Ok. In this genre it was better than the cult favourite 'business proposal' ...
Best dialogue:There is a guy and 99 percent of his traits are great,but if you see one bad trait in him, you'll grow to dislike him no matter how good he is to you.
But if 99 percent of another guy's traits are terrible but you notice that one percent of goodness in him that's what you end up falling for... That's that man's charm ✨✨✨
Plot:
A classic contract relationship setup—but with a twist of realism, slice-of-life comedy, and heart-fluttering romance. What sets it apart? The story doesn’t end when the contract magically turns into love. Instead, it bravely explores the emotional mess after the contract ends—a rare and refreshing take. The pacing is smooth, with twists that surprise without feeling forced. Sure, there were minor hiccups (like FL not recognizing ML’s grandpa on a magazine cover after spending a day with him—really, girl?), but nothing major enough to ruin the ride.
Characters:
Lee Jae-in is everything—a sweet, slightly annoying, deliciously possessive ML. His kisses? Whew, I had to pause and breathe. What I adored most was his steady devotion to his career; he didn’t turn into a lovesick puppy the moment love knocked—rare and sexy. Ha Seok-jin absolutely nailed the role!
Kim Da-hyun (Dada) is grace wrapped in empathy. She’s soft, but no pushover. I loved how she stood firm post-contract, demanding sincerity over comfort. Queen behavior. She never made herself a burden despite loving him deeply. Respect.
Their chemistry? Sizzling, yet comforting—like a slow-burning candle on a rainy night. Special shout-out to the FL’s bestie: savage, loyal, and the hype girl every introvert deserves.
BGM: all tracks were Dreamy, romantic, and totally in sync with the drama’s soul.
Verdict: a total Rewatch-worthy!
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Demon of boredom and cliches
A great cast but can't justify the shortcomings of the story, which is boring and moves too slowly.Despite being a fantasy-based show, the instances of magic and fantasy elements are surprisingly minimal, which is disappointing for a show about demon as ML.
The lack of imagination in the storyline makes it hard to fully engage with the world the characters inhabit.
The framework of the plot bears a striking resemblance to numerous other K-dramas, such as My Roommate is a Gumiho, Tale of the Nine-Tailed, and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. The repetitive theme of a supernatural partner losing something crucial to their existence within a human counterpart feels uninspired and overused.
Additionally, the suspense throughout the series feels baseless, lacking the depth of conspiracy needed to keep viewers guessing. By the sixth episode, it becomes all too clear who the real villain is, making the story predictable and less engaging.
The chemistry between the leads is nice, but they sometimes seem awkward together. Their acting is good, though. But the lackluster plot and predictable twists ultimately prevent it from reaching its full potential as a captivating fantasy drama.
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Expected so much more from the Dai Gao x Hu Yi Yao duo… sigh.??
The storyline? Let’s just say it dragged slower than a Windows XP update on a Monday morning. The whole forbidden love between step-siblings trope might have its niche audience, but personally, it didn’t tickle my fancy. And don't even get me started on the background conspiracy—it had less depth than a kiddie pool. Instead of an intricate web of suspense and clever scheming, we got the chaotic antics of one audacious man who simply decided to be evil because... well, he could.
Honestly, when your villain doesn’t even try to cover his crimes—leaving behind ring-shaped bruises like calling cards—what’s the point of all the evidence hunting? Might as well hand him a neon sign that says “Yes, I did it. Catch me if you can.”
Now to the cast—the real saving grace. I’d been eagerly waiting to see Dai Gao paired with Hu Yi Yao (also with Wen Mo Ran and Hong Xiao). but the storyline didn’t give this couple room to shine. Dai Gao has that "burning with love and intensity" vibe, and Hu Yi Yao has nailed the seductive, mysterious roles in dramas like Bound by Sin and Secrets of SS. But here? They watered her down into a shy and mellow character, which just didn’t click—especially not next to Dai Gao’s smoldering presence.
