Enemies to lovers finally done right
Rarely comment on dramas but after some serious ongoing withdrawal symptoms, I had to express how much I enjoyed this drama.
Definitely not a 'light rom com watch'. This was an intense, emotional roller-coaster with enemies to lovers done right. The political intrigue fits well into the plot without being overdone and needing to be fast forwarded (like most cdramas). The chemistry and the intensity between the leads and the fun banter between the second leads stole the show. The side characters all had some roles to play with their own quirks and personalities.
I am a sucker for happy endings so for the ML to gradually fall in love with the FL was a delight to watch. He has been through horrible trauma and lost loved ones due to broken promises by the FL's clan.
However, after they are married, he never mistreats her due to her family. He's closed off, cold and very suspicious of the FL which is of course, natural but he also appreciates and admires her (secretly and then openly later).
The FL is also no pushover, she fights and stands up for herself diplomatically. Her strength is in the steadfastness of her character, akin to flowing water eroding rocks over time. She has trust issues in the beginning too and tries to protect her clan from a waging war by the ML. This is a very reasonable reaction given how the ML first treated her and makes a promise to destroy her people. She later regrets her decision and reforms her thinking but I think this just humanises her character.
What made this drama different from other enemies to lovers is that you see the trauma, the hatred, the vengeance for revenge and gradually breaking down of walls, trust developing, the endless yearning for something forbidden and the care and attention they both show to each other in little gestures that they do later transforming to love. Drama aside, you want a partner in life, who just gets you without you having to spell everything out. You can share your deepest and darkest past and trauma and they will listen and never use that against you (confidant for life). They will help you heal and move past it. In the end, this is what happened to the ML. He was so helpless in front of the FL's care and love for everyone including him that he had no space for hatred and revenge in his heart. This doesn't mean he easily accepts her and let's her in, but rather he is too helpless to resist her. I loved, in particular, that despite what her grandfather did, he also accepted her family, visited her clan and people and wanted to understand why she was the way she was. To me, that was true selfless love.
If you've read this far, kudos to you. I just needed to get this off my chest so I can move past this drama without comparing all other dramas to this (as that would be unfair). This drama will take some time to leave my system and I can't say I hate that.
Definitely not a 'light rom com watch'. This was an intense, emotional roller-coaster with enemies to lovers done right. The political intrigue fits well into the plot without being overdone and needing to be fast forwarded (like most cdramas). The chemistry and the intensity between the leads and the fun banter between the second leads stole the show. The side characters all had some roles to play with their own quirks and personalities.
I am a sucker for happy endings so for the ML to gradually fall in love with the FL was a delight to watch. He has been through horrible trauma and lost loved ones due to broken promises by the FL's clan.
However, after they are married, he never mistreats her due to her family. He's closed off, cold and very suspicious of the FL which is of course, natural but he also appreciates and admires her (secretly and then openly later).
The FL is also no pushover, she fights and stands up for herself diplomatically. Her strength is in the steadfastness of her character, akin to flowing water eroding rocks over time. She has trust issues in the beginning too and tries to protect her clan from a waging war by the ML. This is a very reasonable reaction given how the ML first treated her and makes a promise to destroy her people. She later regrets her decision and reforms her thinking but I think this just humanises her character.
What made this drama different from other enemies to lovers is that you see the trauma, the hatred, the vengeance for revenge and gradually breaking down of walls, trust developing, the endless yearning for something forbidden and the care and attention they both show to each other in little gestures that they do later transforming to love. Drama aside, you want a partner in life, who just gets you without you having to spell everything out. You can share your deepest and darkest past and trauma and they will listen and never use that against you (confidant for life). They will help you heal and move past it. In the end, this is what happened to the ML. He was so helpless in front of the FL's care and love for everyone including him that he had no space for hatred and revenge in his heart. This doesn't mean he easily accepts her and let's her in, but rather he is too helpless to resist her. I loved, in particular, that despite what her grandfather did, he also accepted her family, visited her clan and people and wanted to understand why she was the way she was. To me, that was true selfless love.
If you've read this far, kudos to you. I just needed to get this off my chest so I can move past this drama without comparing all other dramas to this (as that would be unfair). This drama will take some time to leave my system and I can't say I hate that.
Was this review helpful to you?
