KDramaFanatica

I think this harshness will play into the “bet with herself” that SYM was talking about at the end of ep. 26.

I immediately blocked that person. I myself have had some opinions about how the show isn’t perfect but still believe this is an AMAZING show that I will have to re-watch to fully capture all the parody, meta and story-telling elements and layers in the story. That comment was just straight up anti-fan rubbish.

I’m going to cackle if the entire portion of the FL in script world is a lesson on how an actor has to not only understand, connect with and treat the character that he/she is playing as real to bring them to life but also be interested in the rest of the characters, their motivations and purpose because if they don’t, they will easily lose the plot and the audience. *wink*

But now, since she actually accepted herself as the daughter of Song Yude and sistert of Song Yiteng (as evidenced by the beautiful family dinner) and is close to connecting with NH snd accepting their love, she herself will be joining the other characters and morphing into a more nuanced FL.

Then, once she’s back in the real world she can then actually be free of the constraints of her earlier disconnect from the script and prejudice of the characters and also break free from her past mediocrity as an actress.

I’m glad someone else caught that. Also, the emperor didn’t seem too pleased when CGH suggested using the noble consort/ possibly putting her in harm’s way to trap NH.

Amidst all of the commentary about these recent eps, I wanted to also chime in and say how happy I am that LYN is finally getting the praise and recognition he deserves. In an an industry filled mainly with nepo/wealthy artists, LYN made it through sheer will, perseverance and hard work and, by all accounts, he seems to be sincere, joyful, respectful and well-liked among his peers in both the music and acting fields. Still can’t believe anyone ever called him ugly. In a world of Cdramas filled with waif like and feeble looking ML, he is a breath of fresh air with his handsome, manly features, statuesque height and, above all, in his acting masterfully gives off the strong, commanding tone needed for audiences to actually buy he would be a strong prince/general/martial artist. He has fast become one of the best costume drama actors of this generation.

A CDrama reviewer on YouTube, AvenueX made reference to how the drama was taking jabs not only at other costume dramas but also at how LYN had been so horribly treated by some anti-fans (and probably even supposed fans) during the AJTL promotional tour and airing of the show. She said a lot of the plot would make sense to Cnetz and people who remembered the way LYN had been mistreated.

So, really, the actual script writer is actually skewering and being critical of the very audience who would take rumors and run with them and horribly mistreat a person for either no or ridiculous reasons and/or completely reject their love due to pride and prejudice.

It makes sense if, in a way, SYM is a representative/proxy for the audience LYN loved and worked so hard for but who also mistreated him at some point in his career (i.e. during AJTL). But it’s also a love letter in a way because despite all that happened, LYN is still a kind, consummate professional who loves his audience and is willing to go all out for them despite their earlier rejection of him.

EXACTLY. I had a thought that, if they actually depicted them growing old as a couple, she’s be the nagging, prickly wife who smacks his hand with chopsticks while picking out the best meat to put on his plate and he the (happily) long suffering husband who would one day miss her loving smack on the shoulder if she happened to die before him and probably would go a day after her.

I agree with you. All is definitely not as it seems when it comes to the emperor. He can’t actually be as cruel as he makes himself out to be if he is old friends with Song Yude (he actually seems to trust his counsel), he actually looked affected for a split second when NH was getting his lashings and, at any point he could have had NH killed if he’d wanted him dead. He’s definitely playing cruel games but politics in the palace have been such that unless you play the game you don’t survive. Even NH knew that.

I don’t think the emperor actually despises NH. The emperor seemed taken aback by CGH’s suggestion (he gripped a scroll on his desk) and you’ll also notice that he didn’t say anything to agree or disagree with CGH. I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up finding out that his actions were die to unresolved grief. Not right to treat NH that way by any means but less cartoon evil father than he seems.

Ep. 26 was such s masterpiece!

Not SYM going meta by talking about how the Express episodes weren’t even out yet! Lol.

And I’m another who thinks all is not as it seems with the emperor. After all that meanness and supposed cruelty in the late empress’s home, he warns the eunuch not to concern himself with “his son.” And I know I wasn’t the only one who peeped his sad look when NH was getting whipped.

The emperor, i believe, is is another complex character. I think he loves his son but is a testament to how the ugliness of unresolved grief can harden one’s heart. I also wouldn’t be surprised if, despite his love for NH he’s been using his power and cruelty towards NH to keep the uncle in check. Not right by any means but also, it’s a dog eat dog world in the palace.

Brava to LYT’s acting when she thought that NH was dead. The fear crescendoing to desperate grief when she thought he’d died was masterfully acted.

His near death also highlighted how SYM’s arrogance related to thinking she knows all about the script world, rules and the people has not just resulted in her wrongly judging others (NH mainly) but also with her being careless, impulsive and callous in a way that could have gotten NH killed.

I think this is definitely the turning point in their story. NH and SYM have both been like fearful (SYM) and wounded (NH) animals circling wearily around each other (although NH eventually became akin to a domesticated pup) but are both now on equal footing where they can really begin to get to connect and love one another.

