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Keep watching, you'll get the answer.

The shifting to their bare face without mask is the way of the director to show us, the audience, about their inner self, what they are feeling when meeting one another that are practically hidden under the masks.

This internal states are made known to us the audience to enrich the narration. I think, it serves similarlt like inner monologue which is more cognitive (what they are thinking).

Drama is limited medium for storytelling. You can't have romance all the time, or politics and family intrigue all the time.

The director is great at arranging how the plot should progress. We have the first 25% episodes are for background and foundation, 25% episodes for warming up the relationship, romance, and marriage, 25% episodes for final arc preparation and the villains are not hidden anymore, and the last 25% for finishing the story, the safe landing, and a happy ending.

If you watch this only for romance and lovey dovey couples, you will disappoint. In this drama, love is not the main purpose, but the source of support and strength to face the challenge together and to live well together after trauma and heartbreak as a cohesive family.

I agree with you. I miss the time when every day we wait each episode to air, wondering what will happen. When the expectation is minimum, the surprise is so satisfying and it makes us more appreciative to the story.

No secondary couple, I think. But several minor couples and their own sad/ happy stories around the ML and FL.

And basically, we don't only recognize the bad from the good from their faces, but also behaviors. If you pay more attention to the behaviors of characters, you know who is bad, who is good, who is hasitate and will change to be good.

And the poison is not filler. Since episode 1, we know about the poison.

It is not “I’m not going to be with you because you’re going to get hurt, so I’m not gonna tell you anyway” drama. Are you sure you watch this carefully?

And in the very end, being loved! Do you finish it till the end?

No breakups and divorces in Blossom.

This drama isn't about revenge. It is about living well after trauma.

He doesn't remember his past, but he remembers his dream with FL.

I am on my way to rewatch. Episode 2 is so important, setting the theme and purpose of the story. I especially love the metaphor of nine-layered flowers as the embodiment of FL's core traits (humble, kind, independent, resilient, entrepreneurial, and open-minded). I also love listening to her meaningful conversations with her grandma and the unknown, wise old man. She learned that her purpose in life should go beyond revenge and that she must improve herself to change her fate. What a beautiful drama...

If we have three different endings, I would like it to be an alternative story and happy ending for:
- Dou Ming and Wei Ting Yu
- Miao Ansu and whoever the man she would end up with
- Ji Yong and whoever the woman he would end up with

Thanks, Drama God! We got a HE!

The director put a good foreshadow in earlier episode.

Yes, it is also because the Empress is too talented and can be a ruler herself.

Amen

It’s meant to raise the stakes, laying the foundation for a powerful climactic moment in the final phase of the story. The payoff will be great, I believe.

In the first life, SM is joining Prince Qing. In the second life, SM is loyal to the emperor. In the first life, Prince Qing betrays and kills him. In the second life, SM becomes the emperor's trusted weapon to protect the Crown Prince and is highly likely to be killed, too. He is a powerful military general and is fought over by both parties. But whoever he chooses, the end might be bad for him. Fortunately, he has DZ, who loves him and will help him navigate the dire situation. That is the point of this drama.