UnaSpenser

Do they need to stay true to history? It’s fiction. And it’s not China.

That said, with the idea that CheolJung is having a dream about what is happening now being offered up in episode 16, I felt they weren’t going to give us the “happy ending” of them staying together in this timeline. If it’s all a dying dream, then even if it ends well, it disappears when he dies. But, how that would blend with fact that Bong Hwan is in a coma and having this experience is confusing. Maybe, even the contemporary story is a dream? The dying king wouldn’t know anything about future Joseon/Republic of Korea, though, so how is this info in his dream?

The only possible happy ending is that Bong Hwan’s contemporary body is dying without its soul. The original So Jung has already died. The scene where she sinks in the water while he’s watching implies that her suicide was successful. So, in the death throes of his male body, he gets to make a choice. Return and save that body, or leave and let the queen die.

The audience has no vested interest in the contemporary Bing Hwan character, unless there is going to be a sequel about him and his life after having experienced life as a woman. So, there isn’t anything emotionally compelling about having him go back. Other than stopping him from changing history, what would be the point? And that’s just boring.

But, maybe the writers have some interesting points I haven’t considered.

I find it hit or miss with CDramas. MingLan was one of my favorite female characters of all time. Now, there is the Rebel Princess, with a fantastic female character. And both stories have wonderful male partners with the women. So, urged in a deep pile of patriarchal misogynist portrayals, out come some of the most well-written female characters, who are not warriors. I like my female warriors a lot, but if we want meaningful portrayals of realistic female character types, we need more like Ming Lan.

This has been such a fun ride, so far. Both leads are awesome in their roles.

And episode 14 does something I’ve yet to see done in an Asian drama,

I they’ve gotten around the cultural homophobia by changing his internal dialogue to a feminine voice.

It’s a fascinating choice. If he decides, or is forced, to stay in this timeline, he basically is a trans person.

It was very telling when, in his confused musings about having had sex with the king, there was the line, “did I like it even better?”

As in, maybe he was detached from relationships and overcompensating as a playboy because he is actually more suited to being a woman. None of this has to be intended for it it be a possible interpretation. The story producers can maintain a “heterosexual” story line, while also subtly having the audience accepting a trans person. And/or accepting that it is a gay relationship for him, even though he’s in a female body. Either way, it’s a very clever device for allowing a concept to sneak in while people are not realizing it.

It will be interesting to see where they go with it. Did they cop out and have him return to his original body? Or does he come to terms with being in a female body and come to cherish his relationships in this timeline?

And she lacks the patient planning of a general. I had actually forgotten that she was supposed to have been a general. She has. I military bearing, at all.

I see friendship chemistry not romantic chemistry.

Some of that is the FL character is written as completely one-dimensional. She’s boring as hell. Because she’s written that way, with absolutely no interest or engagement in any but fighting, it’s a testament to WYB’s acting that he can make his character appear interested in her.

I’m really hoping there is no kiss scene. I think it would be really awkward. Unless there are some really big changes in the way they are with each other. For now,t hey feel like siblings who get along well.

His skill is footwork/running. So, that string array was the perfect challenge for him. But, she’s the fighter.

That said, I find her character both willfully stupid and boring. She has zero character development other than being interested in fighting. And,mast you said, she has this snooty facial expression all the time. I can see people maybe admiring her fighting ability, but why else would they want to spend even one minute with her? She’s totally one-dimensional.

I was looking forward to this drama. Now, that it’s here, I’m just not feeling it.

The leads have a somewhat playful energy - mostly carried off by him - but it doesn’t feel romantic. More like brother and sister. Which is fine, if it’s a story about good friends, but it’s not. I can’t imagine how they’re going to turn romantic and have it feel at all authentic.

Mostly, though, I would still watch them. They’re good actors. But, I’m somehow bored. Not getting enough of whatever the main story arc is which should be driving the plot. In episode 21, I find myself trying to remember what the larger plot even is. The screenplay is just not written well.

I’ll probably see it through, but it’s not like I’m sitting with any anticipation from week to week. Seems like such a waste of these actors and the original work.

