This may be the most thrilling Cdrama I've ever watched!
The storytelling, the pace, the characters - all brilliant! Song Mo and Dou Zhao are possibly the most engaging pairing I've had a chance to encounter in a drama world. Their chemistry and how they trusted and supported each other was one of the best parts of the whole story. Also, the angst, the love, the thrill, the scheming - all in perfect moderation so you cannot get bored.
While watching the last few episodes, I got positively surprised how many turns of events we faced while watching the drama and how complex the story turned out to be. I'll always remeber how this drama made me feel and I'm sure it'll become a classic.
Let me briefly explain the social structure and basic moral values of ancient Chinese dynasties. This will help provide context for the events happening in this drama.
1. Social Structure / Caste System: The hierarchy generally looked like this:
Royal Family/Imperial Family > Aristocratic/Noble Families (Duke, Marquess, Earl, etc.) > Scholars and Officials (Zhuang Yuan, Jinshi, Juren, etc.) > Commoners/Working Class (farmers, artisans/tradesmen, merchants) > Slaves > Marginalized/Outcasts (entertainers, courtesans, pariahs).
Note: Sometimes, entertainers and courtesans could be considered above slaves. But generally, they're pretty much in the lowest class of the social structure. I have no deep knowledge about this, so feel free to correct me.
2. Children rank in the family. There are Firstborn, Secondborn, Thirdborn, etc. Also, Legitimate born and Concubine born.
Legitimate Firstborn Son (Di Zhangzi): Let's rank it 1 for easier understanding. This son held the most prestigious position in the family. He was expected to carry on the family name (including title) and inherit the family property.
If the father loves him so much or if the mother comes from a prestigious family, the firstborn usually will be named heir not long after he is born. This status is typically confirmed unless the child dies, is incompetent, or is ill.
And when his father dies, he automatically becomes the patriarch of the family (which means that all family members need to listen to his word).
Legitimate Secondborn, we rank it 2 He has no privileges the same as the firstborn. He can only inherit the title of heir if his brother is incompetent, convicted of a crime, or ill (like the case of Gu Ting Ye in The Story of Minglan, he inherits the Marquis title because of his brother's condition).
However, he also can achieve the title of Duke or Marquess or other title on his own merits and with the support of his brother.
Legitimate Thirdborn, etc Basically, they have a lower status compared to first and second-borns.
Concubine's born son (Shu zi) A son born by a concubine only has a chance to inherit the title if no legitimate sons are capable of inheriting it.
Bastard son (Shishengzi) A child born out of wedlock has very low status and is usually excluded from the family tree, inheritance, and rights.
Firstborn daughter (Di zhang nu) If she is biologically born by the legitimate wife and if the family/clan is powerful enough, she usually will be selected as empress or crown princess. If not, then she could be the Wang Fei (princess consort) of some Prince. Other than that, she normally married into a noble family as a WIFE (not concubine). Unless she's from a lower-ranking family (sometimes, in order to climb the ladder, the family will marry her into some noble family as their concubine).
However, if the mother is dead or the parents hate her, this is a different thing.
Legitimate second, third, fourth etc born daughter They practically have the same rights or are slightly lower than firstborns in terms of authority and status.
Concubine born daughter Like the son, her status is much lower compared to the legitimate daughter. And usually have no chance to marry into a royal or powerful/noble family as WIFE (Zheng qi). At most, she can be the concubine (Qie) of the emperor or some prince (not wang fei, aka princess consort, or che fei, aka side consort).
However, if her family is reputable and she has a good attitude, virtuous, etc, she might be able to marry as a WIFE to some noble family too (like Ming Lan in The Story of Ming Lan) or if specifically requested by the previous wife (like Luo Shi Yi Niang in The Sword and Brocade). Again, it all depends on the circumstances.
But typically, they would become the wife of a lower-ranking official or scholar or a concubine in a noble family.
