This review may contain spoilers
A Political Survival Drama with Brilliant Villains and a Slow-Burning Romance
I would classify Princess’s Gambit under the subgenre of political survival. It contains political drama, moral dilemmas, and a survival narrative. Because romance takes a backseat to the survival plot, it's understandable that many viewers misunderstood the drama and ended up disappointed, leading them to focus unfairly on flaws in the production and criticize a particular actress. I hope future viewers don’t fall into that problem and misjudge the drama without realizing what it truly tells. I invite you to look beyond the steamy romance and embrace the broader narrative context it offers.Not Vague Title, Informing Us What to Anticipate
First, this drama is very clear what it is about from its title. It is not vague and abstract words. We have a weak and helpless princess (played by Meng Ziyi) in the beginning. The natural questions that follow this premise are: In this situation, how will she defend herself and achieve her purpose? The title of the drama describes the story's theme well. So, we know what to expect and anticipate as time goes on, that this will involve a battle of wit, scheme, and gamble to beat the opponents/ enemies under dangerous circumstances. And it does! People may argue about the effectiveness of every choice a character made. But it is good to see how a story doesn't betray its own title.
It Defies Several Common Drama Tropes
Contrary to popular belief that this drama is packed with clichés (such as an arranged political marriage, a damsel-like princess in distress, a cold and ruthless male lead with a traumatic past, and a typical family drama with multiple wives), what we actually get is quite different:
The princess, Jiang Taohua (JTH), takes control of her destiny by breaking free from her arranged marriage and scheming her way into marrying the most powerful political figure instead. She’s a sharp, resourceful woman who manages to survive in a hostile household, facing not only the environment around her but also the danger posed by the very man she married. Interestingly, she takes on the role of a double agent. On one hand, she poses as a spy for her evil stepmother, the Empress of Beiyuan (though in truth, it's all an act). On the other hand, she’s secretly carrying out her own mission: to save her younger brother.
Meanwhile, the main male character, Shen Zaiye (SZY), the Qi's chancellor, is far more layered and complex than expected. He has a sad past, but is not haunted by any trauma. Instead, he grows as a character (from a scholarly man to a martial artist and to a politician; from a bookish idealist to a realist pragmatist). Interestingly, the story presents us with an unreliable narrative stemming from JTH's perception of himself. His household is basically a harem with a legal wife and several concubines, but all of them are political pawns of their respective noble families. So, SZY distances himself from them and never touches them. Even, he let them fight each other and observe from afar.
Well-done Couple Development
SZY's relationship with JTH evolves gradually in a positive direction despite the ups and downs. They start from (1) lethal enemies (who want to kill each other), to (2) comrades united by a shared idealism (and acknowledging each other's good side), to (3) lovers still clouded by lingering distrust, to (4) once again strangers after an angsty separation, to (5) a team helping each other for a shared cause, and to finally, (6) a genuine husband and wife devoted to each other. Some viewers cannot stand numbers (3) and (4) patiently because they want to see a lovey-dovey husband and wife immediately. But if you hold on, you will get all the reasons behind SZY's deep love for JTH: the openness toward the unwanted, the willingness to understand, the pity and empathy, and redemption. These reasons make SZY's ultimate sacrifice to help JTH so heartfelt.
For JTH, maybe, the one thing that frustrates many viewers about her is that she is so late to appreciate SZY's goodwill, accept his helping hand, and value his presence. Of course, it prolongs the plot, which is bad. However, it is not without a lesson, and Cdrama has a tradition to teach love this bitter way. This trope reminds me of the ending of TMOPB (2017) (and some other dramas), which is pretty similar! The man should sacrifice his life and go for the woman to understand his worth and treat him in a better way. So, I don't blame the director and the writer of this drama. Maybe it is a cultural thing!
Beautiful Symbolism
Liu Xueyi as SZY plays his role so well and manages to handle every change in SZY's character from the beginning to the end. SZY's pragmatic ruthlessness and humility are his way to serve the emperor patiently. Without screaming "I want revenge!" and stabbing behind the emperor's back, he seeks ways to bring back justice and fairness in a lawful manner. Interestingly, he spends his free time alone, carving a wall with the figures of houses. As viewers, we don’t understand its meaning until the very end, only to discover that it’s a physical embodiment of his deepest will. What a powerful and shocking reveal. We saw his bravery in giving a fiery argument and his last counsel to the emperor. After his purpose is fulfilled, he resigns from his post to live the life as he wishes, no longer a political pawn to control the government. He left his physical house and left the symbolic houses he had lived/ carved for ten years.
