I read that they had planned for 12 episodes but couldn't shoot them because the FL got sick multiple times during…
Aaahh, if that's the case, it definitely shows. The ending felt so abrupt.
Yes, as you said, there was so so much care and attention into the storytelling. I love that all the characters were given pathways to redemption. Something about that was so heart-warming.
Loved loved loved this drama until the last episode. So unsatisfying. Why did they spend 3/4s of the last episode fighting? Their reunion was too rushed. And Kaoru never apologised for how he threw her out which really sucked. Also, in the last scene, time has passed but nothing else has really changed so how do we know they won't circle back to where they were at the beginning of the episode?
Over the 11 episodes, I can see that Manami changed through meeting him and I loveee how her character evolved and found courage. But Kaoru? I'm not happy with the amount of progress they showed on screen. He's hot and cold and insecure and that's disappointing. I wish the character displayed more growth. Such a disappointing ending to a beautiful story.
only on episoide 14 now but came here to comment.... is it just me or are the shanjue/shangguan qian parts more interesting than the actual leads? like, even the chemistryy
I had watched a few Qing dynasty palace dramas (Story of Yanxi Palace, Scarlet Heart). But this one blew them…
One of my favourite things in this drama is how they prioritised showing over telling. Like, the idea of the palace being like a prison wasn't stated but was so clearly SHOWN. The idea of the emperor being powerful but bound in some ways too, so excellently shown with how he made his decisions. The idea that even though the palace was a prison it was a very privileged prison of power was so subtly yet powerfully shown in the arc when Zhen Huan leaves the palace.
The emperor's character is so well written. The way he isn't simply good or bad, but is instead revealed over the episodes... we see who he is slowly by how he treats people, how he responds to situations, slowly, over time. I love love love how they peel back and reveal more and more about him. The moment my jaw dropped was in that discussion with the Dowager Empress where they talked about how they are the ones responsible for Consort Fleur (Nian)'s child's death and her infertility . He literally killed his own son for power. He keeps interpreting the other miscarriages and deaths as heaven punishing him for that but does he learn? No. He remains so arbitrarily cruel.
I love Zhen Huan's character soooo much. I like the fact that they didn't write her the way they write anime leads like she's just perfect and absolutely heads and shoulders toweringly brilliant at everything. I like that no character in this drama is like that. I like that they are scheming but it all seems plausible. It isn't the 34-step 4D chess schemes that seems to dominate a lot of Chinese drams that always strike me not as brilliant (as they are meant to be) but as laughably unrealistic. In Empresses in the Palace, they're just normal people doing their best and some are smarter than others and some are luckier than others and isn't that just normal life?
One very important theme was the disillusionment of the concubines with the emperor. When they enter the palace they are green and are looking for love and for favour. Yet when they realise that the emperor's love and favour are fickle, they wisen up and realise the best they can hope for is to somehow convert momentary affection to power. Meizhuang realises this first and Zhen Huan sympathises but clearly thinks her case is different because hers is "true love". She too is shaken out of that and learns that there is no such thing as true love with an emperor. There is no such thing as true love in this kind of polygamous set up. There is no such thing as true love with a man who will lust over your maid or your sister. There is no such thing as true love with a man who will priotise protecting his family name after your well being. And we see her withdraw and harden.
The question: "Still, does she Zhen Huan love the emperor? After she returns from the Buddhist temple, is it all pretence?" hangs and is answered and unanswered beautifully.
The most painful moment was of course when Yunli died. I screamed "Noooo, nooooo, nooooooo." I knew then that the emperor must die by Zhen Huan's hands. It was the only fair way.
Still, I loved the way Yunli's death was handled. When she walked into that room with the poison to meet Yunli, I was so scared. I didn't know what she would do. If she couldn't do it, then I would be disappointed in her for being weak after all she worked hard for. If she did it, I would be horrified by how cold and heartless she had become. I think the writers navigated that situation brilliantly (and of course, brilliant foreshadowing with the Empress Dowager and Longkodo).
I thought Huan'er and Yunli would have a bitter-sweet ending. With her as Empress Dowager and him as her sister's husband, yearning but with an uncrossable gulf between them. Slowly, he lives as normal husband and wife with
I am still heartbroken that Yunli died not knowing that Hongyan and Lingxi were his. That part still breaks me.
Also, can I just say that on the emperor's deathbed, when he asks Zhen Huan if Hongyan is his son and she answers "All under heaven are your children since you're heaven's son." I wish she had instead told him the truth clearly. I wish she had told him he was Yunli's son and I wish she had made him believe she would put Hongyan (6th prince) on the throne. I wish the emperor had gone into eternity believing that after all his wars with his brothers and the injustice he tolerated to consolidate power, another would take it from him. I would have loved to see the madness in his eyes at that point.
I loveeeed the friendship between Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, and the loyalty of her dowry maids plus Jinxi. So heartwarming.
At the end I realised that Jinxi and Su Peisheng were the only couple with a happy ending. But he was already an "incomplete man". Maybe that's what the drama was saying. You have to lose to gain anything at all. No one can have it all.