This pair could've been sizzling, but the script gave them lukewarm leftovers. Let’s hope someone writes a better drama for them soon because I know they could set the screen on fire with the right material.
Now, the antihero... where do I even begin? This guy was hellbent on ruining the ML’s life for a crime the poor guy didn’t even commit. Like, what kind of unhinged energy is that? It’s giving “I need therapy but I chose violence instead.”
Overall, the story lacked structure, the events were poorly stitched together, and the writing didn’t do justice to the talented cast. If you're planning to watch this—brace yourself for disappointment, and maybe keep a second screen nearby so you don't doze off completely.
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This review may contain spoilers
Undercover Hottie in the Classroom ~ OBSESSED ALREADY ❤️❤️
The drama is packed with action, suspense, comedy, and just the right dose of thrill. I had high expectations, but the introduction alone is living better than rent-free in my head! Sure ! I can bet on this one. Brilliant writing , i must say that. 👍Let’s talk about Seo Kang Joon—this man is a walking piece of art. An absolute Beauty. I could literally watch him just exist on screen for hours, and the shirtless scene? Holy Christ, my soul left my body! And him as a schoolboy? Unreal levels of stunning.
Jin Ki Joo plays the homeroom teacher, and while I haven’t seen much of her work, she’s holding her ground well here. And things will get more interesting once she joins the investigation (looking forward)
Then there’s Kim Shin Rok, who is great, but that wig? It deserves its own horror genre.
Chemistry between leads looked kinda playful which is obviously the best thing, there is a strong spark between them which is spiced up by their bickering dynamics🫰🫰🫰
The side cast is equally promising from bully boys' group to the Diva student council prez, everyone is just perfect in their roles (i am particularly interested in the kim min ju's character).
Overall, I totally hyped up for this one ❤️
( hope they finish it within this season other wise it will be a joy killer)
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My Soul is sold to Yu Ning and the humour in this drama ❤️?
We’ve already seen this premise 999 times : leads/lead actor enters a game/movie/book/bore life ➡️ lives as someone else,➡️ knows all the plot twists but still doesn’t use common sense, ➡️ tries to escape fate… ➡️blah blah, ➡️rinse and repeat. It’s basically the starter pack for half the dramas on the internet. 😏BUT… when people still vouch for a story like this? That’s when you know it’s not the concept—it’s the execution that's creating the magic 🪄 ✨
The writing — This is probably the best I’ve seen in a while. Classic setup with hints of humour and refreshing layers thanks to the dual identities ML is living . And comedy ??oh boy From the first episode, I was ROFL-ing—like genuinely laughing out loud when FL died in all those ridiculous ways. It was insane 😂😂😂, The comedy writing is elite. It was chaotic, unhinged, and absolutely hilarious.No boring second, pinky promise..🤙
Characters? A riot. :
🔸 Female Lead:
Smart, sassy, sarcastic~ 🤫 good but ...
So far 3/4 of series have finished yet I don't see much of her significance in the story.. she is messing around using her wits as an overthinker but not helping at all. I wish they had given more modern touch to her planning and problem solving.
🔸 Male Lead:
living two lives/dual existence, On one hand, we have the dark, abandoned prince 🖤— cold, broody, misunderstood. On the other hand , he’s a sunshine-y martial arts hero that makes you want to hand over your heart on a silver platter ❤️. He’s the reason I’m glued to the screen💕💕.
Rest of the characters:~
🔸 FL’s Dad: Hilarious. Absolute scene-stealer
🔸 ML’s Father: Needs a timeout and maybe a parenting podcast.😒
🔸 Side characters (FL’s maids & ML’s team): Funny, fresh, and definitely not filler. Everyone adds flavour.Lovable chaos. Support squad goals.🤘
Cast:
✨ Li Yitong — I’ve had mixed feelings about her script selection , but FINALLY, a role that does justice to her talent. She’s funny, fierce, and flawless in this one ... completely in her element.