So, after learning about the structures, let's now compare Song Mo and Song Han. Song Mo -> Firstborn of Duke Ying and Jiang family legitimate daughter. His rank is 1. Song Han (previously) -> Secondborn of Duke Ying and Jiang family legitimate daughter. His rank is 2
If something happened to Song Mo, he would be second in line for the succession unless Song Mo has a son.
After the birth secret was revealed: Song Han -> A bastard child of Duke Ying and Li Yao Niang, a former courtesan/entertainer and the daughter of a criminal. His rank -999
His biological mother holds an extremely low status in the social hierarchy, and being born out of wedlock even lowers his status. To learn more about pariah, courtesan, entertainer you can also check A Dream of Splendor.
As a result, he has no chance of inheriting the title or family property. He is also very unlikely to marry a daughter from a noble family. Even a concubine's daughter would refuse to be his wife. His existence is basically just a laughing stock. Even if he one day accumulated merits on his own, his "lowly" background would always hinder him.
But was his situation always this doom? Not entirely. If his father had been powerful enough, had merits, or was an upright person, he could have redeemed his mother and married her as a concubine (though he would still face criticism from all sides). But at least it's pretty doable. In that case, Song Han could be registered in the family tree as a concubine's son. As far as he could go, he might also be recognized as a legitimate son under Mrs. Jiang (if he is able to negotiate with Mrs. Jiang).
So, if you think his hostility toward Song Mo or how he eventually became evil doesn’t make sense, just consider his status. 3. Why do people fight so hard over a mere title? Take another look at the social structure. The more noble you are, the more respect you receive and the easier your life becomes. Basically, status and title are very important. The same goes for officials - the higher your rank, the more power you hold, and the more respect you earn from others.
4. In ancient times, marriages were arranged by the family (typically the father, mother, or family patriarch), unless the individual was granted the privilege to arrange their own marriage by the Emperor or Empress.
5. Filial piety is extremely important due to the influence of Confucian teachings, especially to parents. So why does DZ have to stop SM from killing his father? Because committing patricide (Shi fu) is a grave sin, an unforgivable sin. There's no way this act could ever be justified, no matter what his father did. If his father committed crimes, the proper course of action would be to expose it and bring it to the Emperor, but never to kill him.
Once again, killing a parent violates the rules of filial piety and is basically a death sentence. Even if SM could escape execution, his life would be ruined. The same applies to killing a family member - while not as severe as killing a parent, it would violate the same rules and will be condemned by people.
6. Without the lawful approval of the emperor and the acknowledgment of the ministers, no noble family is allowed to raise their own army. If this were to become known to the public, it would be considered Qi Jun Zhi Zui or a crime of deceiving the emperor and attempting rebellion. Death sentence. Therefore, the existence of the Ding army could never be known by the public.
7. Why did SM have to kill the entire household to protect the baby? Because the baby was the heir to Duke Ding, whose criminal acts were publicly known at the time. If news of SM keeping the baby were to leak, he would be accused of the same crime as Duke Ding, as well as the crime of deceiving the emperor. This would result in the same death sentence, not only for SM but also for all his followers. The Song family would likely face exile, if not execution.
8. Why does the emperor not want to marry the princess to SH, and why does the princess reject him in such a manner? Again, because of his background. By requesting the marriage, SH is already slapping the royal family in the face. And the way the princess rejects him isn't just because she doesn't want to marry him but because she wants to humiliate him publicly in the most degrading way possible.
If this were the previous SH, the legitimate second son of Duke Ying, the emperor might have agreed to the marriage, or the princess wouldn't have rejected him in the same way. In ancient times, the etiquette towards noble families, commoners, and those of lower rank were very different.
I hope this information helps you better enjoy the drama.
Note: Of course, this drama doesn't stick strictly to historical accuracy. For more accurate information about the Ming dynasty, it’s recommended to refer to reputable historical sources.