Superb Villains' Arcs
Princess’s Gambit stands out for having some of the most well-crafted villain arcs ever presented in a drama of its tier! Even, it beats The Double and Blossom. Let's compare and contrast. In The Double (2024), Princess Wan Ning is murdered in the end, Shen Yu Rong commits suicide, and the evil mother goes crazy. In Blossom (2024), the evil Empress is just demoted and exiled, the prince is imprisoned, and the evil uncle of FL dies "righteously" to protect his patron. Those are not fair ends.
In Princess's Gambit, we get a full spectrum of villain types who end up working together as their interests intersect. Their alliance feels inevitable. We know what they want, how they are thinking and feeling, and how they are scheming. Also, how all of them met their demise is so satisfying. Wugou is the victim of his stupidity. Huaijin is the victim of blind loyalty to a wrong master. The Meng family head is forced to kill himself in prison, just as he did to Huaijin. Wuyin is dead for the love he craves. Meng Zhenzhen got a pardon due to her last merit, and it resonates with her genuine care for fellow women in her family. And, Empress Lv died in a most tragic and agonizing way. These villains’ stories form a complete circle, delivering clear moral consequences. There’s a satisfaction in seeing them punished in the very ways they once wronged others. They reap what they sowed. Their character traits and choices become their downfall.
I am satisfied with this drama as it has villains with qualities comparable to ML in terms of intelligence, resourcefulness, and power. It makes the clashes interesting to watch. We don't easily know who will win this game.
Storytelling Techniques
Some viewers are disappointed because the director doesn’t take enough care in showing the process behind key choices and outcomes. Certain plot points feel abrupt, with little buildup or explanation, often delivered only through brief flashbacks. Fortunately, the flashbacks aren’t filler, but they still fall short in providing satisfying narrative depth. To some extent, this method adds suspense and shock value. However, for viewers who enjoy analyzing character motivations, tracking cause and effect, and emotionally engaging with the unfolding events, it feels lacking. The drama demands that viewers watch closely, connect scattered dots, and use their imagination to fill in the gaps. This weakens the sense of immersion and reduces the overall flow experience. Ultimately, the series falls short in its storytelling technique.
Despite the weakness above, there is also a strength: Emotion and passion. They inject a dose of sensuality into SZY-JTH interactions when they are still enemies and lovers with distrust; the push and pull between husband and wife. It is a good compensation when we don't have a proper romantic relationship between them in the early part of the story. This sparks chemistry. In later episodes, when they are strangers again, they are less physical. There are no steamy scenes or passionate kisses, yet every gesture brims with emotion. Even their silence and gazes speak volumes about what is hidden in their hearts.
Production
This drama has balanced day and night times. Fun and playful moments happened during the day. Suspenseful and grittiest moments happened at night. That is wise! The darkness, the shadows, and the light from the sun and candles also highlight the emotion on the characters' faces and add more things to the atmosphere. The costumes are beautiful. The music, despite being sometimes loud, matches the emotion of a scene. And for the places and settings, we don't see repeated Hengdian studio or any other places we usually see in Cdrama. It gives some novelty.
Unfortunately, The Hated Tropes
It is hard to believe that they still use POISON and AMNESIA as plot devices! So many Cdramas use them! About poison, it is usually used as a wicked and powerful instrument of control, to set a limitation, a line must not be crossed, or you will die. However, if we think about it more, there is always something "magical" about it which defies rationality: the poison is the most lethal, and has no cure. Or, if it does have one, it involves a rare ingredient that demands a big sacrifice or great struggle, and that ingredient is a fantastical element! We don't know who creates it or where it originates.
And then there’s the amnesia. It's a trope often used to reset everything to zero. In Princess’s Gambit, while the cause of the memory loss is understandable, the story didn’t actually need real amnesia. It could’ve been far more compelling if this commonly disliked trope were reimagined as a deliberate act of deception, turning it into a strategic move. That would’ve better showcased the princess’s cunning and reinforced her role as a calculating survivor.
In the end...
Despite its imperfections, Princess’s Gambit is a rewarding drama for those who crave something beyond formulaic romance or palace/ political drama. It offers a rich tapestry of political maneuvering, complex character growth, villains with depth, and layered moral dilemmas. Don’t let surface-level tropes or missing exposition mislead you. Watch with attention, connect the dots, and you’ll discover a story that dares to explore trust, power, and loyalty in bitter yet beautiful ways. If you're tired of dramas that play it safe, this one might just surprise you, if you give it the patience it deserves.
