Nelly

If you don't like xanxia not sure how you'll feel about Joy of Life. It's more wuxia, but still, I couldn't get into it, despite the hype. Story of Minglan is a great historical but it's the definition of slice of life (suuuuper slow), so you have to be fine with it. I would say try Long Ballad, it has similar vibes to Jun Jiuling (though the story is different). There's also Rebel Princess and Imperial Coroner. Yanxi Palace and Sword and Brocade are great too, but they're a bit different (they're harem stories). Didn't try Goodbye My Princess yet, but let me know what you think if you do!

Haha Same!

I mean, I found some likeable (like the female lead and the first empress), but I agree that A LOT of them didn't have likeable personalities, since many were just evil characters. Which is why it kind of gets tiring halfway through the drama, but still, the FL's schemes make it up partly for me!

Yes, I agree! I was pleasantly surprised with the depth of the drama and how serious it got at times, it seemed so superficial at first haha I see this drama more as a "fantasy-world travelling" drama (like Korean W and Taiwanese Lost Romance) than as a time-travelling drama (like Scarlet Heart and Mr. Queen) because there's less focus on past VS present, but even in that category, it fairs pretty well. I used to think "W" was the ultimate best, but there are some things RoTaR does better (the FL's role in her own narrative and the character development in her story, for instance, made a lot more sense). I just realized I developed a bit more the negative points in my review haha Overall I think it was quite nice though! Most of the time I find 2nd seasons are unwarranted, but this one could do with another season (with the same cast). I hope it happens :)

Oh, skinship was the wrong word. I guess I was just talking about classic romantic scenes. Lots of blushing and hanging out like dates and stuff. What one might expect within the realistic boundaries of the historical context. I think it didn't fit this series, not because of the action (they don't have to be separate) but because of personality. I just couldn't see Changge and Sun going ful cheesy. Imagine, Leyan-Haodu scenes transposed to Changge and Sun? Some of them wouldn't work with them, it would be out of character, I think.

Yes, I knew about the clause! I was replying really quick yesterday so I couldn't get into the details of what I meant, but I always see the production issues as guidelines. Sure, there was a clause, but how they work with it is what matters. I think the clause was no impediment to the series because given Changge's personality (and Sun's too, to a certain extent) it made sense not to overdo the romance with cheesiness.

And yes, about Changge rejecting the physical contact, I did notice it (I mentioned it in my previous comment, you probably missed it!). I attribute it more to personality than age because she does this even quite late into the series. And I like this interpretation because, in real life, everyone does not have the same level of comfort with physical contact. Some people are huge fans of cuddles and hugs, some people less so. I saw it as Changge being in the latter category.

But she definitely has a growth narrative, even the romance department! One does not exclude the other!

Yes, the romance is definitely influenced by the growth narrative of Changge! But it is true that there aren't many scenes of skinship or classic romance later, even when she has changed. I think that this has more to do with her personality. There are several scenes in the drama in which we see that she is uncomfortable with Sun touching her. I think she just doesn't like cheesy stuff. There is such a thing as different styles of love, I remember reading about it. I think she's just more the giving/helping kind of love rather than the expressing your feelings or being affectionate type

You are not the only one, but I have to say, I'm really surprised, because I thought it was great. Actually, I feel like both with CG/AS and LY/HD, the ML's feelings are more obvious and more conveyed to the viewers than the FL's, but the FL definitely likes the ML. The advantage of LY/HD is that they get married, but they lack something that CG/AS have: time. LY/HD happens so quick, it's kind of...too sudden.

I think the "bromance" aspect of CG/AS comes from CG's character development. We are so used to seeing more "feminine" FL with ML that we start to expect this kind of dynamic in all dramas. But to be honest, I think it's refreshing and necessary to have these kinds of love stories where the girl isn't more of the same. Not all women are girly girls, so these other women need a bit of representation too! And of course, given their character, the love story can't be the same. It will be different.

It's just my take of it though! Maybe I have a fraction of Changge in me, I just totally got her and the romance made complete sense to me haha

To be fair, this seems to be the opinion of several viewers. I also read a lot about how Changge is impulsive. I never really saw that.

About the "whimsical nature" of Changge: She isn't the only one who seeks revenge and gives it up in the show. Since you were already at ep 26, you saw that Sun also does the same, and later in the story someone else will too. What does that tell us? This is not an issue of Changge's character, it's a motif. It's the drama wanting to pass a message, that revenge is useless and there're more important things out there.

About her being "selfish": What does Changge do up to ep 26? Let's have a look. First, she goes to Yunzhou, where she ends up saving the town from falling in enemy's hands. Then she goes to Shuozhou, where she does the same. Then she lands in the grasslands and saves the emperor from assassination (and thus Tang from invasion). All this time, she's trying to protect her country. Now let's look at what Sun does. First he goes to Chang'an to see if they can attack. Then he goes to Yunzhou to try to invade through there, then he goes to Shuozhou to do the same. And later, he participates in the assassination attempt against the emperor of Tang. Why? For the good of country.

