Fast paced, well-acted, and realistic characters! What's not to love?
I wasn't sure I would like this drama just because I saw too many reviews saying it's overrated. I'm so, so, so glad I gave it a chance.
What I liked:
1. Romance plot
While I truly love the 'immature' FL trope, it was really enjoyable to watch a couple who was evenly matched. There was no pursuer; they both just fell in love and came to each other mutually. They understood each other really well and were a natural fit. I agree with the people who said they didn't really feel the chemistry between Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan, and I agree, but that's fine with me. They felt more like kindred souls than a 'burning passion' type of couple, and that worked.
Also, we can't talk about the romance plot without talking about the crazy Emperor. Props to that actor because he completely pulled off a redemption arc by the end, and that is hard to do.
2. Morally complex characters
Although some parts of the story had me furious, I appreciate that the writer created villains that felt human. I understood their motivations, even when I didn't agree with them, and it created a really rich world where everyone was just trying to play with the cards they were dealt.
3. Pacing
Speaking of creating a rich world, the pacing played a really big part. At no point ever did I feel like the story dragged. It took a while to catch my attention, probably 4 episodes, but after that I was hooked from start to finish. Complex characters + tight pacing = a 10/10 storyline!!
4. Acting
The cast brought their A game for sure. The Empress of Susha was captivating in all her scenes, perfectly balancing the role of the kind mother and the scheming Empress.
I know a lot of people were frustrated with Feng Xiyang, but the Xia Meng was probably the actor who took me most by surprise (which is a huge compliment cause everyone was great.) She went from naive to calculating, and it never felt fake, not even for a second. Xiyang's scenes with Xia Jinyang were my best part of the second half.
I also saw some complaints about Xia Jingshi, but I liked how Chen He Yi played him. If we didn't have access to his private conversations, we would never know what he was thinking, and we would never know who he actually cared about vs. who he was using. He played his cards super close to his vest, never revealing any emotion except with Yixiao. I think he was a compelling villain.
I'll be honest, the weakest actor for me was Chen Zhe Yuan, and I say this as a huge fan of his previous work. Some people loved his choices, I didn't. I struggled to feel his connection in scenes with Li Qin or Xia Meng. For me, his strongest work was with the soldiers or in fight scenes, but anything that required emotional depth didn't quite land. I also wasn't a fan of the heavy airbrushed look particularly on him. None of this was bad enough to make me not enjoy the show, but with everything else being damn near perfect, this stood out as a weak point and is the only reason for the 8 in my review.
5. OST
Amazing!!!!! No other words. Will be listening to it for a long time.
What I liked:
1. Romance plot
While I truly love the 'immature' FL trope, it was really enjoyable to watch a couple who was evenly matched. There was no pursuer; they both just fell in love and came to each other mutually. They understood each other really well and were a natural fit. I agree with the people who said they didn't really feel the chemistry between Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan, and I agree, but that's fine with me. They felt more like kindred souls than a 'burning passion' type of couple, and that worked.
Also, we can't talk about the romance plot without talking about the crazy Emperor. Props to that actor because he completely pulled off a redemption arc by the end, and that is hard to do.
2. Morally complex characters
Although some parts of the story had me furious, I appreciate that the writer created villains that felt human. I understood their motivations, even when I didn't agree with them, and it created a really rich world where everyone was just trying to play with the cards they were dealt.
3. Pacing
Speaking of creating a rich world, the pacing played a really big part. At no point ever did I feel like the story dragged. It took a while to catch my attention, probably 4 episodes, but after that I was hooked from start to finish. Complex characters + tight pacing = a 10/10 storyline!!
4. Acting
The cast brought their A game for sure. The Empress of Susha was captivating in all her scenes, perfectly balancing the role of the kind mother and the scheming Empress.
I know a lot of people were frustrated with Feng Xiyang, but the Xia Meng was probably the actor who took me most by surprise (which is a huge compliment cause everyone was great.) She went from naive to calculating, and it never felt fake, not even for a second. Xiyang's scenes with Xia Jinyang were my best part of the second half.
I also saw some complaints about Xia Jingshi, but I liked how Chen He Yi played him. If we didn't have access to his private conversations, we would never know what he was thinking, and we would never know who he actually cared about vs. who he was using. He played his cards super close to his vest, never revealing any emotion except with Yixiao. I think he was a compelling villain.
I'll be honest, the weakest actor for me was Chen Zhe Yuan, and I say this as a huge fan of his previous work. Some people loved his choices, I didn't. I struggled to feel his connection in scenes with Li Qin or Xia Meng. For me, his strongest work was with the soldiers or in fight scenes, but anything that required emotional depth didn't quite land. I also wasn't a fan of the heavy airbrushed look particularly on him. None of this was bad enough to make me not enjoy the show, but with everything else being damn near perfect, this stood out as a weak point and is the only reason for the 8 in my review.
5. OST
Amazing!!!!! No other words. Will be listening to it for a long time.
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