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I wish it is more culturally realistic, more mind-provoking, and more dramatic.
There is no doubt that this drama has excellent production quality. The settings, costumes, music, and characters are fitting and captivating. The main and supporting characters have distinctive personalities and are very entertaining. I love to see every interaction between them. I view this drama as successful at combining mystery, romance. and light comedy. However, even after finishing all episodes, there is still a big hole in my heart.First, I'm not sure which aspects of this drama are real or fictional, especially when it comes to case-solving. This drama is excellent at incorporating elements of law and traditional medicine. It has the potential to be more intellectually engaging, but it is wasted. Repeatedly, during each case investigation and resolution, I compare the plots and storytelling to the legendary Jewel in the Palace (2003), from which I learned so much about Korean culture—its cuisine, medicine, traditional clothes, monarchy, and society. These cultural aspects are so believable, causing me to dig deeper into everything about Korea and the Koreans, and to watch more historical K-dramas.
This issue leads me to conclude that China is still far from creating a Hallyu-like wave despite its historical and cultural richness. I wonder if it is really that difficult for Chinese drama producers to incorporate authentic cultural elements into their works and help audiences become more knowledgeable and appreciative? Are the use of herbs, poison, and legal codes depicted in the drama grounded in reality, or are they merely fabricated to serve the plot? I mean, this drama is not a wuxia or xianxia where people can fly, and I know people cannot fly, so I shut by brain to enjoy it. This drama is somewhat "scientific" to serve the case investigation's believability. But things seem imaginary and heavily fictional.
Second, the cases are mostly felt rather strange to me. It is not about the incidents but how they are resolved. It is good to see how a coroner did forensic work to do an autopsy and collect evidence, and the empire's justice system works pretty well, too. They have a legal book as a reference, sufficient officers, and an investigation and testimony collection procedure. All of them should serve like pieces of a puzzle waiting for arrangement. However, the resolution often stems from mere deduction based on an insignificant, later-found hint or coincidence, throwing the previously collected pieces of information out of the window. After following one or two cases, I found that this show has the habit of spoiling the viewer by revealing the culprit through certain gestures and camera work. It makes the cases highly predictable and not enjoyable.
Third, this drama lacks emotional moments. Everything flows too smoothly, and the main characters are portrayed as perfectly capable, smart, and invincible. They never make a single mistake or show any meaningful weakness or vulnerability—traits that would make them feel more human. There are no moments of setbacks, deadlocks, or desperation, as well as moments of learning and reflecting on things beyond their control. No pivotal moments deserve rewatch. Nothing to worry about, and they bounce back far too easily. Even though people die horribly, they are safe and "protected". It is very atypical considering the world they live in. I mean, there should be a moment where efforts failed, the strong ones are injured, or get sick, and their lives are at stake. The cooperation between the main characters thus feels lacking something profound.
Fourth, the villains in this drama are disappointingly weak, lacking both intelligence and strategic cunning. The princes (Che and Qi) come across as foolish and impulsive, respectively. As antagonists, they feel too much like shallow tropes rather than compelling, formidable threats. The evil empress and consort are also the same; they are practically doing nothing throughout the episodes. There are no moments of good decision-making, considering pros and cons together, and implementing the plan into action. All of them are bad in character and thus, doomed to fail from the beginning.
This makes me compare them to antagonists in "Princess Gambit" (2025). There, we got antagonists who possess at least one admirable trait, and this makes us "love" them to be on screen. In Coroner's Diary, the problem-solving strategy of the antagonists is just killing, killing, and killing people, and leaving traces to be tracked by our leads. Had they used more political maneuvering by moving factions in court to help them, our main characters (the male lead is a military man and the female lead is a doctor) would be devastated. But it would result in a better challenge that pushes our leads to grow beyond their comfort zone of competence.
Despite its flaws, this drama is still enjoyable. However, I don’t think people would rewatch it often, as it cannot even hold a candle to the expectations of its own genre, “mystery.”