Dare I say I want a season 2 we can focus on the reign of the king, some side character like Lu Ming, Chen Dia. I know China doesn't do series well but I'm practically begging. The cast was so good the acting was so good did enjoy the script especially some well delivered lines like when Song Mo says f*ck filial piety and loyalty not in those words but he was damn close. Second season. We can add in more pirate too I don't mind.
Couple goals. I cried. Excellent drama. Love it when cdramas recognise that women can be good and intelligent at the same time. Also, I have a thing for noses, LYR's is freaking perfect.
this was great! such a good ending! though, I have a question. Did the empress really went away in the end, like physicaly or did she remove herself out of live? tbh. I thought from ep. 31 that I will be so disappointed in this drama but fortunately everything fell together beautifully. I am glad I did hold on to finish the last 4 episodes today.
- If you don’t like a strong FL, then don’t watch. The FL is capable and can stand alongside the ML. If a strong, independent FL who refuses to be bound by society’s rules triggers or threatens you, it’s best to skip this one.
- If you like Mary Sue characters, then don’t watch. The FL is capable but not flawless- she still has her moments of vulnerability and powerlessness.
- If you’re not into political intrigue, then don’t watch because the main plot revolves around it.
- If you like instant karma and want to see the FL and ML take out villains immediately or always want them to die, then don’t watch. In this drama, the FL and ML's main goal is to bring the villains to justice, expose their crimes, and make sure their wrongdoings are recorded in history. Whether they die or not in the end isn’t very important for them.
- If you prefer harmonious family dynamics, then don’t watch, as it could trigger past traumas for you.
- If you’re looking for an ideal, wise emperor, then don’t watch. The emperor in this drama is portrayed more realistically, just like actual historical Chinese emperors, none of them were perfect.
- If you’re only watching for lovey-dovey moments or hot kissing scenes, this drama might not be for you, as not every episode focuses on romance.
- If you’re a die-hard fan of the novel and can’t handle changes to the storyline, then don’t watch, as there are significant changes.
- If you hate the FL and ML or find them to look ugly, then don't watch.
It's not worth forcing yourself to watch something you're not into just to leave a low rating or trashy comments on this page.
But if none of the above apply to you, then you’ve found a great drama for 2024! This is an A-grade project with an S+ result.
I’ve read in some comments that SM became weaker towards the end and that he let’s his wife calls the shots, here is my opinion on that. SM became more mature. he learned to not let his emotions take the best of him, because when he lead with emotions he was imprisoned. He also learned to fully love and trust his wife. She helped him from going off the rails, he trusts that she will always be by his side. The way these two individuals transitioned from single life to married life is realistic. I’m a married woman and I can say marriage life really changes people. Most importantly, when you find the right partner, they are your reinforcement.
Replying toaishavon•Dec 25, 2024•Liked Dec 26, 2024
I miss the first batch of people who were watching this show. These later batches some of them just keep ranting…
Yes. 1st batch, we were all engaged in the whole drama: 2nd chance for Dou Zhao, case investigation, romance, quest for justice, political fight, story telling, visual, acting, chemistry etc.
Later batches arrive after all the hype so they may have expectations in regards with their own taste so they can't fully appreciate Blossom as we did.
I gotta say, it's so refreshing seeing a ML having a mother figure in his life. In every drama I've watched in the past couple of years, ML's mother either dies when he's very young or his mother hates him/is scheming and evil. I love how Song Mo can talk about his girl problems to his mum and she can give him good advice lol
I loved that DZ had all the qualities to protect herself and be equal or even better then SM at things, but also…
Agreed. I love how they balance her independent nature with romance. She's not independent for independent sake, or being stubborn for stubborn sake. She's only independent because there's no one she can rely on. But when she deem someone worthy of her love, she shower him with affection, care and understanding. She accept him not because of love, but also respect. She KNOW she is capable but she appreciate his care nonetheless, and actually treat her partner like an equal and not demanding that HE have to follow her. It's very wholesome and that's why I like her character. She's a feminine girls' girl, and girls boss all in one. Have strong principles, but respect others have theirs as well. Not my way or the high way, or I'm smarter than everyone's attitude. She's strong and soft when she needs to, protect and let other protect her when she needs to. I really love her flexibility and sensibilities. I also read somewhere that the writer/producers of this drama don't want to have Dou Zhao focused on revenge. Her return was simply to live a good life. And she indeed LIVE a good life. Balance is key.