I had watched a few Qing dynasty palace dramas (Story of Yanxi Palace, Scarlet Heart). But this one blew them allllll out of the water. It was wowwwwww! They do an excellent excellent job here with the characters and stories. I am in awe. I almost didn't watch this because it had 8.5 and Yanxi Palace had 8.8 and I was like "If I didn't love Yanxi Palace then I'll probably like this even less" but boyyyy how wrong I was.
I have so much to say about this drama. I'll do more in the comments cuz might contain spoilers.
Random but I remember I first watched this in 2017 and it was all an accident cuz I was looking for Eternal Love (as in Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms) and I didn't realise there was another drama called *The* Eternal Love. Hahaha.
Can we talk about how they actualllly talked about their issues, and about him doing what he thinks is best without consulting her, how he aplogisedhow they came to a resolution and forgave each other and promised to learn more about each other? I appreciate that soooo much.
Yes, as you said, there was so so much care and attention into the storytelling. I love that all the characters were given pathways to redemption. Something about that was so heart-warming.
Over the 11 episodes, I can see that Manami changed through meeting him and I loveee how her character evolved and found courage. But Kaoru? I'm not happy with the amount of progress they showed on screen. He's hot and cold and insecure and that's disappointing. I wish the character displayed more growth. Such a disappointing ending to a beautiful story.
The emperor's character is so well written. The way he isn't simply good or bad, but is instead revealed over the episodes... we see who he is slowly by how he treats people, how he responds to situations, slowly, over time. I love love love how they peel back and reveal more and more about him. The moment my jaw dropped was in that discussion with the Dowager Empress where they talked about how they are the ones responsible for Consort Fleur (Nian)'s child's death and her infertility . He literally killed his own son for power. He keeps interpreting the other miscarriages and deaths as heaven punishing him for that but does he learn? No. He remains so arbitrarily cruel.
I love Zhen Huan's character soooo much. I like the fact that they didn't write her the way they write anime leads like she's just perfect and absolutely heads and shoulders toweringly brilliant at everything. I like that no character in this drama is like that. I like that they are scheming but it all seems plausible. It isn't the 34-step 4D chess schemes that seems to dominate a lot of Chinese drams that always strike me not as brilliant (as they are meant to be) but as laughably unrealistic. In Empresses in the Palace, they're just normal people doing their best and some are smarter than others and some are luckier than others and isn't that just normal life?
One very important theme was the disillusionment of the concubines with the emperor. When they enter the palace they are green and are looking for love and for favour. Yet when they realise that the emperor's love and favour are fickle, they wisen up and realise the best they can hope for is to somehow convert momentary affection to power. Meizhuang realises this first and Zhen Huan sympathises but clearly thinks her case is different because hers is "true love". She too is shaken out of that and learns that there is no such thing as true love with an emperor. There is no such thing as true love in this kind of polygamous set up. There is no such thing as true love with a man who will lust over your maid or your sister. There is no such thing as true love with a man who will priotise protecting his family name after your well being. And we see her withdraw and harden.
The question: "Still, does she Zhen Huan love the emperor? After she returns from the Buddhist temple, is it all pretence?" hangs and is answered and unanswered beautifully.
The most painful moment was of course when Yunli died. I screamed "Noooo, nooooo, nooooooo." I knew then that the emperor must die by Zhen Huan's hands. It was the only fair way.
Still, I loved the way Yunli's death was handled. When she walked into that room with the poison to meet Yunli, I was so scared. I didn't know what she would do. If she couldn't do it, then I would be disappointed in her for being weak after all she worked hard for. If she did it, I would be horrified by how cold and heartless she had become. I think the writers navigated that situation brilliantly (and of course, brilliant foreshadowing with the Empress Dowager and Longkodo).
I thought Huan'er and Yunli would have a bitter-sweet ending. With her as Empress Dowager and him as her sister's husband, yearning but with an uncrossable gulf between them. Slowly, he lives as normal husband and wife with
I am still heartbroken that Yunli died not knowing that Hongyan and Lingxi were his. That part still breaks me.
Also, can I just say that on the emperor's deathbed, when he asks Zhen Huan if Hongyan is his son and she answers "All under heaven are your children since you're heaven's son." I wish she had instead told him the truth clearly. I wish she had told him he was Yunli's son and I wish she had made him believe she would put Hongyan (6th prince) on the throne. I wish the emperor had gone into eternity believing that after all his wars with his brothers and the injustice he tolerated to consolidate power, another would take it from him. I would have loved to see the madness in his eyes at that point.
I loveeeed the friendship between Meizhuang and Zhen Huan, and the loyalty of her dowry maids plus Jinxi. So heartwarming.
At the end I realised that Jinxi and Su Peisheng were the only couple with a happy ending. But he was already an "incomplete man". Maybe that's what the drama was saying. You have to lose to gain anything at all. No one can have it all.
I have so much to say about this drama. I'll do more in the comments cuz might contain spoilers.
Can we talk about how they actualllly talked about their issues, and about him doing what he thinks is best without consulting her, how he aplogisedhow they came to a resolution and forgave each other and promised to learn more about each other? I appreciate that soooo much.
But I just noticed that Put Your Head on My Shoulder has higher rating than ALSB??
We live in a society.