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A drama with mind-changing power about life and love
This drama makes me worry in its every episode that tragedy would be fallen to all characters. That shows how do I care so much about them. Every character is important and has meaningful story to tell. This drama is not afraid of showing human fragility and that everyone is prone to make mistake. When the finale gives a happy and touching ending, my heart is very satisfied. This drama tells a story about life, love, and how to go through after getting hurt, making mistakes, and experiencing lost of loved one. It teaches me a lot of things.I am surprised that the story is actually so simple, but executed extremely well. The setting and its details on physical as well as cultural environment are so rich. The plot and plot-twist are engaging. And the conflict and its resolution are flawless. This drama should set new direction and trend for Chinese future drama that we can create a unique and refreshingly new story by paying attention to our reality and daily life. It brings up the romance of living in countryside and maintaining cultural tradition, as family values, and righteousness. You don't necessarily have to be rich to be happy or prestigious job and live in the city to have a decent satisfying life. Being anti-mainstream is all right. The most essential thing is how to learn to accept reality and flow flexibly with the river of life.
As a muslim viewer, I think this drama also do some justice. Muslim group as represented by Kazakh people in this drama is well depicted as part of bigger Chinese community, living together peacefully with other ethnicities like Han and Mongolian. Watching this drama is the first time I see Xinjiang and its beautiful natural features. It makes me eager to watch other series with similar genres, portraying different side of China. I recommend you to watch this. May this drama gain much recognition it deserves and much much more national and international viewers.
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It has good romance, but the story is the weakest.
This xianxia drama has several strong points. First, it brought to us the long awaited pairing, Zhao Liying (as FL, Shenli) and Lin Gexing (as ML, Xingzhi), after the phenomenal Princess Agents (2017) which gave us such a disappointing cliffhanger. Second, the characterization of FL as a war general and ML as the last ancient god is so fresh. We got a non typical main female who is not bubbly, childlike, naive, and damsel-in-distress type as well as a god who is really can do something majestic and wonderful with his tremendous power. Third, this drama is very good in the department of CGI, costume, make up, setting, and worldbuilding. It is visually so pleasant to eyes and satisfying. Fourth, it shows us the perspective of common people to the events in the story, like the joy of people when Shenli and her troops won the war and the sadness of people when Shenli and others died. Also, it describes daily lives in mortal world, immortal sect, and heavenly palace. It makes the story is pretty relaxing, easy to follow, and suitable for comedy. Fifth, the story shows us how love evolves step by step from zero. It gives us the reason why Shenli falls in love to Xingyun/ Xingzhi, and vice versa. Sixth, it gives us a very happy ending. As a romance, this drama is undeniably so good.However, this drama still cannot escape the trap of xianxia tropes, therefore is unable to create new/ unique direction for Chinese fantasy story. Xianxia is a highly predictable genre. The ingredients are somewhat determined by the heaven: Three realms, power struggle between immortal sects/ divine gods and demon clans, war between good and evil, sweet romance, angsty forbidden love, evil/ pitiful/ passionate third wheeler, self sacrifice, (pseudo) sad ending, and resurrection as the definition of final happy ending. Every xianxia out there are just changing the dose, concentration, and emphasize to make their "dish" different. The Legend of Shenli is no different. It just emphasizes the sweet romance, lovey-dovey, and chemistry between FL and ML more, while decreases the dose of power struggle, angsty forbidden love, and the war of three realms, and makes the impact of the third wheelers to minimal. Plot wise, there is nothing distinctively new. Because of that, the story is so boring. It starts the same and ends similarly. If you don't watch this drama, you have nothing to lose. It is not a drama which set a higher bar for future drama.
The storyline is the weakest point of this drama. It is such a pity, because this drama has unique FL and ML introduction and relationship dynamic. The ML is not a god with pitiful backstory. He is just the last ancient god who is bored by his lonely life and very long existence. He enjoy mortal realm to experience its liveliness and playfulness. He is indifferent to things. He really has immense power, dependable, and unbeatable in every battles as he is the highest god. And, the FL is a female general. She is very strong, mature, selfless, achievement oriented, and thinking the big picture. She is fierce and bloodthirsty hero. Interestingly, deep inside her heart, she wants to be cared as a ordinary woman and to have normal life. This has been a very good story premise. BUT, this drama lacks exploration to their psychological dynamic (internal conflict) and too late to introduce the enemy to defeat and their stakes (external conflict).
The story would be very unique if they keep the initial premises and don't change the FL and ML's dispositions easily out of love (after the first moral arc), and make sure to fix every plot hole. Personally, I don't like the idea of humanization of god which is a special being. It is actually not reasonable for thousands years god to fall for merely 1.000 years female immortal, like he has never met a woman before and the FL is the only woman in the entire universe. Love makes him weak, stupid, stubborn, suffered physically, ashamed, confused, etc. Where does his wisdom from living for thousand years go? When ML dramatically froze the entire sea just to find Shenli, where does his omniscient go? He should be a transcendental being, with transcendental mission, and achieve it with transcendental love to other beings. And, when he is died due to fatal injury, it is really a problem of power scaling. Above him, there is only the Heaven which is greater in power than him. But, how come he is powerless when facing the King of Demon and dealing with the crisis in Xutian Abyss? How come he is more vulnerable than Shenli, a mere immortal and a phoenix? Is he really a god? What a fantastic being!