just finished this, glad it wrapped up well! I love the way Song Mo speaks very gently to Dou Zhao. I’m glad this drama features the leads getting married in the middle of the drama so we can enjoy the pursuit and the marriage life afterwards.
It seems like this year, particularly in the second half of the year, there has been alot of big hit historical dramas which started from The Double and then there was many more from then. I feel like I haven’t watched a modern drama in agesss
Though it seems like in many of these dramas in the latter half, it started showing flaws or it ended with an open ending. Nonetheless, I think for me personally Kill Me Love Me was my highlight (emotional aspect wise). What was everyone’s top one?
After watching the entire drama, im actually in love with dou zhao lol and i really love the symbolism of the part where Yantang was about to reach for the spear but she appeared ultimately stopping his destiny to abandon his double swords... sigh such a beautifil drama
That was such a good drama watched. I never expected to feel sorry for 5th uncle but he managed to redeem himself when he saved his brother and elder princess. The ML acting was so good from beginning until the end. ML FL Chemistry was great. The scene where they were running towards each other in the dream (when they almost died) - he slid down at the end to meet the FL was so real and perfectly shot. No wasted scene at all, I didn’t understand why they showed the king’s eunuch getting something from the temple until the last episode when it was revealed to be the antidote. I would have missed it if I was skipping. :-). There were so many good scenes.
2 
The storytelling, the pace, the characters - all brilliant! Song Mo and Dou Zhao are possibly the most engaging pairing I've had a chance to encounter in a drama world. Their chemistry and how they trusted and supported each other was one of the best parts of the whole story. Also, the angst, the love, the thrill, the scheming - all in perfect moderation so you cannot get bored.
While watching the last few episodes, I got positively surprised how many turns of events we faced while watching the drama and how complex the story turned out to be. I'll always remeber how this drama made me feel and I'm sure it'll become a classic.
Let me briefly explain the social structure and basic moral values of ancient Chinese dynasties. This will help provide context for the events happening in this drama.
1. Social Structure / Caste System:
The hierarchy generally looked like this:
Royal Family/Imperial Family > Aristocratic/Noble Families (Duke, Marquess, Earl, etc.) > Scholars and Officials (Zhuang Yuan, Jinshi, Juren, etc.) > Commoners/Working Class (farmers, artisans/tradesmen, merchants) > Slaves > Marginalized/Outcasts (entertainers, courtesans, pariahs).
Note: Sometimes, entertainers and courtesans could be considered above slaves. But generally, they're pretty much in the lowest class of the social structure.
I have no deep knowledge about this, so feel free to correct me.
2. Children rank in the family.
There are Firstborn, Secondborn, Thirdborn, etc. Also, Legitimate born and Concubine born.
Legitimate Firstborn Son (Di Zhangzi): Let's rank it 1 for easier understanding.
This son held the most prestigious position in the family. He was expected to carry on the family name (including title) and inherit the family property.
If the father loves him so much or if the mother comes from a prestigious family, the firstborn usually will be named heir not long after he is born. This status is typically confirmed unless the child dies, is incompetent, or is ill.
And when his father dies, he automatically becomes the patriarch of the family (which means that all family members need to listen to his word).
Legitimate Secondborn, we rank it 2
He has no privileges the same as the firstborn. He can only inherit the title of heir if his brother is incompetent, convicted of a crime, or ill (like the case of Gu Ting Ye in The Story of Minglan, he inherits the Marquis title because of his brother's condition).
