Jungshooky

The Love You Give Me and Falling Into Your Smile - I've watched both of them multiple times when I just need something light and fluffy to watch :)

Several episodes left to go, but I already know this is going to join my short list of "comfort" c-dramas that get rewatches when I need something feel good, ya know?

lol late to the party, but this was also my first c-drama. I watched it so long ago that it was on dramafever (RIP) XD

She plays the FL in The Princess Wei Young, which was one of my very first C-dramas and I loved her in it. It might be a bit dated now (almost 10 years old wow) but I thought it was very good and highly recommend if you have the time (it's pretty long). She's also married to the ML in real life (Luo Jin) so they have great chemistry together

Marriages between cousins were quite the norm in many societies, especially for royalty/nobility. Marriage between full-blooded siblings was also a thing in some cultures like ancient Egypt. You know, gotta keep the blue blood as blue and pure as possible ^^'

EDIT: Also I just remembered that the emperor and princess royal aren't 'biological siblings" - which I'm assuming means they had different mothers but the same father (previous emperor), so they're not full-blood siblings

At the very beginning when she's first introduced, I was hoping for a character growth thing where she ultimately becomes a better person despite her evil hag of a mother . . . but no, she was always just a psycho with a touch more delulu

But I agree, the actress is super cute and nailed her part, but I hope to see her in a more likable role in the future XD

I think at least half of those 10 years of her previous life were spent separated from Yu Qi and in Nanwu though - it would take years to gain the level of knowledge and confidence in that knowledge of poisons, medicine, and even the incense stuff that Jiang Si has. So even though she met Yu Qi earlier in her second life, I don't think it was by much. Maybe a couple years, which the dog could easily be grown at both time points. Dogs also usually live past 10 years (except some giant breeds like Great Danes), so it's not impossible for the dog to be grown at both time points even if it were around 10 years later (which is unknown since it wasn't shown during the opening scene where Jiang Si dies in the OG timeline).

But also as the post above says, C-drama timelines (especially in these rebirth plots) are always a bit . . . wibbly wobbly timey wimey if you get what I mean lol

I legit didn't even realize Quiznos still existed . . . I haven't seen one in YEARS (in the US) so it was a pleasant surprise XD

I've seen it on US iQiyi, so it's available there with English subs

A little late - but I just finished episode 9 and f**k that grandma, man. She's reached C U Next Tuesday level for me, which I rarely say about other women, real or fictional. If they give her a redemption storyline that's gonna knock a couple points off my rating, as it's completely undeserved. Some people are just unforgivable

Well, based on your response, you obviously need some education on "home grown psychology" as you are completely ignorant or just incapable of empathy it seems. How about this? The next time you meet an abuse victim in real life, tell them to their face how idiotic they were to stay with their abuser for as long as they did. See how well that works out for you

She just got out of a long term and honestly quite abusive relationship. It was also her first serious romantic relationship. Girl's got A LOT of trauma to deal with - which you'll see play out in future episodes.

Her ex may not have physically harmed her, but he was emotionally and psychologically abusive toward her. We barely saw their interactions in the first few episodes but the amount of gas lighting that pathetic excuse for a man put XiFan through in only a few minutes of screen time was horrendous. Imagine dealing with that for YEARS? Having every feeling, concern, and request you have spit back in your face as you being selfish, too demanding, not considerate enough for HIS feelings. He gets to ditch her to study abroad, but when she wants to do the same - he calls her selfish. He acts like spending time with her is a chore rather than a pleasure. She gets a text message from work and he goes off on her for "not focusing on them" and then f*cks off to answer a work call in the middle of dinner like 5 minutes later. He says multiple times that "Gosh no one else but me will ever put up with you, you're such a horrible girlfriend." This bottom dweller then has the AUDACITY to end a 7-year-long relationship with a text message, followed by a disappearing act that would put even Houdini to shame.

Like for real, give the girl a break for not wanting to dive headfirst into another relationship after THAT being her only reference point. Trauma responses aren't logical, aren't rational, and she lashed out to protect herself. She's hurt terribly, and even though HSY is an all around green flag, she wasn't ready for another relationship at that point. So yeah, she has feelings for him but that doesn't obligate her to him in any way. And what makes HSY such a great guy is that even though he's sad about it and doesn't understand her entire POV, he still backs off, he gets it, he listens to her, and gives her what she needs (space, time, support when requested) and not what he wants her to need from him.

Sorry not sorry about going off a bit- but she has completely valid reasons for acting the way she does. She's a victim here. Keep watching, and hopefully by the time you watch the episodes I just binged, you'll also look back on that scene and agree with my point here

Court Lady with Xu Kai and Li Yitong also showed a lot of domestic violence, SA, and abusive power dynamics. I think a lot of historical dramas gloss over just how brutal women were treated in the past, which in some respects I get (a lot of people watch fictional dramas to escape reality), but I also see the benefit in some dramas showing it explicitly so that we don't forget the struggles of women throughout history

I haven't noticed anything, but I'm watching on iQiyi so maybe it's a Viki thing? I'll keep an eye out though . . .

EDIT: So okay, I checked Viki and it's definitely there. It looks like a gummy bear? It's not on iQiyi's video - at least not during the opening credits

I think March would be way too soon since it hasn't even passed review yet (as far as I've heard). Even if it does pass really soon, airing within a month of passing doesn't seem very typical. As for Netflix, I'd love to see that too - this is from the same director as The Double so I can see Netflix potentially trying to snap this drama up too

He definitely got a good dose of that post-military glow up for sure!

Do you need to watch Hidden Love before watching this? I'm just curious

I’d say pretty low focus for both seasons, but there was a little more of it in S1, I think mostly because they were developing the relationships between characters. Both CPs essentially start as crushes, but mutual feelings are very much acknowledged , there’s just not a lot of fanfare or grand gestures like you’d expect from a romance drama. It’s much more understated in S2 in my opinion, probably because feelings are already established and romance is not a main focus for the characters given the events that unfold

Hopefully this makes sense?

Only the first 20 minutes of episodes 1 and 2 are available for free in my region right now - they probably won't make full episodes free until after the series has completely aired.

I may finally break and pay for a Youku subscription just to watch this sooner rather than wait for all episodes to be available for free 👀