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This review may contain spoilers
Is the "Love" in the room with us?
My review may differ from a lot of ppls' opinions. I saw a lot of ppl complaining about the ML and how evil he was. But, I don't completely see him that way. He's not evil, but he is ambitious, domineering, cunning and ruthless. He's who he needs to be to survive in the environment that he wants to thrive in. Weaker men get taken advantage of when they sit on that throne.
He has the ability to do what needs to be done for what he believes is the great good. I do see that he cares and has compassion, but when it's time for him to be cunning and ruthless, he takes no prisoners.
He also has a skill of manipulating ppl in a way that they do his bidding thinking it was their own idea. Where I think he's been wrong is how he used his concubine. He used her love and devotion as a pawn in his war against his enemies. And how he didn't trust his wife to be smart enough to understand his struggles. But I'm not so sure about that either because of how she was. He might have been right to behave the way he did. I just know that he didn't explain his actions well enough.
As for the SML, he got on my nerves. ML warned SML to leave, gave that man several chances but SML challenged him, ignored all reason and his woman claimed she already hated him... So what did he have to lose? She gonna hate him some more? SML is just as bad at using her and lying to her as the ML. He is selfish and feeling like he deserves her and resentful of his choice to seek revenge when he could have just been with her. He made that choice, but wants to be mad at others who were involved.
As for the FL, she worked my nerves, too. She is flighty and selfish. I can also see her compassion and shows some maturity later. However, her being angry at the ML for doing what he did for his country didn't make me side with her. Her grandfather may have been the hero to his ppl, but to those he terrorized when he raped, pillaged and enslaved them, he was no hero. And she never looked at it from the victims POV because she never cared. She lived for what made her happy. What she wanted and didn't care who suffered as a result of her actions. Every time she snuck out to have fun, she never cared who would be punished. Every time she ran away, she didn't care how many soldiers died to bring her back or keep her safe.
She didn't take things seriously and that is why, when the situation got real, she couldn't handle it. She never wanted to work for anything. Never wanted to sacrifice her desires for the needs of others, which is why she was always running away from the very moment she heard she was getting married, she didn't want to pay her dues as princess. She just wanted to continue to live that pampered life.
I also honestly feel like this could have been 20 eps shorter. Most of the time spent was watching the FL sneak out to have fun, get drunk, start trouble, have someone save her from the trouble she got herself into by being a good Samaritan. Her arguing with the ML, being obsessed love stalked by SML, and slow moving intrigue. Rinse and repeat.
FL does grow up and her reactions to the ML are just based on how he treated her. Even though he had his reasons, I felt like he should have given her the benefit of the doubt and trusted her to understand and work with him. She might have surprised him. It would have gone a long way in mending their relationship. He made some foolish moves.
As for this whole amnesia plotline .. it had worn out it's welcome with me by 30 eps in. I was ready for them both to regain their memory and keep it moving with however the plot would unfold.
The real villain is why the ML has to be who he is and why. By the end, I just wanted him to let her go on about her business and marry a woman who can handle that life. The whole series is her trying to run away from him and her fateful duty as a princess. There was love for about 5 mins, not nearly enough to call this a love story.
He has the ability to do what needs to be done for what he believes is the great good. I do see that he cares and has compassion, but when it's time for him to be cunning and ruthless, he takes no prisoners.
He also has a skill of manipulating ppl in a way that they do his bidding thinking it was their own idea. Where I think he's been wrong is how he used his concubine. He used her love and devotion as a pawn in his war against his enemies. And how he didn't trust his wife to be smart enough to understand his struggles. But I'm not so sure about that either because of how she was. He might have been right to behave the way he did. I just know that he didn't explain his actions well enough.
As for the SML, he got on my nerves. ML warned SML to leave, gave that man several chances but SML challenged him, ignored all reason and his woman claimed she already hated him... So what did he have to lose? She gonna hate him some more? SML is just as bad at using her and lying to her as the ML. He is selfish and feeling like he deserves her and resentful of his choice to seek revenge when he could have just been with her. He made that choice, but wants to be mad at others who were involved.
As for the FL, she worked my nerves, too. She is flighty and selfish. I can also see her compassion and shows some maturity later. However, her being angry at the ML for doing what he did for his country didn't make me side with her. Her grandfather may have been the hero to his ppl, but to those he terrorized when he raped, pillaged and enslaved them, he was no hero. And she never looked at it from the victims POV because she never cared. She lived for what made her happy. What she wanted and didn't care who suffered as a result of her actions. Every time she snuck out to have fun, she never cared who would be punished. Every time she ran away, she didn't care how many soldiers died to bring her back or keep her safe.
She didn't take things seriously and that is why, when the situation got real, she couldn't handle it. She never wanted to work for anything. Never wanted to sacrifice her desires for the needs of others, which is why she was always running away from the very moment she heard she was getting married, she didn't want to pay her dues as princess. She just wanted to continue to live that pampered life.
I also honestly feel like this could have been 20 eps shorter. Most of the time spent was watching the FL sneak out to have fun, get drunk, start trouble, have someone save her from the trouble she got herself into by being a good Samaritan. Her arguing with the ML, being obsessed love stalked by SML, and slow moving intrigue. Rinse and repeat.
FL does grow up and her reactions to the ML are just based on how he treated her. Even though he had his reasons, I felt like he should have given her the benefit of the doubt and trusted her to understand and work with him. She might have surprised him. It would have gone a long way in mending their relationship. He made some foolish moves.
As for this whole amnesia plotline .. it had worn out it's welcome with me by 30 eps in. I was ready for them both to regain their memory and keep it moving with however the plot would unfold.
The real villain is why the ML has to be who he is and why. By the end, I just wanted him to let her go on about her business and marry a woman who can handle that life. The whole series is her trying to run away from him and her fateful duty as a princess. There was love for about 5 mins, not nearly enough to call this a love story.
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