However, he also can achieve the title of Duke or Marquess or other title on his own merits and with the support of his brother.
Legitimate Thirdborn, etc
Basically, they have a lower status compared to first and second-borns.
Concubine's born son (Shu zi)
A son born by a concubine only has a chance to inherit the title if no legitimate sons are capable of inheriting it.
Bastard son (Shishengzi)
A child born out of wedlock has very low status and is usually excluded from the family tree, inheritance, and rights.
Firstborn daughter (Di zhang nu)
If she is biologically born by the legitimate wife and if the family/clan is powerful enough, she usually will be selected as empress or crown princess.
If not, then she could be the Wang Fei (princess consort) of some Prince.
Other than that, she normally married into a noble family as a WIFE (not concubine). Unless she's from a lower-ranking family (sometimes, in order to climb the ladder, the family will marry her into some noble family as their concubine).
However, if the mother is dead or the parents hate her, this is a different thing.
Legitimate second, third, fourth etc born daughter
They practically have the same rights or are slightly lower than firstborns in terms of authority and status.
Concubine born daughter
Like the son, her status is much lower compared to the legitimate daughter. And usually have no chance to marry into a royal or powerful/noble family as WIFE (Zheng qi). At most, she can be the concubine (Qie) of the emperor or some prince (not wang fei, aka princess consort, or che fei, aka side consort).
However, if her family is reputable and she has a good attitude, virtuous, etc, she might be able to marry as a WIFE to some noble family too (like Ming Lan in The Story of Ming Lan) or if specifically requested by the previous wife (like Luo Shi Yi Niang in The Sword and Brocade).
Again, it all depends on the circumstances.
But typically, they would become the wife of a lower-ranking official or scholar or a concubine in a noble family.
So, after learning about the structures, let's now compare Song Mo and Song Han.
Song Mo -> Firstborn of Duke Ying and Jiang family legitimate daughter. His rank is 1.
Song Han (previously) -> Secondborn of Duke Ying and Jiang family legitimate daughter. His rank is 2
If something happened to Song Mo, he would be second in line for the succession unless Song Mo has a son.
After the birth secret was revealed:
Song Han -> A bastard child of Duke Ying and Li Yao Niang, a former courtesan/entertainer and the daughter of a criminal. His rank -999
His biological mother holds an extremely low status in the social hierarchy, and being born out of wedlock even lowers his status. To learn more about pariah, courtesan, entertainer you can also check A Dream of Splendor.
As a result, he has no chance of inheriting the title or family property. He is also very unlikely to marry a daughter from a noble family. Even a concubine's daughter would refuse to be his wife.
His existence is basically just a laughing stock.
Even if he one day accumulated merits on his own, his "lowly" background would always hinder him.
But was his situation always this doom? Not entirely. If his father had been powerful enough, had merits, or was an upright person, he could have redeemed his mother and married her as a concubine (though he would still face criticism from all sides). But at least it's pretty doable. In that case, Song Han could be registered in the family tree as a concubine's son.
As far as he could go, he might also be recognized as a legitimate son under Mrs. Jiang (if he is able to negotiate with Mrs. Jiang).
So, if you think his hostility toward Song Mo or how he eventually became evil doesn’t make sense, just consider his status.
3. Why do people fight so hard over a mere title?
Take another look at the social structure. The more noble you are, the more respect you receive and the easier your life becomes. Basically, status and title are very important. The same goes for officials - the higher your rank, the more power you hold, and the more respect you earn from others.
4. In ancient times, marriages were arranged by the family (typically the father, mother, or family patriarch), unless the individual was granted the privilege to arrange their own marriage by the Emperor or Empress.
5. Filial piety is extremely important due to the influence of Confucian teachings, especially to parents.
So why does DZ have to stop SM from killing his father? Because committing patricide (Shi fu) is a grave sin, an unforgivable sin. There's no way this act could ever be justified, no matter what his father did. If his father committed crimes, the proper course of action would be to expose it and bring it to the Emperor, but never to kill him.
