Updated Review: My apologies to Li Qin.
One of my favorite actresses, Li Qin, shines as the female lead, delivering a performance filled with strength, vulnerability, and emotional depth. The male lead, Chen Zhe Yuan, complements her perfectly — their chemistry and shared storyline were excellent from start to finish.The main plot was engaging and well-paced, with one of my favorite elements being the amnesia arc. That storyline added suspense, emotional tension, and plenty of action, keeping the drama interesting and layered rather than predictable.
One aspect I did not enjoy — and this is important to mention — was the mental and emotional abuse portrayed toward one of the secondary female characters (not Li Qin’s character). Her father, the emperor, arranged her marriage to unite two provinces, only for her husband (not Chen Zhe Yuan’s character) to emotionally neglect and ignore her. That situation became a painful and unnecessary mess, and while historically such dynamics existed, it was difficult to watch.
That said, the main lead’s storyline more than carried the drama. The production quality was outstanding — the sets, costumes, and background music were all perfectly suited to the historical period and added richness and authenticity to the story.
Overall, Fated Hearts is a compelling historical drama with strong performances, emotional depth, and beautiful production values. Despite one troubling subplot, the central story and lead actors made this a memorable and highly enjoyable watch.
NOTE: I had Bai Lu on my mind being upset about Mo Li not being shown until April.
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I mean seriously...
What was that y'all? I can't believe they continue the ending for Season 2. LMAO. I was so furious... That was the only thing I had a problem with. The storyline for the male main lead, Kim Jae Yeong who played the character, Do Ra Ik, did very well, I believe the tears and fears. He being the suspect got me. Since there is a Season 2, and suspense is making me more anxious. How can one be cleared and then indicted. Actress Choi Soo Young who played character Maeng Se Na, was very convincing. The suspense and the storyline has me throwing a shoe at my TV. That means the storyline is not complete. (ugh)Was this review helpful to you?
Incredible Fantasy ART
This storyline was awesome. The fantasy elements felt incredibly real — especially the body art and the face mask on Cheng Lei’s character, Jinan. Honestly, whoever wrote this has an exceptionally imaginative mind. At times it felt like Cheng Lei stepped straight out of the screen — almost 3D.I’m still trying to figure out whose soul it belonged to and whether that character was immortal. That mystery stayed with me long after the episode ended. The writer truly should create another story centered on the supernatural warrior Cheng Lei portrayed — it was that good.
Song Yi was also excellent as a female warrior general. Though she’s a petite actress, she carried the role with strength and confidence and made it completely believable.
Everything worked together beautifully — the fantasy, the storyline, the music, and the sets were all perfectly balanced. And the horses… I loved them. The actors who rode them did a great job as well.
And I promise — I won’t mention Cheng Lei’s eyes. 😏
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Esther's portrayal is simply adorable; she embodies the character with such charm that if I had a daughter, I'd hope she'd be just like her. The intricate weaving of the storyline by the writers is truly commendable. A heartfelt thank you to the writers for their incredible work!
Let's talk about Xu Kai – OMG, not only did he flawlessly deliver lines for two characters, but he also brought a third one to life without uttering a single word (saying that metaphorically)! The seamless production of scenes featuring all three Xu Kais on screen is a testament to the phenomenal work of the screen production team. Xu Kai, your portrayal of two characters is nothing short of extraordinary – I applaud you wholeheartedly.
Esther Yu faced a similar challenge, memorizing lines for one character and bringing her to life with such grace. Again, a big thank you to the screen producer for skillfully presenting two Esthers in one scene. The love between the two characters was beautifully depicted, and I found myself rooting for them till the very end. Speaking of which, that final scene left me wanting more – writer, what was that? I yearned for them to embrace each other with open arms!
The supporting cast, who stood by the two leads, also deserve recognition for their remarkable performances. Every actor and actress breathed life into their roles, making the story truly come alive for me. From the captivating set to the exquisite costumes, the stunning martial arts sequences to the enchanting animation – every aspect of the production was executed with perfection.
Once again, a heartfelt thank you to everyone involved for a job well done. This drama wouldn't have been a perfect 10 for me without the dedication and talent of every member of the cast and crew.
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The costumes, OMG were beautifully designed. The visuals, the martial arts, and the music all were excellent. Thanking the other two main leads and supporting actresses, I applaud all of you. The rest of the team, I also applaud you, this story became alive in our thoughts once again.
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This is a Re-watch Review
I re-watched and understood the movie in July of 2022. I did like the storyline but loved the visuals, especially the underground-type vault. The First time I watched this was Sept 20, 2021. Mickey played one crazy Duke Qiu Zi Liang and was very believable. I just love Cheng Yi... I loved him in The Promise of Chang’an, Love and Redemption, The Lost Tomb 2, Noble Aspirations II, and Noble Aspirations. Can hardly wait for Noble Aspirations III. China Entertainment is stopping and banning a lot of Chinese Dramas. I will feel really sad if they stop Noble Aspirations III. I wasn't crazy about the ending, I cried.This was very long, I mean long. I took a point off the storyline because I felt bad for the actress Zhang Yu Xi (now I know where they got the name Yu'er)who died, was injured, and got kicked out of the palace so many times. Poor Cheng Yi dying throughout the whole storyline. The way they performed, they did it so well. A lot of martial art is the best for me. Did Cheng Yi lose weight for this drama, he looked really thin. This drama was more of a mystery of who did it which made it interesting. A lot of killing which I did not care for especially of children. The visuals, music, and costumes were okay. Of course like I always say the story couldn't be complete without all the other actors and actresses so I applaud them.