✨ YuNing 🫶🫰— My forever crush 🥹😘 Sir ! how dare you be this talented? Acting ✔️ Singing ✔️ Dancing ✔️ basically making all of us question our life choices. He can make you cry, he can make you laugh, he can make the Butterfly in your stomach perform waltz within the same episode ✔️✔️✔️ 💚🩵💘💋
And their chemistry is outstanding.. 🫰✨🪄
✨ Riley: As always, glowing with that positive charm. He’s the sparkle every show needs.
Everyone else? Spot on. Zero weak links. It’s giving cast goals.✨✨
Production & Visuals:
Set Design:
Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe it. The dripping details.....the aesthetic especially The Waning Crescent River Palace? Please — take me there lock me and lose me forever. I'm begging. 🤭
Styling & Makeup:
The red robes? Instantly reminded me of Zhou Lusi’s iconic looks in Love Like the Galaxy. The accessories, the textures, the makeup — it’s visually stunning. On point ..slayed !! 😍😍
BGM & Title Tracks:
10/10.
All songs especially the Waning Crescent River theme rap/song simply brilliant, Every song compliments the scene so perfectly it’s like music and emotion in sync. 🤩🤩😘
RECOMMENDED.
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A poetic love between two people caught in reverse loop of time
What a beautiful story. It’s rare to see a time-travel drama where the male lead goes back and forth in time—most of the time it’s the female lead doing that. Only a couple like Mr. Queen and Rooftop Prince come to mind, so this one felt really refreshing.The plot moved quickly and stayed focused, with events arranged in reverse timeline, each connected smoothly. It gave off a vibe similar to Unspeakable Longing, which I really liked.
And the ending… god, I cried so much. That moment where he’s trying to read “I missed you” from the broken strings of her instrument just broke me. Then he meets her younger self, and she calls him “uncle” while plucking his grey hair—I was laughing and crying at the same time.
The cast was solid, the background music fit perfectly. Overall, it’s a touching, well-told story that really stays with you
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Plot could've been more impressive and volatile
A seasoned "husband cheating and wife–mistress body swap" revenge plot. It was okay-ish, but The pushover FL trope in these revenge-rebirth dramas is beyond tired now.In this one, the FL swaps bodies with the mistress. She was a loser in her own body, then somehow became an even bigger one in a younger, hotter, more influential body. Like, girl—you hit the jackpot and still fumbled the bag. Meanwhile, the mistress? Already a manipulator, and in FL’s body, she slayed hard. Even with a downgrade in looks, her confidence, charm, and seductress energy didn’t miss a beat.
Then randomly, there's a side arc with FL and ML working in a manga office, trying to justify the clichés. Newsflash: if the plot sucks, no meta commentary’s gonna save it. Pretty wrapping can’t fix lazy writing. I still gave it a 7 overall cause cast did okay on their part.
Let's give the credit where it is due. 👍
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Nothing but this
Super entertaining plot with a super obvious start—twin sister taking her twin’s place, but no 🤫! Not for marriage,just to fulfill her professional obligations. As usual, it's the dumb one stepping into the smart one's shoes, so nothing new there.
The romance dynamics were similar to dramas like Time to Fall in Love or Fatal Allure, where the real love interest of the ML is the twin who switches places with her sister (so it's never like the ML was actually in love with another woman previously 👉👈). In this case too, he’s loved her ever since a brief encounter during childhood (of course!! The childhood cliché is a must in Asian dramas).
And despite all his dramatic tendencies, he never tries to meet her normally afterward. I mean, he rents the apartment opposite hers just to see her water plants but never actually approaches her like a sane person (maybe because “normal” isn’t dramatic enough, and an Asian drama ML’s life must be soaked in tragedy and unrequited love 😑).
Anyway, fate (aka the drama writer) steps in with a plot twist—an accident involving the twin sister, which allows the switched-out girl to step in and care for our poor, tragic ML. Romance blooms. (She falls for him very easily—like, all that effort to rent an apartment to see her from afar, and he could’ve just said “hi”?? Sigh 😮💨😮💨)
After some typical trials, they get their happily ever after.
