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Wealth is too much but love is never enough
A mini series that rivals many high ranking full series with its simple and yet endearing and at times powerful portrayal of reversing fate and overcoming trauma. This mini has some of the most cinematically stunning shots I have seen on screen, a somewhat repetitive but beautiful soundtrack, and a few of my new all time favorite dialogue exchanges. For its short run time and relatively basic plot this show packs a punch and deserves high praise.
Ning Chu Xi is a college student that is pulled into a novel she has read and becomes the side character that is destined to die at the hands of her husband. In order to avoid this fate she immediately leaves the capital and flees her future husband to instead spend her days in comfort and wealth staying uninvolved with palace conflicts and power struggles. News of the Emperor choosing brides for the Princes reaches her and she determines to return to the capital to avoid being forced to marry the Third Prince and following the original plot. Ning Chu Xi ends up capturing the attention of the Crown Prince Xiao Xing Heng and they start down a path of friendship and love that changes the story revealing revelations about the original story that Chu Xi did not know.
Does this drama have plot holes? Yes, it absolutely does which become more apparent in the last stretch. However, this show ends up giving one of the healthiest relationships between two emotionally mature individuals that actually communicate and that is so incredibly refreshing to see. Chu Xi and Xing Heng have chemistry in spades and their ability to use words and actions to convey their emotions makes them one of my all time favorite couples in Cdrama-land. This relationship is what carries this drama as the romance is organic and endearing making it impossible for you as the viewer to not root for them.
My two favorite interactions:
"Do I have many flaws?"
"As many as the stars in the sky"
"What about my strengths?"
"As few as the sun"
"Then why do you like me?"
"Because when the sun rises, all the stars grow dim"
And
"I love you without any reason and without any conditions."
The team also did an excellent job choreographing and shooting action scenes in ways that are beautiful and believable without actually having a large cast or technically perfect martial arts. By using simple props like leaves or water and the ability to choose camera angles wisely the director is able to create visually impressive scenes that have a big impact.
I am not personally a fan of the styling and makeup for this drama, specifically for the women. Leaning more into a fantasy style this drama has elaborate hair accessories, flowing gowns, and heavy makeup. I assume they chose this style to portray the fantasy element of being inside a novel but the setting and story line lends itself more as a historical about romance and palace power struggles. The men tend to have much better styling that is attractive but the over the top hair dressings and makeup on the women were distracting for me.
There is also no real follow through with Chu Xi's transmigration. The original plot of the novel is eluded to fairly often but how and why Chu Xi came to that world is never addressed. Even with its flaws I would still highly recommend this drama. With a short watch time and phenomenal elements you won't regret having seen it.
Ning Chu Xi is a college student that is pulled into a novel she has read and becomes the side character that is destined to die at the hands of her husband. In order to avoid this fate she immediately leaves the capital and flees her future husband to instead spend her days in comfort and wealth staying uninvolved with palace conflicts and power struggles. News of the Emperor choosing brides for the Princes reaches her and she determines to return to the capital to avoid being forced to marry the Third Prince and following the original plot. Ning Chu Xi ends up capturing the attention of the Crown Prince Xiao Xing Heng and they start down a path of friendship and love that changes the story revealing revelations about the original story that Chu Xi did not know.
Does this drama have plot holes? Yes, it absolutely does which become more apparent in the last stretch. However, this show ends up giving one of the healthiest relationships between two emotionally mature individuals that actually communicate and that is so incredibly refreshing to see. Chu Xi and Xing Heng have chemistry in spades and their ability to use words and actions to convey their emotions makes them one of my all time favorite couples in Cdrama-land. This relationship is what carries this drama as the romance is organic and endearing making it impossible for you as the viewer to not root for them.
My two favorite interactions:
"Do I have many flaws?"
"As many as the stars in the sky"
"What about my strengths?"
"As few as the sun"
"Then why do you like me?"
"Because when the sun rises, all the stars grow dim"
And
"I love you without any reason and without any conditions."
The team also did an excellent job choreographing and shooting action scenes in ways that are beautiful and believable without actually having a large cast or technically perfect martial arts. By using simple props like leaves or water and the ability to choose camera angles wisely the director is able to create visually impressive scenes that have a big impact.
I am not personally a fan of the styling and makeup for this drama, specifically for the women. Leaning more into a fantasy style this drama has elaborate hair accessories, flowing gowns, and heavy makeup. I assume they chose this style to portray the fantasy element of being inside a novel but the setting and story line lends itself more as a historical about romance and palace power struggles. The men tend to have much better styling that is attractive but the over the top hair dressings and makeup on the women were distracting for me.
There is also no real follow through with Chu Xi's transmigration. The original plot of the novel is eluded to fairly often but how and why Chu Xi came to that world is never addressed. Even with its flaws I would still highly recommend this drama. With a short watch time and phenomenal elements you won't regret having seen it.
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