Thank you! And the people comparing other red flag MLs (SOKP, etc.) like its not the same at all! Realism here…
Many of the arguments made in defense of this drama are done in bad faith. No one is upset about “red flag” MLs because dramas with those type of morally grey or dark anti-hero leads (like SOKP or Goodbye My Princess or Lost You Forever) contextualize the problematic behavior as problematic. Here, that’s not happening at all and it’s normalized to such an extent that the drama is tacitly endorsing it. Pretending viewers can’t tell the difference is ridiculous.
Perfect Match isn’t being accused of being misogynistic because it portrays period-appropriate sexism in a historical setting, it’s being accused of misogyny because the storytelling itself is misogynistic. Dramas aren’t created in a vacuum, they’re crafted by people. The men who made this drama crafted a “female-centric” story through a misogynistic lens. It’s not about one particular character or one specific line of dialogue, it’s about how conflicts are contextualized more broadly or the way characters recognize their own suffering and the harm they’ve inflicted on others.
Please stop comparing this drama to Pride and Prejudice because the similarities are shallow at best. Jane Austen’s writing actively worked against the idea that wives were rehabilitation centers for their underdeveloped, irresponsible, or downright cruel husbands. So far, this drama endorses this concept fully! The storytelling goes even further, framing women’s pain as a transformative vehicle for men’s eventual enlightenment. Chai An - who I would argue is the real protagonist here - can only acknowledge his bullying when Kang Ning is in real pain and even then the drama quickly downplays the harm he’s caused, either hurriedly moving on to the next misunderstanding (which is HER fault, of course!) or burying it beneath a soaring soundtrack meant to suggest romanticism. He isn’t expected to apologize, nor does he learn from his mistakes. The storytelling is illogically sympathetic to him, no matter the hurt he causes and he’s never held accountable. You have entirely misread Pride and Prejudice if you see similarities between its treatment of Darcy and Perfect Match’s treatment of Chai An.
I want to marry Episode 15. Nothing particularly dramatic or revolutionary happens, these two are just out there, being themselves and being in love! The direct communication? The conflict resolution?? Their undisguised affection??? I melted.
This “female-centric” drama about women was directed, produced, and written by men…and it shows! Are we supposed to see men bullying women or grown ass men acting like children as funny or romantic? Do the men who made this drama think this is what women are like when they’re alone together? So far, these female characters are presented as one-dimensional stereotypes and the male characters’ behavior is downright gross. It’s so disappointing. How could Mango think it was a good idea to air this back to back with Flourished Peony?
obsessed obsessed obsessed obsessed OBSESSED with Fuling 😭 she's lowky the best antagonist in history of xianxias…
Agreed, this drama hasn't clicked for me but I'm so, SO invested in Fu Ling's story. I hope she doesn't die too soon and I'd LOVE to see her in a FL role!
I plan to watch all three, but if you had to recommend one to start with, which would you choose? I’m drawn…
Flourished Peony fills these boxes, although it’s best to go in knowing it is a slow burn romance which develops thoughtfully or…more organically? Like, it feels like real life where you gradually learn more and more about a person you’re curious about, rather than a falling-into-your-arms love at first/second sight situation.
I haven't seen any of Guardians of the Dafeng, but Flourished Peony is excellent so far! I'm happy it's so popular!! I've been staying up to date with Moonlight Mystique too, although I definitely prefer The Blossoming Love.
Hi can someone explain the last scene when he was reading the book,I got lost a little
I'm not sure if the novel readers have a better interpretation but I'll tell you what I thought happened:
He finally gets to the Divine Realm, it's empty and he's disappointed, but at the last moment, he sees the Book of Fate (or whatever it's called). When he turns the pages, he sees events that confirm his reality: he's an evil cultivator who needs to change his appearance every 100 years. He then believes the Book is true.
The pages flip again, and it details how the Emperor's intentions and subsequent siege on the Divine Realm mirrors the stories told about it: the Emperor was the villain. Since he'd witnessed the events first hand 10,000 years ago, he hadn't believed this version of the story and had purposefully tried to imitate the Emperor's actions ever since. If the Book only holds the absolute truth, then his idealized version of the Emperor is false and his own efforts have been wrong from the get-go.
I felt like exactly like you did! At first, I was just stunned, like are they really doing what I think they’re doing?! Then pure disgust.
Thank you for sharing your reaction with me. 🌸
Please stop comparing this drama to Pride and Prejudice because the similarities are shallow at best. Jane Austen’s writing actively worked against the idea that wives were rehabilitation centers for their underdeveloped, irresponsible, or downright cruel husbands. So far, this drama endorses this concept fully! The storytelling goes even further, framing women’s pain as a transformative vehicle for men’s eventual enlightenment. Chai An - who I would argue is the real protagonist here - can only acknowledge his bullying when Kang Ning is in real pain and even then the drama quickly downplays the harm he’s caused, either hurriedly moving on to the next misunderstanding (which is HER fault, of course!) or burying it beneath a soaring soundtrack meant to suggest romanticism. He isn’t expected to apologize, nor does he learn from his mistakes. The storytelling is illogically sympathetic to him, no matter the hurt he causes and he’s never held accountable. You have entirely misread Pride and Prejudice if you see similarities between its treatment of Darcy and Perfect Match’s treatment of Chai An.
He finally gets to the Divine Realm, it's empty and he's disappointed, but at the last moment, he sees the Book of Fate (or whatever it's called). When he turns the pages, he sees events that confirm his reality: he's an evil cultivator who needs to change his appearance every 100 years. He then believes the Book is true.
The pages flip again, and it details how the Emperor's intentions and subsequent siege on the Divine Realm mirrors the stories told about it: the Emperor was the villain. Since he'd witnessed the events first hand 10,000 years ago, he hadn't believed this version of the story and had purposefully tried to imitate the Emperor's actions ever since. If the Book only holds the absolute truth, then his idealized version of the Emperor is false and his own efforts have been wrong from the get-go.
Anyway, that's what I got from it! :)