(Have I used too many clichés...?
Oh come on!! It happens in every single C-drama 😏)
Talking about the cast— outstanding.
Luo Zheng, our “walked-straight-out-of-a-manhwa” ML, was amazing as always.
But for me, Rain Wang—the FL—stole the show. She’s absolutely gorgeous and her acting is just chef’s kiss.
She played the twin sisters so perfectly. From smiling, laughing, crying, kissing—down to her voice modulation—it really felt like she’d split into two completely different people 🤯.
Some “mediocre IQ Oscar Wildes” are criticizing her acting in the review section, but she had to act like that to showcase the contrast between the naive, sunny sister and the smart, rational one.
I was honestly blown away by how convincingly she played a lover (as the elder sister) and a dynamic bestie (as the younger sister) to the same man. The character differentiation? So clean. Amazing!! 🫶
The SFL (the secretary) was cute and did a great job in her role too.
Music? There was some, but nothing Grammy-worthy... I can’t even remember the track—just forgettable.
FL’s wardrobe? Chic. Very inspiring for modern office-going women.
Overall: a good watch.
Might rewatch someday.
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Unnecessarily complex but still have decent amount of takeaways.
Okay!! This was one of those stories that leaves me confused about whether it belongs in the category of a good or bad drama. Some parts felt extremely well done, while others felt too out of place. So here I am, holding a neutral stance. 🫡Cast:
Zhang Linghe: Initially, I felt he was miscast. No matter what anyone says, ZLH naturally gives off serious and responsible vibes—especially when he's in ancient costumes. In the beginning, his character was a bit frivolous and nonchalant, which didn’t sit right at first. But gradually, the character developed in a way that grew on him, and by the end, it felt like a good fit.😌😌
Esther Yu: For the first time in my C-drama journey, I discovered that Esther Yu can actually act. 😧😧Honestly, I had zero expectations when it came to her acting, but she surprised me this time. Not saying it was an Oscar-worthy performance, but compared to her previous works, it was 1000x better.🙂🙃
Ryan Cheng: He was decent, though I’ve seen him do better in other dramas. Maybe the role didn’t offer him much variation—he mostly had to maintain a poker face throughout.😶
Lu Yuxiao: One of my favorites! She did a fantastic job portraying her grey character. Her performance was layered and impressive. 🫰🫰😘
Fight Scenes:
Fast moves, clean execution, and relatively less overuse of Mystical special effects. Quite refreshing.🤫🤫
Plot:
A bit slow-paced, but still watchable. I just wish there were more fighting sequences and less time wasted on the poison arc. 😮💨😮💨
Lighting Crisis:
Most of the drama is shot in low-light or night scenes—God knows why. Maybe it was done to make things look more mysterious, but at times it was hard on the eyes.😵😵
Second Female Lead:
She stuck to her mission till the end 💯—something rarely shown. Usually, writers (read: misogynistic jackasses) love to push the narrative that women are too emotional and can't be trusted with responsibility. BORING🫤🫤 But here, even after sleeping with the parallel male lead, she stayed focused. Her character was beautifully complex—I watched the entire show and I still couldn’t figure her out fully.
Justice Delivered:
The resolution of the main conflict was satisfying, with sacrifices that felt genuine. The climax lived up to my expectations.👍👍
Villain Appearance:
The main villains—the 4 masters of Wufeng and the "big brother"—were introduced abruptly and eliminated within an episode or two. After all the build-up, their screen time and impact felt underwhelming and flat.
Main Ending Crisis:
I hate open endings in C-dramas, especially since they rarely get a second season. In this one, where none of the main couples end up together, the open ending felt like a real injustice.😭😭😭😭
Is it worth your time?