Also, the enemy is laughable. Just non intelligent flying black smokes going rampant in the air (miasma)! What is so fearful about that? It lacks personification and has no motive. It is created by unknown process, by a crazy power hunger immortal, yet so powerful because people said it is powerful and fearful. The furthest ability it has is just killing people or causing bruises. And Fu Sheng and Mofang (the agents behind the resurgence of miasma), how can they be that powerful and able to "kill" Shenli? What cultivation do they have or how do they train? We never know. They just exist like a decoration, to make the story has some actions and for Shenli to show off her spear play. And, it is really not good for the story because "Every hero needs a villain. Without a great villain, there are no great heroes." So, what is the point of Shenli's designation as a great war general? She just beat the villain using brute force, no intelligent maneuvering, and strategic action.
This drama indulges us so much with romance, BUT without problems to solve decently using Shenli and Xingzhi's great potentials as a war general and a greatest god in the realm. For you who love lovey-dovey couple, you might love this show purely for the romance. But, it you watch for some depth and substantive theme, I suggest you to save your time. This drama would only cause you a desperation.
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It completes my imagination of Shao Nian Ge Xing!
For a story to be adapted into various mediums (comic, animation, and live action), it definitely speaks quality. For us who read Shao Nian Ge Xing (Song of Adolescents) the novel and follow the donghua (animation series), having a live action is a real treat for fans. It is very very rare for an IP to get this opportunity. This drama itself completes my imagination about the world of Shao Nian Ge Xing. I see how it is well coordinated with the novel and donghua version, so that each version complements one each others despite several differences in some places.After completing all episodes, I am not hesitant to say it is really a superb adaptation. The worldbuilding is complex but clearly explained through the course of the story. This drama has all ingredients of a great wuxia: geographical landscapes, actions, sects, skills, and weapons, imperial politics, culture, and philosophy. There are diverse landscapes: cities, temples, and palace, mountain, jungle, river, and sea. There are actions almost in every episode which is pleasant to eyes because of good CGI. There are philosophies from Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism giving the story some moral weight. The Chinese cultural presentations are so rich, from music, paintings, poetries, dance, outfits, and interior design of places.
The imperial politics and the damage it caused to the jianghu is pretty complex since it involves the grudge of two generations. However, the story is able to balance external conflicts, who finally win the thrones and who finally get recognition as the best martial experts, and internal conflicts: familial love vs anger among siblings, forgiveness versus revenge among loyalists, repentance versus self-righteousness among those who did wrongdoings, solitariness versus togetherness among friends. So, the best aspect of this drama is the strong themes it holds tightly from the beginning to the end: brotherhood and friendship. This story tells a lot about love to siblings, parents/ children, and love to friends. This makes it meaningful to fans and general audience.
This drama is so loved, so it lies solid ground for future movies/ drama, for prequels and sequels.
Final thought (5/2/23)
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This story follows the journey of the youth: Xiao Se/ Xiao Chuhe (the main character), the four guardians of Tianqi (Lei Wujie, Sikong Qianluo, Tang Lian, and Ji Xue) a.k.a his guardians, Wuxin the shameless monk his best friend, and Ye Ruoyi his advisor.
It starts uniquely as Xiao Se is portrayed as anti-hero. His back story is quite heart breaking. He was a prince and prodigy that had fallen to the lowest. After involved in Langya Mutiny, he was demoted to commoner, exiled, harmed by his enemy, and lost his martial arts). People loved and remembered him as a hero, but now he was nobody and gone missing. However, in his heart, he always desired to clear his uncle name and wanted to come back to capital city, Tian Qi. He never lost his pride and principles. He is a person with a very strong character. Xiao Se journey started from coincidental encounter with Lei Wujie, a newbie with pure heart, whose journey aimed to be the greatest expert in jianghu. Later, they both travelled together and found more friends along the roads, especially Wuxin whose life unexpectedly was related to all of them. Their brotherhood is amazing.
