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This review may contain spoilers
When Spectacle Wins Over Substance
Palace schemes, revenge, and an overstuffed plot with secondary romance — visually stunning and engaging, but ultimately forgettable.
The drama relies on familiar revenge and palace intrigue tropes, corrupt ministers, betrayals, scheming, with little originality. However, it’s entertaining, very well paced, and beautifully produced, which kept me watching. It’s impressive enough that I actually finished it, which is rare for me lately, as I usually drop dramas very quickly.
The romance follows an allies-to-lovers rather than enemies-to-lovers trajectory, and it feels secondary to the political plot. It develops too quickly without much emotional growth. The story is packed with twists, flashbacks, and some events that are quite illogical. For example, the Prime Minister kills the first Empress in front of the Emperor, who does nothing and still keeps him in power. This becomes one of the central plotlines of the story. Despite many other far-fetched moments and absurdities, the drama remains fast-paced and engaging thanks to its intricate court politics, strong performances from the leads, and the constant layering of plots that keeps you hooked. Even though more absurd plotlines were added, the production quality made me smile at the sheer ridiculousness while still being thoroughly entertained. There are dramas that are well-produced and commercial, and others that carry deeper meaning and leave lasting impressions — what I call “inspirational” dramas. This one firmly belongs to the first category.
The direction is excellent — with three major directors involved, it’s no surprise the production is top-notch.
The characters are mostly grey rather than strictly good or evil; almost everyone has a reason for revenge, which adds layers to the intrigue. However, the endless piling on of absurd plotlines eventually becomes overwhelming, like a good recipe spoiled by too many ingredients; I would have preferred a more restrained approach.
Li Qin carries the series with an exceptional performance, while Chen Zheyuan is strong but his youthful aura alongside Li Qin’s maturity creates a slightly “boy–MILF” dynamic that’s oddly sensual.
The children and some supporting actors deliver weaker performances, and the heavy use of face-smoothing filters, along with an occasionally overbearing piano soundtrack, can be distracting.
Visually stunning and tightly directed, the drama is addictive despite being formulaic, but ultimately forgettable once completed. Its strength lies in its commercial appeal and entertainment value rather than meaningful depth.
The drama relies on familiar revenge and palace intrigue tropes, corrupt ministers, betrayals, scheming, with little originality. However, it’s entertaining, very well paced, and beautifully produced, which kept me watching. It’s impressive enough that I actually finished it, which is rare for me lately, as I usually drop dramas very quickly.
The romance follows an allies-to-lovers rather than enemies-to-lovers trajectory, and it feels secondary to the political plot. It develops too quickly without much emotional growth. The story is packed with twists, flashbacks, and some events that are quite illogical. For example, the Prime Minister kills the first Empress in front of the Emperor, who does nothing and still keeps him in power. This becomes one of the central plotlines of the story. Despite many other far-fetched moments and absurdities, the drama remains fast-paced and engaging thanks to its intricate court politics, strong performances from the leads, and the constant layering of plots that keeps you hooked. Even though more absurd plotlines were added, the production quality made me smile at the sheer ridiculousness while still being thoroughly entertained. There are dramas that are well-produced and commercial, and others that carry deeper meaning and leave lasting impressions — what I call “inspirational” dramas. This one firmly belongs to the first category.
The direction is excellent — with three major directors involved, it’s no surprise the production is top-notch.
The characters are mostly grey rather than strictly good or evil; almost everyone has a reason for revenge, which adds layers to the intrigue. However, the endless piling on of absurd plotlines eventually becomes overwhelming, like a good recipe spoiled by too many ingredients; I would have preferred a more restrained approach.
Li Qin carries the series with an exceptional performance, while Chen Zheyuan is strong but his youthful aura alongside Li Qin’s maturity creates a slightly “boy–MILF” dynamic that’s oddly sensual.
The children and some supporting actors deliver weaker performances, and the heavy use of face-smoothing filters, along with an occasionally overbearing piano soundtrack, can be distracting.
Visually stunning and tightly directed, the drama is addictive despite being formulaic, but ultimately forgettable once completed. Its strength lies in its commercial appeal and entertainment value rather than meaningful depth.
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