NOTE: Youtube has this Drama which is a similar story but not quite under the same name "The Mortal Samsara", a Chinese Drama starring Zhang Yu Xi. Don't get it confused with the new Fantasy drama The Mortal SamSara- Xianxia Fantasy Drama starring Yangzi
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Rape Awareness
I really absolutely like this drama! Hu Yi Tian did a wonderful job portraying Shen Qing Juan. He was brilliant in the part he had playing a character who had a mental disorder. I applaud him. Hu Yi Tian (I love his name) stands at 6.2 ft ., wow, he had to play basketball. Looking at the height of Xing Fei who stands at 5.5 Ft., wow what a difference. Her head came to his chest. Dang, I would be a child standing next to him. Xing Fei did extremely well being almost a foot shorter than her lead actor. So cute. Xing Fei was born in Mongolia where my ancestors began, I was happy about that. This story hits home with me as a kidnap and rape survivor. I am so happy that they brought awareness of Rape to the forefront of this drama. I was a little perturbed when they did not show the outcome of a serial rapist. The visuals were perfect. I am thanking all the support actors/actresses because without them the story wouldn't be complete. oh yes, I have to see more Hu Yi Tian... he is so handsome and a brilliant actor.Was this review helpful to you?
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Emotions: Anger
I was going to give this a low rating when I became angry with the writers in the last two episodes. I mean crap, you have me focused for 16 episodes with everything that was good, loving, fighting, protection of others... and you do a left turn into traffic run a red light hit pedestrians. The Pedestrians would be those who are watching this KDrama. I mean WHYYYY??? WRITERS... why did you have to go there? I'm in tears not because of the Drama... I'm crying because you left me out in the rain with no jacket on and it's freezing. The two main leads who played the palace maid and the Crown Prince... Lee Jun Ho OMG, he is fine as he wanna be... them muscles, those abs... He was so convincing in this drama, a very skilled actor. Lee Se Young who played Sung Deok Im was also convincing when she was in her role. Right now, I am mad at the writers because I was going to give this a 10 just for keeping my focus, and you kicked my focused self to the curb.Was this review helpful to you?
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Interesting storyline
The storyline was very interesting regarding the subject "Abandonment". How the screenwriters portrayed abandonment can also be real for some children that are going through the same horrific truths. I'm glad the screenwriters told this story and how it all came about and how it ends. Except for me, it didn't end. I wanted to see more and felt cheated. You will see why at the end. The other topic was "Forgiveness". We all need to learn how to forgive because if you don't, you only hurt yourself in the long run.Tan Song Yun who played the character Li Jian Jian: Excellent
Song Wei Long who played the character Ling Xiao: Outstanding... cute too.
Zhang Xin Cheng who played the character He Zi Qiu: Excellent
Tu Song Yan who played the character Li Hai Chao father of Li Jian Jian: Outstanding
Zhang Xi Lin who played the character Ling He Ping father of Ling Xiao: Excellent
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Since this was in 2018 the technical visuals, at times you can see it was real, but that's okay because I just focused on the story. I loved the storyline. The martial arts, fantasy, visuals, the dragons, were all excellent. Thank you to everyone who participated in this drama.
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The two main leads: Hu Yi Tian who played Wu Bai (DT) was tall and handsome for sure. When he was wearing that wedding suit OMG the muscles in his thighs showed through. I need to see more of this actor. He was believable and made the story seem real.
Li Yi Tong who played Dt. Appledog did a great job. She was also believable in her character! I love some of the outfits she wore. I felt this character was somewhat tomboyish. That is me!
So Glad that the Actor/Actress YangZi and Li Xian were brought back to get married. Yangzi is one of my top 10 favorite Chinese Actresses... so love her.
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Yoo Seung Ho plays the character of Dong Baek who has telepathic by touch and Lee Se Young plays the Police Detective Han Sun Mi. I loved YSH in "I'm Not a Robot"! FINALLY! A drama without romance or a triangle love and not somebody fighting over who gets who! Too funny! This a story that is a DRAMA! I enjoyed every episode and didn't have to skip to the next one! Every episode had my focus. This is a rewatch! The main actors were true to their story and the supporting actors were great! Honestly, I didn't think it was going to end the way it did... you know that one part that you try to guess who the real criminal is and when you get to that part... IT'S LIKE "I didn't know that was coming"! DO NOT SKIP TO FIND OUT... You have to watch each episode... it's only 16 episodes so you can hold out! If you do... you will ruin the whole story for yourself. HA! Thank you, writers! I needed the suspense!
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