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4
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So exhausting
Watching 38 episodes felt like I am serving a full prison sentence for a crime I didn’t commit. This drama literally had so much potential in the beginning.... I mean the start was promising, the ending was rushed but still satisfactory.... But somewhere in the middle, the storytelling got trapped in a loop of clichés, dragging scenes, and the same tricks being repeated again and again like a pendulum of a wall clock.
Some events were so illogical that my brain simply gave up trying to make sense of them. For example, how can a complete stranger (the Empress’s right-hand man from an enemy state), walk in and casually convince a general, two princes, and even the king of another state? In normal life, we don’t trust strangers with our OTPs, and here the Royals are taking life decisions based on one random man’s speech.. Remarkable.
And the overuse of this man with his dark magic needles slowly drained the joy out of the story for me. Every time he appeared, it felt less like tension and more like déjà vu in period costume.
For the first 28 episodes, the story mostly revolves around the protagonists' meeting, flirting, bonding, and falling in love. Which is fine… but 28 episodes of feeding soup and medicinal concoctions to each other... ahh!!!!
The lead characters also felt surprisingly weak and uninspiring. I understand that some people enjoy stories where heroes remain blindly loyal to the king and die as martyrs for the state. But personally, I prefer protagonists who are smart, practical, and a little rebellious. The kind who can outthink problems, not just sacrifice themselves dramatically.
Here, the FL especially lacked that sharpness. She is shown as brave, yet her decisions often felt like courage without strategy. Watching someone use a bow and arrow in close combat and still rise to the rank of general was… well, an experience ... A very confusing one. Kudos to the writer for achieving the impossible: turning battlefield logic into modern art. 😒😒
And then we have the male lead, blessed with supernatural powers strong enough to defeat an army of ten thousand soldiers… He can stop arrows mid-air, send enemies flying, bend the laws of physics, but apparently couldn't do anything about FL's situation of being threatened with her family members' lives and honour.
Honestly speaking, it was Cheng Lei who kept me going till the end. Else I would have respectfully exited this drama around episode 12 with my dignity intact and snacks still in hand.
Second good thing about this drama was it's music l, way better than my expectations.
Do I recommend this drama?
Well, if you enjoy very sweet romance with not much else happening around it, then yes, this could be a good pick. But if you like your story to feel like a full meal with side dishes, spices, and a bit of crunch, then I would suggest watching the first 8 to 10 episodes and deciding for yourself before committing to the entire buffet.
Some events were so illogical that my brain simply gave up trying to make sense of them. For example, how can a complete stranger (the Empress’s right-hand man from an enemy state), walk in and casually convince a general, two princes, and even the king of another state? In normal life, we don’t trust strangers with our OTPs, and here the Royals are taking life decisions based on one random man’s speech.. Remarkable.
And the overuse of this man with his dark magic needles slowly drained the joy out of the story for me. Every time he appeared, it felt less like tension and more like déjà vu in period costume.
For the first 28 episodes, the story mostly revolves around the protagonists' meeting, flirting, bonding, and falling in love. Which is fine… but 28 episodes of feeding soup and medicinal concoctions to each other... ahh!!!!
The lead characters also felt surprisingly weak and uninspiring. I understand that some people enjoy stories where heroes remain blindly loyal to the king and die as martyrs for the state. But personally, I prefer protagonists who are smart, practical, and a little rebellious. The kind who can outthink problems, not just sacrifice themselves dramatically.
Here, the FL especially lacked that sharpness. She is shown as brave, yet her decisions often felt like courage without strategy. Watching someone use a bow and arrow in close combat and still rise to the rank of general was… well, an experience ... A very confusing one. Kudos to the writer for achieving the impossible: turning battlefield logic into modern art. 😒😒
And then we have the male lead, blessed with supernatural powers strong enough to defeat an army of ten thousand soldiers… He can stop arrows mid-air, send enemies flying, bend the laws of physics, but apparently couldn't do anything about FL's situation of being threatened with her family members' lives and honour.
Honestly speaking, it was Cheng Lei who kept me going till the end. Else I would have respectfully exited this drama around episode 12 with my dignity intact and snacks still in hand.
Second good thing about this drama was it's music l, way better than my expectations.
Do I recommend this drama?
Well, if you enjoy very sweet romance with not much else happening around it, then yes, this could be a good pick. But if you like your story to feel like a full meal with side dishes, spices, and a bit of crunch, then I would suggest watching the first 8 to 10 episodes and deciding for yourself before committing to the entire buffet.
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