Yeah, definitely. You might feel a little bored at times, but you’ll also keep looking forward to the next episode.❤️
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Bound by my Guilty pleasure
The plot doesn’t have much to offer. It primarily revolves around a wealthy family's internal struggles, their conflicts with other influential families in the city, and their efforts to survive during wartime. The real highlight of the drama is the female lead's (FL) temperament and the dynamics of her relationship with the male lead (ML).Her disposition has its own fifty shades of complexity—domineering in her relationships, straightforward in her approach, and daring enough to embrace her untamed desires. She boldly defies gender roles and possesses an impressive level of self-awareness; she doesn’t feel the need to worship a man simply because she is a woman. Instead, she treats unworthy men like pets, and ML is no exception—she plays with him like a Ken doll. What makes her truly fascinating, however, is her ability to shift seamlessly from being the ultimate seductress to an intensely focused workaholic, drawing a clear line between her two personas.
Meanwhile, ML’s character adds even more depth to her personality. A woman who sees men as insignificant, easily manipulated by power and wealth, finally meets someone who refuses to submit to her whims. Quite the challenge. The sheer desire to possess and control him becomes the driving force behind their relationship. It’s captivating to watch how their connection, initially forced, gradually evolves—first into jealousy, then possessiveness, and ultimately, true love.
The costume and styling are particularly impressive, with FL’s outfits and accessories being nothing short of breathtaking.
The background music is fairly good, and multiple songs are used effectively as part of the soundtrack.
To sum it up, this was a well-executed drama and is definitely worth a watch.
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One word - "brilliant"
What a drama series ...!!! what a drama series...!! Seriously this was a masterpiece.Story based on two individuals FL whose parents murdered by drug lords and ML who vowed to find all the drug mafias and kill them. First I will tell what all was good in this drama.
1) very logical story line : this story was straight and real-like .. I mean there were no stupid misunderstandings and nonsenses that are added as filler to expand and spice up the plot ..the way events took place in the drama is pretty much similar to how anyone would see them in real world.
2) strong characters with meaningful purpose(especially female): all the female characters were strong starting from FL she is calm , rational, intelligent, kind , smart , one-woman army /, goal oriented, she is only FL I have seen who stayed focused on her target until she achieved it ..otherwise in other drama FL become useless as soon as ML starts working with them..but she was so deep in her revenge plan that it took ML a great deal to convince her to let him help her with her plans.the character of aunt and xiao xiao were also impressive and inspiring. The character of ML is written beautiful ..the man is kind , straight forward, upright with his principles , loyal , romantic , soft hearted ( the way he cries 💔) and hard core patriotic. A hero basically.
3) cast: yyx (FL) is gorgeous her Profile pic is not doing any justice to her beauty. Plus she the grace of her character so effortlessly .. chef's kiss. Then we have our drop jaw handsome ML .. one thing that's impressive about this actors it is very hard to recognise him in different drama playing different roles . ( Like you it's very hard to tell willy wonka and jack sparrow are same person) This is taken as a good trait in actors.
The chemistry between the two - pure gold ...there was no intimacy up until the very last episode yet the pinky promise gesture gave that 'till death do us apart vibe from the very beginning " they are best duo ,keep each other's back and trust each other to core ... Both of them were helping each without asking a single question to each other. ( Lovely)
4) background music is amazing ... There is a new song in every 2 -3 episode my personal fav was carol like song ( ep 20 around @ 09:20- 09:50)
5) dark aesthetics of the set and costume designing.
Only thing that felt little off were too many slow motion scenes ... Almost 70 percent of show is in slow motion.dont know why
In the end the drama was worth its time ..I will recommend to give a try ...it's on YouTube )
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Don't fall in love when you're 7
Alright, let’s get real—how many of us actually remember the random kids we met when we were 6 or 7? Exactly, no one. But here we have our FL, carrying a lifelong torch for some mystery boy who handed her a candied fruit/ berry and played superhero against bullies. Girl, please. That’s not love—that’s just a core memory glitch.And, of course, because the universe loves irony, she doesn’t even remember what her so-called "true love" looks like. So who does she end up giving her heart (and more importantly, her money) to? Some opportunistic con artist who saw an easy target and went full scammer mode. I mean, sis is basically funding his lifestyle while thinking she’s in a fairytale. HELP.
