwilling to abandon him and wanting to fight by his side. But this is precisely what he cannot allow. In the end, he would be forced to render her unconscious and send her away with Yue Qin to safety. They would hide and recover in a safe spot, waiting for news. If no message arrives within a set number of days, they must leave and never look back.
From there, the writers could take the story in various directions. If they wished to keep the rest of the storyline mostly intact, they could still do so by having MeiLin feel betrayed and resentful for being sent away without a choice. Alternatively, maintaining the idea that she feels indebted towards Yue Qin could preserve parts of the original storyline without resorting to an unnecessary breakup.
Personally, I would remove the entire subplot involving Yue Qin’s Moon Princess tribe. This storyline felt unnecessary and could be omitted entirely. In episode 23, I would have MeiLin stay at Murong's bedside as he recovers, then be offered by the emperor some honorable status for her outstanding contribution, as well as granting her a proper wedding to Murong JingHe. The storyline could then resume by having them dispatched to restore Qingzhou, as per their personal request, which later lets him fulfill his promise of helping her open a fruit cake shop. This still leaves ample space for the war subplot involving General Ming Ju of Xiyan, as well as the resolution of MeiLin’s poisoning. The storyline in which she fakes her death would need to be rewritten from a different angle, given that the original triggers would no longer apply. However, I'm confident it could be cleverly integrated, especially since the scene where Murong discovers her resting place is such an iconic moment.
That's it!
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What I would change: The last four episodes (29 to 32)
It's a good story overall, and I've enjoyed it.My Review contains many spoilers: don't read if you haven't watched the series yet.
The last four episodes (29 to 32) could have been better scripted, as some plot choices feel weak; they don't have any purposes other than to add unnecessary twists & turns.
And the drama’s ending...
Instead of delivering a satisfying conclusion, it forces suspense with an ambiguous scene that lacks context or payoff. Rather than a clever twist, it comes across as empty and confusing. Most viewers, myself included, are left wondering what it was supposed to mean. If the goal was to create an open-ended mystery, it fails because it lacks substance, and instead of a thought-provoking conclusion, it feels like an unresolved, last-minute attempt to appear deep without any real meaning.
So let's start with what I would change to make this a better story!
Ep. 29 - 24:30 min
Why would the princess chose to kill herself? But most importantly, why would she chose to kill herself in such a way that not only endangers Shangguan Zhi but also wastes an opportunity to make her sacrifice meaningful? As someone raised in the palace, she should be resourceful and strategic enough to devise a last-minute plan.
Frankly, this plot twist is unnecessary and leads to even further unnecessary drama, thus it should be erased. Let's examine something else that could prevent her death:
Ep. 28 - 38:00 min
Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity not yet revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) at night time in an undisclosed location.
Ep. 30 - 5:30 min
Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) during daytime at the "Grand Commandant's Residence".
After comparing both meeting location, we can clearly see the same curtains and the same bookshelves in the background. Thus, we can deduce they meet in the same location.
We know Zhuo Lanjiang's motivations: to avenge his father. He's not there to stretch things nor investigate any further. This said, he had a very good opportunity to do this in Ep. 28's meeting. He could kill both at once swiftly at nighttime and try to escape alive.
But let's say for suspense sake he does not do it just yet. Plus, he gets to witness the presence of Mr. Chen (the organization's accountant who brought the ledgers with him) as he's being escorted to his new room. This opens the plot twist for him to look for those ledgers later which brings us at back at Ep. 29, right before the Princess death scene, the one we want to get rid of.
So here's what should happen:
(This removes all those scenes: princess's death, Shangguan Zhi going to jail, Pan Yue begging his father, Shangguan Zhi's trial + battle, them becoming fugitives, Zhuo LanJiang dying uselessly and in a very stupid way, etc.)
Ep. 29 - from 18:40 to 24:30 min
This is when the princess finds out her sister's husband (Jia Quan) is the great villain she and Pan Yue have been investigating. This triggers him threatening her. But frankly, why would he ask her to kill Shangguan Zhi? That's just plain not plausible considering his shrews character. If he wanted Shangguan Zhi dead, he could have had her dead 100 other ways anytime he wants.
In my opinion, once he made sure to make her understand that he can and will kill her and her sister (and make it look like an accident) if she tries to interfere, his most likely reaction would be to prohibit her to leave the residence and keep her under watch at all times until the completion of his "Grand Marshal" promotion ceremony to ensure she won't leak any information.
