Ranico

He is not the director in this drama. He was just helping design the production but not directing.

It is mango rule during the weekend.

The ML’s presence is still strong, CZY portrays the young emperor quite well. What I really like about him is his posture. Even when he wears simple, ordinary clothes when he goes outside the palace, he still carries himself with a certain majesty, like someone who was born into the royal family. I also like that his character isn’t dumb or overly submissive toward the FL.

There’s a reason why Chinese dramas these days have such repetitive plots. In recent years, the strong female lead trope has become very popular with Chinese audiences, it has been used over and over again. Now, audiences are starting to get tired of it because so many dramas feel repetitive and they’re looking for something fresher and different.

But don’t be discouraged by this. Overall, the drama is still very enjoyable, and I really like the sense of humor in it. As I said, it’s definitely worth watching!

In the original novel, the FL is actually quite head over heels for the ML and deeply devoted to him and why wouldn’t she be? He was the one who saved her before they even properly met. After she finally met him and got to know him, she realized that he truly was the good man she had imagined him to be.
That’s why she willingly dedicates herself to helping him overcome all the obstacles in his path. The ML genuinely wants to become a good emperor, govern the country well, bring peace and stability to his people, and get rid of corrupt officials. She understands his ambitions and chooses to stand by his side and help him achieve them.

But I feel like the drama adaptation is trying too hard to make the FL appear overly independent so that the story can be presented as a “strong female lead” drama. Because of that, they’ve toned down how deeply devoted she is to the ML and instead made her act much colder toward him. To me, that changes an important part of their relationship from the novel and makes their romance feel less appealing.

In the novel, their relationship also has a much more exciting and natural progression. The FL is already deeply attracted to and devoted to him, while the ML gradually becomes more and more curious about her. He starts paying attention to her, wondering about her, and eventually falls for her. There’s a strong sense of attraction between them, and whenever they get close, it becomes difficult for either of them to resist their feelings. Their relationship has this exciting tension and mutual pull that makes their romance so enjoyable to read.

I really wish the drama had kept more of that dynamic. It would have been nice to see their attraction and feelings develop more naturally instead of making the FL seem so cold and determined to keep her distance from him. For me, that change takes away some of the charm and excitement that made their relationship in the novel so appealing.

Even with all the media coverage, you can still fail to recognize some well-known celebrities when you meet them in person.

This drama ranks first in satellite TV ratings but some charts don’t consider satellite TV ratings as part of the merit.

I agree with this. He’s the emperor at such a young age and he knows that the chancellor holds the real power. He can’t do anything too obvious in front of them but he carefully calculates everything behind the scenes and tries to build up his own allies.

Who trapped CZY in this drama production? He's a wonderful actor and portrayed the young emperor very well, but his screen time is surprisingly limited compared to some of the supporting characters.
The production seems to focus on presenting the female lead as a clever and empowered woman, but the execution doesn't quite live up to the concept. I also don't know why WJY's eyes seem rather emotionless in this drama. She gave a much stronger performance in The Double, so this felt a bit disappointing.

Another issue is the male lead's limited screen time. Since this is a romance drama, the lack of interaction between the male and female leads makes their relationship feel underdeveloped and less convincing. It almost feels as if the production team prioritized showcasing WJY's acting while overlooking the male lead's role. If that's the case, I think it was a mistake.

The drama also changes an important part of the original novel. In the novel, the female lead falls for the male lead first, which makes their romance more natural. FL is also much more adorable in the novel. She's portrayed as a smart young woman in love, she wants to be close to him, but she also respects him as the emperor.

I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think casting WJY as such a young heroine in an idol costume drama was the best choice. At times, her expressions, especially her eyes, feel a bit lifeless. Don't get me wrong she's an excellent actress. I just think her strengths shine more in mature dramas, where she can fully showcase her acting skills, rather than in idol-style costume dramas.

Overall, the drama is still enjoyable and worth watching.