Why should we see Changge's attempts of doing good to her country as "being selfish" while Sun's attempts are seen as totally fine?

Something else to keep in mind.

If the Ashile clan hadn't been trying to take over Yunzhou, there would be no trouble in Yunzhou. If they hadn't been attacking Shuozhou, there would have been no trouble there either. And if She'er hadn't tried to humiliate Sun, Sun's mom would have had a different fate.

So whose fault is it really, that bad things happen in this drama? I don't think it's Changge's.

Mmm...I thought I was going to side with Bang Won a 100% watching this show based on everyone's comments (and how much I like the actor), but I'm up to the latest episode and I just don't feel it. He's doing everything for the wrong reason, and does all the wrong things for good ideas; by the end, only the bad stuff remains. No wonder he's mostly remembered as a bad historical figure.

But before I get stoned, I'm also not feeling Do Jeong either. He has a good reason for everything, but his ideas increasingly feel far, very far from what he wants to implement in real life.

The only people I feel in this show are Boon Yi, Bang Ji, Moo Hyul and the other commoners. It's just too sad that a dream that is supposed to be for the people, and began with the people, turns out to be something of the nobles and some elite "geniuses" who think they are entitled to rule it all; that what they are promised is never given, what they have done is not acknowledged, and as the country stems to life, they return to being taken for granted. It's life, but it really sucks.

Can I say I'm disappointed in the last 4 episodes? The show's still not "bad", but...The sudden "confusion" of In Yub regarding Eun Ki is kind of unbelievable and incoherent (he's been a lost cause for a long time now, and she didn't show him anything but scorn in episodes 13-14); the death of Sa Wol was predictable and unnecessary; and the relationship between In Yub and Moo Myung is definitely lacking, so much so that Dan Ji's love story seems a lot more interesting (and touching when the other servant is involved). The gisaeng has no purpose in the story, it's a waste of a promising character. And both kings are absolute puppets, and mean ones too. At this point I don't even know which one is worse. Why did it have to go down this path? Ugh. Anyway, two episodes to go, right? Hopefully this wraps up nicely. Somehow.

Yeah, I rewatched it over the weekend and I understand now. Moo Myeong found out his feelings for In Yub a few episode ago, but we never saw her realize that she liked him, so it felt sudden that she'd kiss him. But I think both him and her realize at the same time that she doesn't hate him but likes him, at that moment in the jail, because she cries (out of concern and love) for him instead of jumping on the opportunity to take revenge on him or turning away from him. I love this show for not being obvious and making stuff subtle like that! :)

Ep14 is cool too! I'm happy there's some relationship development, but am I the only one feeling like it happened too abruptly, like out of the blue? Anyway, love the show!Master Eun Gi though...*blood boiling*

I really wanted to watch this. I knew it'd be special. But it took me sooooo long to get on the wagon, because I couldn't watch more than 10min of the first episode. The main lead was too frustrating as a noble girl, and I could not stand it. Luckily, I was able to move past that initial phase (which, now, in retrospect, was absolutely necessary), because the show is indeed AMAZING, and it would have been a shame to miss out on it.

That beginning, I love it now, because I think that, compared with all other historicals, it best portrays the relationship a "good" noble woman would have with slaves. JYM's character, as a noble, was not a "bad" person. She was not really selfish or conceited and did not enjoy mistreating people of lower status. She had a good relationship with her maid as well. But given her status, she was taking servants for granted, unconsciously making them victims of her frustrations and struggles to honor her family and her rank. That's just to be expected. Really, it's unlikely that nobles would NOT do so. They didn't know the reality of slaves, and had their own concerns to worry about. It broke my heart to see how Moo Myeong was completely dismissing the importance of pride and honor, when for In Yub those were the biggest things in the world. Of course she'd feel infuriated by it. But now that she's a slave, she understands. Pride and honor might be as important as life for nobles, but they are meaningless for slaves. She's in a completely different world.

It's really a great show, thanks for promoting it! Looking forward to the rest! And hoping (please, please, please) for a nice ending :)

On darksmurfsub.com (link is given below). There's only 37 eps fully subbed, but the rest is there with computer generated (I think) subs. Since I know a little of Korean, I was able to watch all episodes till the end, but you can watch till 37 then wait for the final, good subs or get a glimpse of the rest first while waiting :)

I'm so confused about this show. When I started it, it was like love at first sight. So different, with down-to-earth characters, no rich chaebol and a perspective into the world of petty crime. The music was also mesmerizing. But I feel like halfway through it lost some of its charm. I can't pinpoint what it is. Urgh. Anyway, two more episodes to go! : )