Next would come the scene from Ep. 30 - 5:30 min
Zhuo LanJiang meeting the mastermind (Jia Quan - identity revealed) and his personal assistant (Zuo Jingfei) during daytime at the "Grand Commandant's Residence".
But this time, he kills both in stealth mode, then proceeds to look for the ledgers, finds them and escape successfully.
There should be a commotion once Jia Quan's death is being noticed. It should be speculated that it must be related to the assassin that tried to kill Pan Yue the other day. The Princess would later go search for the ledger where she found evidence of Jia Quan's name change, then make a plan to meet with Pan Yue in order to discuss their next move.
Meanwhile, Zhuo LanJiang gives the accounting ledgers to either Pan Yue or Shangguan Zhi (or both, wathever suits the plot), tells them he fulfilled his vengeance (the bad guy is dead) and he plans to head back home with his girlfriend and marry her.
Next, we should obviously see Zhuo LanJiang have some happy romantic reunion with Bai Xiao Sheng.
Then, the princess meeting with Pan Yue and Shangguan Zhi to decide what will be done.
From there, I don't have anything concrete in mind, but I guess the most obvious would be:
- The princess confess everything to her sister.
- The wedding between the princess and Pan Yue gets cancelled.
- The evidence against Jia Quan gets deposited to help close his death's investigation.
- Pan Yue and his father reconcile.
- Pan Yue will confess everything to Shangguan Zhi's brother as promised. She should also have a moment alone with her brother to settle things.
- Pan Yue gets back his Heyang's Magistrate position and finds a way to offer Zhuo LanJiang a good position too in managing the docks (or wathever else that fits his fancy in order to compensate him for shutting down his clan. Maybe letting him reopen his clan/private business?)
- Pan Yue and Shangguan Zhi get married in Heyang at the same time than Zhuo LanJiang and Bai Xiao Sheng (double wedding).
Oh, and another useless scene is this one:
Ep 29: 6 min
Pan Yue's brother revealing to a stanger that Shangguan Zhi is Yang Caiwei.
Only Pan Yue's father should know about this, and this information should not have been revealed to anyone else in the household.
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Rich historical series with political intrigue, strategic mind games, and emotional depth
The Double is an exceptional historical C-drama that stands out for its strong acting, beautifully composed score, and—most notably—its well-constructed and coherent storytelling. It's rare to find a drama where the screenwriters truly respect character consistency, plot integrity, and narrative pacing from beginning to end, but The Double delivers on all fronts.The political intrigue, strategic mind games, and emotional depth are portrayed with precision and subtlety, making the stakes feel real and personal. The drama skillfully balances personal bonds with grand-scale political tensions, never letting one overshadow the other.
That said, in my opinion, the only significant flaw lies in the ending. While emotionally powerful and beautifully tragic, it seems to introduce a logistical inconsistency. (Note that I am no expert in Chinese History and War strategies, thus the screenwriters might know better)
------ SPOILER ALERT : do not read if you have not watched the whole show --------
The central character, Duke Su (Xiao Heng) is not only a brilliant general but also a key advisor stationed in the capital, commander of elite troops, and the backbone of the Emperor's intelligence network. Throughout the whole story, we see them playing a deep and cunning political game, maneuvering people as pawns. Sending such a high-value individual to die on the frontlines—especially when there were less critical pawns available—strains credibility because it would leave the emperor and the capital vulnerable to future threats. Given his role, it would have made far more sense for him to oversee operations from a strategic position, especially considering the Empire’s long-term stability and his wife waiting for him back home.
Moreover, while Duke Su’s sense of duty and honor would certainly drive him to share the fate of his men, the Emperor’s pragmatism and the capital’s vulnerability would logically outweigh that impulse. The decision feels narratively forced, as if made for emotional impact rather than in-universe logic.
The bonus episode showing Duke Su coming back some years later (the tree they planted has grown significantly big, so we can guess 2-4 years at least) attempts to soften the ending by showing he is alive, implying he somehow survived the battle... This is nice, but rather weird considering how the drama ended at the 40th episode: it was quite clear he had died on the battlefield.
Still, this flaw does little to diminish the overall impact of The Double. It remains a gripping, well-acted, and thoughtfully written drama with excellent pacing and rare narrative discipline. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a rich historical series that respects its characters—and its audience.
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