Isa

I have been meaning to watch this, but am waiting till Season 2 is complete because I have absolutely zero self-control hahaha. I hope the ending is a good one, or at least an ambiguous one that I can pretend is good!

I'm not watching anything else right now, but I have to recommend 2017's Legend of Yunxi. It is one of the best historical dramas I've watched with a strong female character and an interesting supporting case. I go back to watch my favourite bits all the time!

Oh what's LLTG? I don't think I've watched it yet! I recall searching for the difference between the 52 and 54 episodes, but I can't remember anymore. But I think there's not much of a difference, perhaps it was cut differently for cable vs online release?

Just a few thoughts about the drama:

1) The VR set-up at the beginning is strange, but I suspect it was done to circumvent censorship which frowns upon transmigration storylines.

2) There are viewers who think that the FL's change in personality was too sudden... But she literally absorbed a spiritual power that essentially morphed her into another person. It's almost like a split personality. The original FL often re-surfaced and antagonised over how she doesn't know why she's acting like this, etc. This whole development fits the storyline.

The best balance of slice-of-life and romance, bringing to the fore the conflicts we often feel between balancing family, career, and love. A good reminder not to take those we love for granted, and that every minute of life is precious.

I feel like this drama has been so badly misunderstood that I have to leave a comment to let those who are considering watching the show know what they are in for. It's not as bad as everyone says it is, and I do think it's worth watching even if for the little sweet moments between Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi (as seen in many Douyin videos).

Episode 1-16 follows the storyline as laid out in the summary. Romance isn't a strong element here - most of it is about court intrigue involving the Liu Song Princess Liu Chuyu (Zhu Que) and her learned companion (a.k.a. male concubine) Rong Zhi. The end of this arc is unhappy, and they both lose their memories of each other. Then, the story essentially resets, with a storyteller deciding to change the trajectory of the story in order to satisfy his audience.

Episode 17-52 is a completely different story - the only connecting plotline is the reappearance of the Imperial Astrologer Tian Rujing, who's still as obsessed with Liu Chuyu as ever. While Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi are technically the same characters as before, their lives are completely different - it's like a slate wiped clean with a brand new storyline. I would even liken it to fanfiction, where others rewrite a story because there are things they would change from the original. There is a clear undercurrent of romance running between Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi, and the court intrigue happening here is much more similar to that which is usually seen in historical dramas.

As a spectator, you don't really get to know the characters in the first arc, so I was less attached to them. However, you get a full 30+ episodes with the character in the second arc, so I got more attached to them as a result. Perhaps it's also because the storyline is more familiar in the second arc (compared to a more unique storyline driving the first arc) that I liked it more. That said, this show is chaste and has few moments of skinship, and the storyline can be confusing, so if you're not here for the actors (Song Weilong is devastatingly handsome in historical costumes) or the few sweet scenes between the main leads, then I'd recommend giving this show a miss.

P.S. In case anyone is curious about the ending, Liu Chuyu and Rongzhi somehow manage to live on at the old Princess Manor - alone and unbothered.

Now that I've finished the whole season, I have to agree that the murderer plotline was very strange. Glad that Yi Hyun and Sae Bom got their well-deserved happy ending!

At Ep 5 right now, and the best part of the drama thus far is how Yi Hyun is the most upstanding man until Sae Bom is threatened, following which he clearly demonstrates that he's willing to set the world on fire in order to keep her safe.

It was recently released on YouTube as well, but there are no eng subs yet and it's much slower than the release schedule in China, where Ep 12 is already out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJuS3m1Qg-s&ab_channel=%E8%85%BE%E8%AE%AF%E8%A7%86%E9%A2%91

The second ML and FL were adorable together!!!

The second ML and FL were adorable together!!!

Love this story - it teaches us that do-overs aren't always cure-alls, and nothing is impossible when you take everything in moderation. I've liked Ji Sung since I first watched Dr John and this is another amazing performance from him yet again.

Excellently scripted and wonderfully written, this drama really speaks to those who are past their twenties and feeling downtrodden about work and life. It also provides an invaluable oxytocin boost to those who feel like they are constantly stuck in a cycle of lifelessness. I definitely recommend it to anyone who needs a mood booster. Take a risk, dare to aim for more!

Nope, he didn't end up with anyone. Seo Woo is just like a sister to him.

I came across this manga randomly, loved how trashy it was, and then realised there was a live action version of it. This is the sort of thing you'll love if you like short-form amateur dramas on Douyin / Kuaishou, with all the trashiest clichés rolled into one drama (and better production quality). The best thing about it is how unapologetically bad it is - it's so bad, it's good. Terribly good.

I recommend it for anyone who loves such genres for sure!

Thank you! At least hopefully that means the pain will be short-lived. I'm fast-forwarding through a lot of the filler scenes with the side characters right now ahaha.

Me @ Episode 12: Things are going too well - when will the Big Misunderstanding (TM) show itself?

Not sure why the reviews for this drama seem a little negative, but I thought the show was okay overall. Not as interesting a medical drama as Dr. Romantic and Doctor John, but I thought it was a decent watch.

I just summarised the movies in my review, but TL;DR, the movies take place in an entirely different universe that bears a lot of strange similarities to the one that is shown in Seasons 1 and 2. https://kisskh.at/profile/9254613/reviews/175517

I think it's setting up the premise of Season 3, which is that she goes back earlier in time and fully embraces the power of being a princess and eventually, the Empress, in order to properly protect General Jing Qing from her father, the Emperor, as well as from Jing Qing's mother, the Empress Dowager. I presume Season 3 will follow the previous seasons, in which Jing Qing eventually remembers her. Hopefully, the scriptwriters will give them a proper happy ending this time.

It's 闔家團圓 (hé jiā tuán yuán) in traditional chinese characters. It means to have a family reunion; for your family to be whole. The mood probably soured because that's impossible for him since his mother doesn't even want him. That's why she tells him that they still have their remaining family and friends, and that they will have children in the future as well. Implying that with them, it'll be possible for them to have a happy and whole family.