Now, I started watching this for Wang Zu Yi (because priorities), and yes, he delivered. The ML and FL are both easy on the eyes, and they can act. Their chemistry? Ehh… let’s just say I’ve seen more sparks from my phone charger.
The plot? It’s not terrible, but the way it unfolds? Painfully dumb. If you like frustration and secondhand embarrassment, this is your show. Otherwise, abort mission.
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Freaking Ice queen and her Plastic tears
honestly, this show left me wondering why it has so much hype in the first place.it delivered nothing of the sort. The entire plot was surrounded by a failed attempt to capture the boring family dynamics and romance which is entangled in melodrama and cliches. The fancy lead couple felt more awkward than emotionally connected. till episode 12 i actually felt no couple(married) vibes through them.. after that it was all wrapped around the tragic memory loss plot that gave that barely there true love feel to it.Rn i am so bored to even write this review so you can fathom the dept of my disappointment in this show .. anyways..
the narrative is so overwhelmed by unnecessary melodrama, meanwhile the scenes where rather strong emotions were needed, the reactions felt flat and dull. the pace of the plot was snail sped too much content and time was wasted on things which were adding no concrete substance to the story ..for example ML's father's scenes about his election campaign were extremely stupid and forced funny.
Not only this but There were literally way too many characters and side stories, making the whole thing feel messy and hard to follow. Hong Hae In (played by Kim Ji Won) finds herself caught in a whirlwind of health problems and family betrayals, which should be touching, but instead, it’s a mess of unneeded drama. first she wanted surgery to escape death then she started overreacting as soon as she heard of the potential memory loss after treatment which was so unrealistic .. i mean come on .. anyone will prioritize life over memory cause if you live you can rebuilt those memories ..but if you die memories die with you .. her character remains so damn irritating till the last min ..like she literally gives no straight answer to any question/statement no matter how serious the matter or feelings are involved she always answers in an 'as if i care' roundabout manner ... i felt even more bad for kim soo hyun , his character was so weak and unlikeable in the first half of the show and the second half was so packed with melodrama that there wasnt much for him to do other than using tear drops. his character kind of lost its spirit in all the chaos and mess. Well ..to be honest this screenwriting did no justice to his talent as an outstanding actor.
Background music was possibly the best thing ... Secondly the wordrobe ..may be not the best but still good ( IMO judge from hell has best wordrobe and styling so far)
in the end i am still not convinced by the level of marketing they did to promote this show .. or may be they knew the show is lacking at good writing so atleast lets promote it good.
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Abuse and intimacy generated from it, ruined the story’s real emotion from the start.
They started as enemies—she tried to kill him, but after an accident she lost her memory, he brought her home. Instead of a fresh start, he used it to his advantage, manipulating, degrading, and emotionally torturing her even more. What’s baffling is that despite all the abuse and cruelty, she ends up falling for him. That’s exactly where the story lost all its grip on reality for me. It felt forced, fake, and painfully hollow. What was more outlandish is the same thing happens twice.Later, the plot tries to mend their relationship through dramatic twists and emotional trials, but honestly, such moments demand powerful acting and subtle expressions—something these leads seriously lack. There’s a scene where she stabs herself with a hairpin, meant to be intense, but the execution is laughable. No emotional depth, no voice modulation, no convincing body language—just loud shouting, as if volume equals impact. It was ridiculous and painfully third-rate.
Chemistry is okay but mostly around intimate scenes for normal dialogue exchange was flat. The way they look at each other doesn't feel like love at all. especially ML,he just can't hold his expressions, though he improved a lot in his recent dramas (i.e. 2025 when I'm watching this one)
Biggest plot hole : writers creativity is centralized around the villain who apparently has access to any place in the world. swear to god I would not be surprised if they have shown him sneaking into the white House. I mean he comes and goes out of the ML house like a breeze of air, entering anytime doing his job, killing , sending letters , giving wrong msgs,even entering his bedroom, you name it.