I found that black dress less than impressive. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it. I just went with the fantasy “the fabric is magic” idea to convince myself that people would be wowed when they saw her.

This is the first drama I can remember, in a long time, where not one single character has any, well, character. There isn't anything intriguing about any of them. They're all pretty one-dimensional.

Also, could these dramas stop with the stupid, overused trope of the characters who hang around pining for someone who doesn't return their feelings. It brings nothing to a story and has been done so many times that there is nothing interesting about it, ever. I skipped all the scenes with the "little sister" and then started skipping the ones with her older sister. Also any scenes where the ML's friend is pining over the elder student and any scenes where she's pining over the Crown Prince. What a waste of time and production resources.

Same thoughts. Things just didn't make sense. You're the most wanted "criminal" being chased by a brutal state and you just go on a date to the city's festival? People seen green stuff on this woman's neck and they aren't alarmed?

And, yes, the most boring lead characters. This is a matter of writing and directing. We have no idea if the actors might have been able to do something interesting. The ML has zero interesting personality traits. He's not funny. He's not particularly clever. He's a totally passive agent in most of the things about his life. (he gained power because it was bestowed upon him and then didn't even pursue finding out about what it meant to have that power.)

The crown prince is an adult, so why wouldn't he be the one in control, if his father got sick?

Why was the woman who, in the beginning, was a kungfu prodigy, suddenly rendered helpless once she moved to the city? Like, when the wolves are after her, she just stands there, when she has pretty powerful kungfu.

Every little thing lacked continuity or common sense. I wanted to like this, but I was both bored and confused.

This was delightful. This and “Ancient Detective” are two big surprises of the year. I hope they each have a second season.

sheer joy

I watched but I guess I had this part backward.

Sometimes, I see these parent/child portrayals in these dramas and think, “that parent doesn’t look nearly old enough to have a child that age.”

This time, it was Su and Consort Shu. Supposedly, she took from his mother, after she had only had daughters. So, she wasn’t his bio mom, but she should have been old enough, because she had given birth to two daughters, already. (Unless I misunderstood the story.) But, she looked close to his age. Indeed, the actress is only 8 years older than the actor. They really couldn’t find an actress who looked the right age? It was distracting. Hello, drama directors, it’s okay for women to look their age! Each age has its own powers and charms and beauty.

Scene stealer, this one. Charismatic in a range of emotions in Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion. He and the actress playing opposite him make the drama worth watching. (It helps that their characters were given superior development than the others. But, that wouldn’t have mattered, if their portrayals weren’t so captivating.)

Brilliant portrayal in Blooms at Ruyi Pavillion. Looking forward to seeing more of her..

I’m glad someone else said it. From the beginning, I didn’t understand An’s deadly animosity toward his nephew. By his own account, his 12 year old nephew accidentally set a fire. Somehow, that means he should have been killed? And that he was part of some heartless conspiracy? It made no sense. If his nephew had been older and if he had the wrong information about what happened, maybe. But, he knows it was an accidental fire. He was upset at what happened to his mom prior, but that had nothing to do with Su. He was upset at her not getting a “proper funeral”, but that also had nothing to do with Su. So, I totally couldn’t understand what the hell his character was supposed to be so murderous toward Su about. And, certainly, he knew Su’s personal history and that he had a very lonely childhood. It was weird. As the driver of the biggest antagonist arc, it fell totally flat.

I will say that the actor did a good job portraying the two-faced nature of the character.

Had similar feelings. I didn’t like the way they wrote the Fu Rong character. She seemed to get more immature and more like the toxic tropes, as things went along. At first, I was enjoying the character, but around episode 19 or 20, it jumped the shark and she became intolerable. It even sounded like her voice got more childish. I skipped her from then on out. Found the second couple far more satisfying to watch.

The second leads really stole the show, here. Both characters are interesting and the development of their relationship is pretty healthy. Wu Bai Qi actor is a scene stealer. Tons of charisma and quality acting in a range of emotions. Hope to see more from him.