PeachBlossomGoddess

I could say the same about you. But I don't have an issue with the fact that it is different from what I saw, it not my place to tell you what you see is somehow right or wrong. Its just your perspective or interpretation, which I find interesting but it doesn't change mine. And I am sure there will be many people who have different impressions from both of us or agree or disagree to varying degrees.

Hopefully it does not come across like that because that would make her quite stupid and be inconsistent with her unending faith that Bo wang and Lang Zai are one and the same. I don't allow the director or anyone else to tell me what I should see, I just call it as it is coming across. The actors (especially good ones) interpretation also matters. I find directors often fail to convey what they think they did but I don't go back and read their comments until I am done to avoid my impressions being influenced by what I read.

This Yao Ji really gives Maleficent vibes.

I know she misunderstands him frequently but I just don't read it that way. She at a minimum questions what she sees and hears.

Ah, I guess that is a bit disappointing. I was hoping he would be better written than that.

Maybe not specifically but his eyes keep belying his words. And she can tell he means something else. There is a communication going on on a different level.

...have a motive or endgame or is he just a sadistic and paranoid sociopath?

Does this emperor

Happy.

She marries HD in the end and he was the love of her life but she got along quite well with the emperor as well. If you are looking for a romance however, you will be disappointed, this is not really a love story. It is a historical/political drama.

Regardless, the second lead is often a much more interesting role. I wouldn't say that is the case here because the lead/titular character is a rather dark and unusually interesting one. I am not a particular fan of either actor, I think all three main roles are well acted in their own way.

She knows that he is lying - watch their eyes. The acting by the OTP is very good because they both say one thing and their eyes say something else. This happens throughout.

Yeah he has amazing screen presence.

Yes of course. If I watch it till the end, I will review it.

OMG it is one of the best things about this drama - they didn't paint every dude pasty white...

Royal Nirvana was indeed depressing but after watching it in its entirety, I better understand it and funnily don't find it as dark. I loved your short review on it btw. While it is emotionally one of the heaviest dramas I have ever watched, it also has some of the best, most romantic scenes and lines I have ever come across.
The issue that I am struggling with with the Wolf is there are some borderline consent issues with some of the scenes - it may be realistic for those times but I am so not use to watching that kind of stuff that I am not sure if I should be bothered or how much.
I always love chatting with other users and remember and enjoyed our chats on RN. Don't be silent, jump in.

Yeah, I am not gonna go looking for it...

Ah, ok... maybe that is why it was cut. Yeah that kind of stuff is disturbing, actors shouldn't have to do scenes that make them uncomfortable.

Which episode is that in? I may not have seen it yet.

Yeah I am sure the whole Xiao Zhan controversy didn't help either but from what I have seen of the actual content so far, I think there were definitely some legitimate reasons to review it carefully as well. I am actually surprised some of the scenes made it out. No wonder they dropped it all at once - best not to risk it getting pulled mid-way.