Once again, killing a parent violates the rules of filial piety and is basically a death sentence. Even if SM could escape execution, his life would be ruined. The same applies to killing a family member - while not as severe as killing a parent, it would violate the same rules and will be condemned by people.
6. Without the lawful approval of the emperor and the acknowledgment of the ministers, no noble family is allowed to raise their own army. If this were to become known to the public, it would be considered Qi Jun Zhi Zui or a crime of deceiving the emperor and attempting rebellion. Death sentence. Therefore, the existence of the Ding army could never be known by the public.
7. Why did SM have to kill the entire household to protect the baby?
Because the baby was the heir to Duke Ding, whose criminal acts were publicly known at the time. If news of SM keeping the baby were to leak, he would be accused of the same crime as Duke Ding, as well as the crime of deceiving the emperor. This would result in the same death sentence, not only for SM but also for all his followers. The Song family would likely face exile, if not execution.
8. Why does the emperor not want to marry the princess to SH, and why does the princess reject him in such a manner?
Again, because of his background. By requesting the marriage, SH is already slapping the royal family in the face. And the way the princess rejects him isn't just because she doesn't want to marry him but because she wants to humiliate him publicly in the most degrading way possible.
If this were the previous SH, the legitimate second son of Duke Ying, the emperor might have agreed to the marriage, or the princess wouldn't have rejected him in the same way.
In ancient times, the etiquette towards noble families, commoners, and those of lower rank were very different.
I hope this information helps you better enjoy the drama.
Note: Of course, this drama doesn't stick strictly to historical accuracy. For more accurate information about the Ming dynasty, it’s recommended to refer to reputable historical sources.
- If you don’t like a strong FL, then don’t watch. The FL is capable and can stand alongside the ML. If a strong, independent FL who refuses to be bound by society’s rules triggers or threatens you, it’s best to skip this one.
- If you like Mary Sue characters, then don’t watch. The FL is capable but not flawless- she still has her moments of vulnerability and powerlessness.
- If you’re not into political intrigue, then don’t watch because the main plot revolves around it.
- If you like instant karma and want to see the FL and ML take out villains immediately or always want them to die, then don’t watch. In this drama, the FL and ML's main goal is to bring the villains to justice, expose their crimes, and make sure their wrongdoings are recorded in history. Whether they die or not in the end isn’t very important for them.
- If you prefer harmonious family dynamics, then don’t watch, as it could trigger past traumas for you.
- If you’re looking for an ideal, wise emperor, then don’t watch. The emperor in this drama is portrayed more realistically, just like actual historical Chinese emperors, none of them were perfect.
- If you’re only watching for lovey-dovey moments or hot kissing scenes, this drama might not be for you, as not every episode focuses on romance.
- If you’re a die-hard fan of the novel and can’t handle changes to the storyline, then don’t watch, as there are significant changes.
- If you hate the FL and ML or find them to look ugly, then don't watch.
It's not worth forcing yourself to watch something you're not into just to leave a low rating or trashy comments on this page.
But if none of the above apply to you, then you’ve found a great drama for 2024!
This is an A-grade project with an S+ result.
Later batches arrive after all the hype so they may have expectations in regards with their own taste so they can't fully appreciate Blossom as we did.
I also read somewhere that the writer/producers of this drama don't want to have Dou Zhao focused on revenge. Her return was simply to live a good life. And she indeed LIVE a good life. Balance is key.
It seems like this year, particularly in the second half of the year, there has been alot of big hit historical dramas which started from The Double and then there was many more from then. I feel like I haven’t watched a modern drama in agesss
Though it seems like in many of these dramas in the latter half, it started showing flaws or it ended with an open ending. Nonetheless, I think for me personally Kill Me Love Me was my highlight (emotional aspect wise). What was everyone’s top one?