Sold! You're right about the acting and tender passion- I loved their individual resourceful fighting spirits, dynamic and mutual support. I also liked the buddy and conspiring elders assist: good counter balance to the usual antagonistic female tropes. And omg him trying to make moves in the fluffy oversized jumper was OSSOM! Think that was my fave scene.
This is my third version of the story. FL bit more chilled coquette smugness and less former empress vixen energy. They robbed us of didi fun and no childhood friend, but gave more Prime minister- and a novel way to provoke him. I liked the pile at the end- last woman standing. Still feel like Hong Luan Yin is the best so far, but this one does have satisfying moments of exposing hypocrisy.
The AI subs on IQIYI are quite bad (not Mango bad but still not good) and none of the text is translated either, which, since the ML keeps typing something, feels like a big loss.
Gosh the symbolism behind the pot plants...who would have thought eh?🙈
Me, me , I did, hello fellow plant spotter!!. I thought it from the start and became a herb fixated maniac. I even thought...well I put it in the discussion page.
Edit: Link now deadBound to The Tyrant's Heart on DailyMotion
These Vertical Short Dramas like us to experience the thrill of the chase (and the FOMO) so often hide with different titles, slight edits, swapping platforms etc. @Jwells will often be lower down a page with a list of links under a spoiler tag that do get updated as things shift . Good luck with the hunt!
I thought the same and put it on hold. Shame, such a promising start.
I particularly hate any jealous rival arc when the FL is already reluctant to be part of the ML's scene, like with contract marriage. Whilst she is still unsure it all looks clear. As soon as FL is hooked then the mess ML should have dealt with gets landed on her like a punishment for giving in to feelings.
I still do not understand why they broke upðŸ˜ðŸ˜
It's been a long time since I watched it but, from what I remember, IMHO she didn't like who she was when she was with him, and that was made even clearer to her when his family made her feel so small . After the fireworks between them fizzle out, what was left was not enough for her to trust building a life with- she was experiencing a different kind of loneliness, one that *could* be hidden by the app but she couldn't ignore. It was as if she felt like he wasn't healthy for her even though he wasn't toxic either- she could not grow, she could only shrink. He could never understand that which was only more proof that he could never have fixed it. Romantic love or chemical love as shown by the Love Alarm is not the only love nor something to be enslaved by- she was able to choose what she felt was healthier for her and grow a sincere love over time based on many factors rather than be blinded by an instacrush but left hurting and gaslit because the app showed they were soulmates.
I just reread my first comment and realised it was ambiguous - I am not actually hearing this advert embedded in the music, it's just in my subconscious -and especially with ML eye roll -that it is as if I can hear the voiceover.
It must be because I've watched and read too many enemies to lovers trope but am I the only one getting second…
I didn't get 2nd ML syndrome as such but I did really feel the depth of the r/s between them, the ambiguity of where the lines of it were, and the pain of their fates with each other. I think it was acted and directed so well so that everything has extra poignancy even as it feels inevitable.
I am also partial to the odd enemies-to-lovers trope but I felt like there was something about her vibe with him that could turn brotherly whereas she was never like that with Xing Zhi, who was instead more soulmate coded. I think she really valued their close brothers-in-arms relationship more than their friendship, subordinate/superior or admirer/idol relationships so those other feelings couldn't survive the fact and manner of the loss of brotherhood and he knew this well in advance.
For me this was a love triangle done right - he wasn't only there to make XZ jealous or make SL look desirable and he certainly wasn't there to be a sweet caring substitute babysitting her until the toxic ML grows up. It helped that Fu Rong Jun and others also appreciated him and he still honoured his own heart instead of letting others completely control his fate or allowing unrequited love/rejection turn to hate. I never felt he was right for her because he never believed it- but I felt for him A LOT, it was always kept on this perfect edge for me.
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Hope people can request it here for Viki to pick it up and do a decent job https://support.viki.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034633713-Request-a-TV-Show-or-Movie
Thank you!
I particularly hate any jealous rival arc when the FL is already reluctant to be part of the ML's scene, like with contract marriage. Whilst she is still unsure it all looks clear. As soon as FL is hooked then the mess ML should have dealt with gets landed on her like a punishment for giving in to feelings.
I am also partial to the odd enemies-to-lovers trope but I felt like there was something about her vibe with him that could turn brotherly whereas she was never like that with Xing Zhi, who was instead more soulmate coded. I think she really valued their close brothers-in-arms relationship more than their friendship, subordinate/superior or admirer/idol relationships so those other feelings couldn't survive the fact and manner of the loss of brotherhood and he knew this well in advance.
For me this was a love triangle done right - he wasn't only there to make XZ jealous or make SL look desirable and he certainly wasn't there to be a sweet caring substitute babysitting her until the toxic ML grows up. It helped that Fu Rong Jun and others also appreciated him and he still honoured his own heart instead of letting others completely control his fate or allowing unrequited love/rejection turn to hate. I never felt he was right for her because he never believed it- but I felt for him A LOT, it was always kept on this perfect edge for me.