Every time FL gets hurt
.it's on her head ..and every time she gets hurt it's something bizarre to do with her memory.she loses her memory twice third blow to her mind brings all back .
Basically both writing and acting were a big disappointments about this show
BGM is nice I will give it that there is nothing else worth discussing
Ending is strange but well how else can you terminate a plot like this if not into killing everyone ... I can't complain, it was much expected.
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A bit too much politics and a bit too less passion.
Started off with a bang—pace, laughs, emotional beats, and a generous dash of every genre . Each element was served with flair and honesty. In previous life , our leads' married life was destroyed by politics and misunderstandings so to face that trouble , the plot got hijacked by politics somewhere around ep 12 . And not fun politics like Game of Thrones-style politics—just straight-up bureaucratic overload, 'typical'. Now, I don’t mind politics in a story, but when it starts choking out the plot’s charm? Yeah, no thanks.I genuinely felt there wasn't enough character development around the main leads’ personal arc. Like— to resolve the misunderstandings that growing on you for twenty years, it must have taken a lot more than just jumping out of her carriage and running in opposite direction ( who watched the show will know what I am talking about ). The Real emotional payoff was lacking a big time and suddenly we see them making out in the pool. The whole love trajectory felt about as convincing as my cat saying she wasn't sheepishly trying to throw the glass off the table ( as I am writing this review). Honestly I would have preferred them writing a new love story, knowing each other from the start and giving proper closure to the hanging loops from their previous lives.
The parallel leads? Practically ghosted. Their entire storylines were shoved into the last two episodes like leftovers on a Sunday plate—rushed, half-cooked, and barely satisfying.
But credit where it’s due— the feminist undertones in this drama deserve applause. The contrast between the caged empress and the fiercely independent princess-turned-ruler was chef’s kiss. And the side female characters? One's a badass general, the other’s a resilient, whip-smart aide. All three women nailed the art of keeping their professional lives separate from the chaos of love triangles, family mess, societal nonsense, and emotionally unavailable men. KUDOS TO THE WRITER for giving us some actual role models in historical robes.
Now… that villain.
Don’t get me started. The dude causes multiple rebellions, sets the kingdom on fire (almost literally), and our leads still go, “It’s not too late to come back”. EXCUSE ME? What’s next—send him a muffin basket and a “get well soon” card? They gave this two-cent villain a fancy, poetic exit like he was some misunderstood anti-hero. Nope. Not buying it. Over-generosity? Or stupidity pro max? You decide.
As for the cast—ZLH? Absolute perfection. The role fit him like a glove dipped in charisma. Maimai? Stunning. She pulled off her 39-year-old character arc with grace and depth. Chemistry? Check. Sparks? Mostly. Side cast? Passable. They showed up, they acted, they left.
BGM? Meh. The soundtrack felt weirdly modern for an ancient setting—like someone accidentally played their Spotify playlist in the background. Fight scenes were few, but tolerable. The real tragedy? The dialogue in the final episodes. Monologues for days. It felt less like a dramatic showdown and more like two emotionally constipated characters (FL & VILLAIN BOY) hosting a midnight podcast.I mean every time the FL and villain come across, there are long segments of monologues from both sides, she talked to him like the entire last night .. then next morning he comes to rebel in the palace and bam another coffee session between them .. 2 hour later ML defeats him in a sword fight .. guess what ??? The same conversation again..huh!
Special shoutout to the inventor of the skip button—you’re the real MVP.
Overall?
It was… okay. Could’ve used more fluff in those dry case files and way more depth in the love story. Oh—and did they ever tell us if the main couple had a kid? i remember she was announced pregnant before the three year leap ..did it missed something?
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