I appreciate that SYM was still her prickly self (saying “don’t touch me” when they were in the cave while looking like a scruffed up feral cat, lol). Honestly, this has been one of the most entertaining and interesting costume drama pairings I’ve seen in quite awhile.

Onward and full steam ahead towards the last third of episodes!

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen spoiler images of scenes from the show where he wears the bunny mask that SYM gave him while dressed as LSL so I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him yet. I’m sure the WR gang took his clothes and weapons and masks to the new secret location where LSL told them to hide away.

Sure, I don’t disagree with anything you’re saying but some of the audience response/reaction can be (and usually is) a reflection of how, despite their best efforts, the director’s/script writer’s plan was not completely executed as intended.

And I say that knowing that the director, writer and actors are not responsible for when audience members are short sighted , bent on having everything spoonfed to them or are just filled with their own prejudices against a charter and/or drama.

Oh, I love this drama and SYM as a character (in fact, she may be my favorite character from any Cdrama, especially idol costume drama) and don’t think some of the hate I’ve seen against the drama or character is warranted but can also admit that there are some things that kept the director’s plans for the show from being executed the way he wanted. If they had, the director wouldn’t have had to write an essay breakdown to explain everything and poor LYT wouldn’t be forced to write almost daily posts on Weibo explaining her character’s choices and defending SYM as a character. Having said that, it’s amazing what they did end uo accomplishing and this drama will go down as one of my favorites (as long as the show doesn’t completely self combust in the next 16 episodes).

This is a really good essay from the Director and, while I think he, the scriptwriters and actors have done an amazing job in conveying the themes and messages he mentioned in his essay, they also missed the mark by virtue of his having to write this essay at all.

There’s a rule in storytelling that says, “show, don’t tell.” Because of the pacing, LYT acting choices and imbalance in scenes that depicted SYM’s rejection of and disdain for NH vs her curiosity and inner struggle, we the audience were unable to get a consistent sense of some of these themes. I agree with another commenter that the NH/LSL reveal should have happened on Ep. 20, we should have had more scenes dedicated to depicting SYM struggling with feelings of empathy for NH for more than a few seconds, and LYT delivery (although I LOVE how the actress brought SYM to life), should have been less harsh than it was to show that a struggle was happening at all.

That’s why, even in these comments sections you have some defending SYM, others hating her, some saying they can’t handle one more moment of SYM mistreating and rejecting NH and others still insisting that her prejudice was so strongly justified that she’s in the right for even her most recent actions against NH.

Having said that, this is still an entertaining show worthy of being on the top 10 lists of dramas just because of the complexity of the story they attempted to and did tell.

Ok, thanks!

Ooh, do you happen to have a link to the essay?

This us such a great point. A perfect example of FL misery and trauma as plot is “Flourished Peony.” Like, I LOVED the drama but at some point it got to be so ridiculous how she couldn’t catch a moment’s peace and was constantly being abused, mistreated and down on her luck because of the plot. Glad that the ML is having to go through it; what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

OMG, preview for Ep. 26!

SYM is such a stubborn, selfish, often unlikable and utterly imperfect FL but oh how I love her! Like, she just wants to SURVIVE, y’all.

And she cares about NH/LSL but making it out alive comes first for her (and rightly so).

In her defense, she was relying on the ML plot armor keeping NH/LSL safe and so her concern wouldn’t have her making foolish decisions (like, say, refusing to leave the ML’s side while being completely outnumbered by the assassins chasing them).

How many times have we, as fans, not screamed at the screen when a FL is foolishly declaring that she refuses to leave the ML because if they “die, [they] die together”?! And we as audience are thinking how stupid that is because it distracts ML, forces them to have to be responsible for them both and decreases both their chances of survival?

Here, the ADWD screenwriter turns that trope on its head.

SYM, as frustrating as she has been, has truly been acting out of a will to live that supersedes all the drama tropes that would box her in and control her actions (with the exception of the iconic scenes, which she’s not allowed to escape).

Hers has been the most accurate depiction of how a real life person would react and keep reacting if we needed to survive in a world where we knew we were predestined to die. We’d say, eff romance, and do anything and everything to make it through another day alive.

Love, love, LOVE this show!

Ok, I had to stop 7 minutes into Ep. 24 to say WTF?!! Like, I’ve been in SYM corner but homegirl literally STABBED him. Granted, she had shame enough to look mortified but she stabbed that man.

Like, how does the drama come back from that?

Now that I think about it, in another “lifetime” (I.e. OG script) he refused to save her and made her a living corpse so, we can say they’re “even”? Sort of?

LAWD.

It was, but I think especially so because it was NH. If it had been SH, who has been presented as more of a rogue and free spirited kind of dude, I actually think he would have been somewhat amused and would have gotten a kick out of it (even though, yes, it’s totally morally wrong).