Throughout the story, all characters experience character development. The naive Lei Wujie finally climb the ladder of skills as well as learn about love and having cute romantic relationship with Ye Ruoyi. The strong but shy Tang Lian learn to follow his heart and his principles rather than following duty blindly. Wuxin realized that he was not alone in his journey. Sikong Qianluo stopped being a bratty and spoiled girl. Xiao Se got the most extreme character development, from nobody to somebody again as a prince and a martial artist. He was still cunning and sharp tongue, but his traits were somehow refined by his past downfall and adversities. He faced his inner demon. He became more humble and grounded.
The story and interactions between characters are funny and entertaining, but also can thrill and create suspense. I found that all character are strong and badass. Nobody is weak here, even the princes learn martial arts. Nobody is stupid, as each character is reasonable and use their intelligence to face the challenges, including the antagonists.
Personally, I don't mind with the romances, even though some audience complain it, wanting it to be just focused on pure wuxia and indifferent friendship to feeling, because no chemistries among couples. The romances are told in the novel, so it is not wise to omit it from the story. To keep the drama stay true to the novel is appreciation for the writer/ IP. As the cultural background of the story believes in the concept of Yin and Yang, romance between man and woman even in martial arts world is a good thing and needed to balance things. People cannot keep doing physical fighting, action, and getting injured or experiencing setbacks without cure and consolation. The best consolation for man is the love from woman; people naturally seek for his/her soulmate. So, it is good to have a hint of romance. This drama does better in telling romantic relationship in comparison to the donghua because it gives more screen for couples. We know how relationships start, evolve, and end among couples here, both for main characters and supporting roles. All is wrapped well.
For you who never read the novel or watch the donghua, this drama completes the donghua in several ways. The donghua is a little bit confusing at telling the background, context, and things happened in the past. This drama delivers it well so we know what actually happened to Lord Langya, the history of four guardians, the history and relationships of characters, etc. The drama also improves the pacing and sequence of events so that the storytelling is smoother. This drama also changes some parts/ adds things that are not in the novel or Donghua, which is make the story stronger. For example: It differs in the time identity of Xiao Se as a prince is exposed to his friends, when and where Xiao Se met Xiao Chong and Xiao Lingchen for the first time, who involved in Three Party Meeting of Baxiao Hall, the romance during lantern festival, how the Dark River assassin syndicate got its ends, how Xiao Se got his swords, the options given to Xiao Yu before his demise. etc. I personally hope the drama has more episode so we can see the war between Beili and Nanjue, Xiao Se versus Ao Yu, the prince of Nanjue he beat in gambling repeatedly told before, and how he won it.
The drama also moderates some depiction in the novel that are too bloody. We don't see the bloodshed in Tian Qi and how every character always thrown a mouthful of blood after getting hit. In my opinion, it is good so that the story is acceptable for younger audience and thus family friendly. I also like the details in drama showing gestures, especially the fingers movement when a character is thinking of something and their face expressions (such as in the scene when Lei Wujie telling his Insulting Sword Technique to Xiao Se, Xie Xuan, and Wushuang). Even though many people saw Xiao Se expression is emotionless, I personally saw it accurate because that is how Xiao Se should look like.
I recommend this drama for you fans of the donghua and all of you who love historical and wuxia drama. Dear fellow fans, waiting for season 3 may be long. This drama can fulfill our thirst in the mean time.
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A Drama with Exceptional Worldbuilding and Real-World Resonance
I don’t know how to express my satisfaction with this drama. A Moment but Forever (AMBF) has exceeded my expectations and could potentially set a new direction for xianxia (Chinese fantasy) in the future. I enjoy the story so much that I can overlook its somewhat low production quality. The story is truly a gem.AMBF shows strong points in its story, acting, and music. The OST and BGM are beautiful and add depth and nuance throughout the story. The performances of the male lead (Liu Xueyi) and female lead (Tiffany Tang) are flawless, full of subtlety, emotion, and chemistry in every on-screen interaction. They are truly talented actors who portrayed Yuan Zhong and Ji Tanyin wonderfully. I can overlook the occasional odd styling choices because the characters are so captivating to follow. The music and acting are perfect, but the most important thing we have is the story.
Xianxia is famously known for its tropes in Chinese dramas. Since Three Miles of Peach Blossoms (2017), we’ve been endlessly served stories revolving around “three lives, three worlds,” the power of love versus dark evil, and the same old plots of godhood, tribulation, and rebirth. This has made xianxia—stories of gods and goddesses—feel increasingly repetitive and lacking in creativity. AMBF arrived this year like a breath of fresh air because, for the first time, we get a story told from the perspective of mortal humans. AMBF explores the struggles of living as mere mortals in a world full of danger. I’m surprised by how relatable and relevant it feels.
AMBF explores a wide range of issues. We are presented with philosophical debates on whether humans are inherently good or evil, the origins and nature of evil and sin, the power of unconditional love, the acceptance of life as it is, the meaning of life, and—most prominently—death, as well as the struggle for peacebuilding. The discourse on death is particularly compelling, as it is mentioned and emphasized several times as a defining attribute of humanity. Death is inevitable and might be seen as a human weakness compared to demons, immortals, and gods. However, the existence of death becomes a source of "soft" power, pushing humans to grow wiser and build lasting, prosperous civilizations.
Because death is an undeniable fact, humans do not obsess over it; instead, they strive to live as fully and meaningfully as possible. They are not consumed by the pursuit of longevity like immortals who desperately seek eternal life, nor do they exist idly like gods, who, without struggle, risk becoming stagnant and purposeless. By weaving death-related themes thoughtfully into the narrative, AMBF avoids the typical tropes of rebirth and reincarnation. Instead, it offers an empowering story about coping with loss, focusing on how to move forward rather than wishing for a lost loved one to return miraculously.
Another aspect that makes AMBF especially fascinating is its incorporation of both hard and soft science into the worldbuilding. Believe me, this is extremely rare in xianxia, which typically relies heavily on magic. Worldbuilding is usually the weakest aspect of xianxia because we’re so accustomed to the same templated elements: a heavenly kingdom where most of the characters reside and a mortal world that serves merely as a place of tribulation and a stage for conflict. There’s often little exploration of what truly constitutes their world.
In AMBF, each place is explored in considerable depth, especially the human world: its structure, history and lore, culture and customs, civilization, technological blessings, and even the mundane details of daily life. Common people play a significant role in the story, not just as background figures or cameos, but as integral parts of the narrative. Through them, we gain a real sense of how this world is built and sustained. It is really a hidden gem, a fantastic creativity.
I really hope many people will take a look at this drama and enjoy how seriously excellent it is. I hope, maybe, there will be a remake with better production quality in the future, to make it a bang for a greater audience. Really, really wish for that.
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The angst is intense, hinting a sad ending. But in the end, it is a beautiful and good one!
My initial impression is this drama is too dark and cruel. I only keep watching it because I have sympathy and hope to the main character of the story, Tantai Jin/ TTJ, the devil fetus and later the Demon God (played by Luo Yunxi). I want to know what will happen to him, wishing this pitiful character would get his atonement and happiness in the end. My decision is right because starting from immortal arc and on (around episode 30), the story begin to reveal its gems. The reasons behind all events, the meaning behind all sufferings, and the moral behind the story are disclosed. All questions are answered.I am a layman on any technical aspects of drama making (such as lighting, wardrobe, editing, casting, etc). Therefore, I am able to focus on the story. And the story is the strongest aspect of this drama (followed by the acting skill of the male lead). The story is interesting because (strangely, uniquely) it takes the antagonist/ the main villain to be the central character. There are tons of dramas with perfect, heroic, and righteous main characters across Chinese drama land. Only this time, I found a drama that deviates from common tropes. I deeply appreciate and congratulate for the author, the scriptwriters, the director, and the producer for their bravery to take the risk, to bring a full of flaw character to the spotlight. And the result is a very valuable and memorable drama.
The story began with the Demon God, Tantai Jin, who is extremely powerful, super evil, and unstoppable. He brought calamity to all realms. All immortals were defeated, except the last two sects to be destroyed. They found a way to stop the Demon God by sending Li Susu (played by Bai Lu) to the past, 500 years ago where the Demon God was still a mortal human. Her missions are to destroy his evil bone (the root and source of the Demon God's power) and to kill Tantai Jin. However, this mission is full of hardship. The problem is not simple because once she knew Tantai Jin as a person, she began to understand Tantai Jin, his life and suffering. Later, she grew empathy and compassion toward Tantai Jin. And what makes this compassion is justifiable is because Tantai Jin is actually a good person. It is just fate that toys him so that he experienced unfathomable tribulation over his life. His suffering is the prerequisite for him to turn to be Demon God after his death. With this premise, we are brought to question: Will Tantai Jin become Demon God in the end? Will Li Susu be able to kill him?
What I love about the story: it serves us with a lot of irony and moral dilemma to chew, makes us question, what is good and what is evil actually? It breaks out heart with deep moral dilemma to deal with so called evil. First, it is easy to kill a villain if we hate or if we don't have any feeling or affection toward him. But, Tantai Jin is just a pitiful but very lovable character. He was full of flaw, but he is not wrong to some extents. He is willing to learn to be a good person. Therefore, we understand him and support him to survive and get happiness. To kill him as such a "good" character, is the hardest thing to accept. Killing him is the real evil thing for us. That is why, Li Susu came to the past expectedly as a heroine, but along the story in mortal arc, we saw her as the evil and cruel one due to her mission. This twist at this part is shocking.
Second, good and evil is not black and white. We see all characters in this drama are grey. The so called "normal and good" people have the capability do evil things, and the so called "monster and evil" have the capability do good deeds. For example: Tantai Jin is seen as evil, but he is actually a good and wise ruler for Kingdom of Jing. The nine-tailed fox demon (Pian Ran), Mo Nv, and even Si Ying and Jing Mie are demons, but they are also selfless lovers who are ready to self-sacrifice. Li Susu/ Ye Xiwu is seen as good, but she repeatedly betray and hurt her lover. Tantai Jin aide and bodyguard, Nian Baiyu, as well as his nurses, are all loyal but understandably can betray, too. Xiao Lin/ Gongye Jiwu is righteous, but for his country he refused to accept peace proposal from Tantai Jin in mortal arc and was willing to devilize to kill Tantai Jin in immortal arc. All immortals called themselves as righteous, but full of hypocrisy, prejudice, and hate. So, who is the valid person to uphold the truth? How to stop evil then, if the good and evil are actually intertwined?
Fortunately, in the last three episodes all questions are well answered. It started with the emergence of Ancient Demon God in Tantai Jin's consciousness the time he accepted his fate to be Demon God. He learnt the true nature of Demon God which is a permanent condition as long as there is sin in the world. Good and evil is part of karma in the world. Ancient Demon God failed to dominate his heart; he has the key to change his fate because he finally learnt what is love and how to love, not only for the person he loves, but also for all beings and realms. He accepted his fate to die willingly, he ended his life beautifully, like a butterfly. He was perished, but his legacy continues. He was remembered as a good one. All realms are in peace and beautiful. His wife and daughter lived well. The future is bright.
It is a very good ending with clear moral anchor in Chinese philosophies. The cosmic conflict in this drama is solved intelligently, not just by killing. All characters are not left in agony. Even though it is a rather bitter because Tantai Jin is died in the end, his death is a meaningful death. We audience shouldn't ask more like he should be revived, he and Li Susu should reunite and live happily ever after because it would be contradictory to the logic of the story and the world building where gods and goddesses can die. Reviving him is just making his life cheap and less impactful. Giving him a happily ever after is just like a Disney story.
To enjoy this show, I suggest you to go transcend your self and see from above, get the big picture, that the ending of this drama is just right and perfect. Not an open, sad, or even a bad one. Don't ask for perfection, because this story itself tells us that perfection is the most absurd thing in life. I highly recommend you to re-watch it and collect all beautiful things offered by this drama. Maybe you miss it at the first time. Don't get too disheartened by some flaws in terms of production and other technical aspects. It is very tolerable when you don't ask too much.
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When love becomes a healing power
I watched this drama for Zhang Ruonan, the leading actress. It catches my attention that she repeatedly starred in a drama in which she plays a wounded character, such as in Love is Panacea (she played a young woman who suffered from a terminal illness) and Date with the Future (her character is a survivor of a natural disaster). This drama is no exception but has led her to a new height. She played Wen Yifan's character, who suffered trauma, abuse, neglect, and sexual harassment so well. The way she portrayed the suffering and the strength of a powerless young woman who tried to survive in the harsh world is empathizing and touching. She delivered the character seamlessly.The story itself is unexpectedly good. First, it takes human psychology seriously. The scenes involving responses to heartbreak, defense mechanisms, and trauma responses were executed naturally. It has strong sentimental nuances but doesn't fall into a melodrama. The cries and tears are controlled (suppressed and released) timely. Second, it respects the theme of love as a healing power. Love transforms people into a better version of themselves with understanding, forgiveness, unconditional positive regard, and genuine care. The villains are effectively portrayed as the antithesis of love, so we can compare and contrast things with minimum ambiguity. I like that they didn't try to "humanize" the evil people by giving them a troubled past and making them grey characters. Most evildoers deserve punishment, which should be the story's moral. Third, the relationship is burning slowly but simultaneously, full of tension and anticipation. From the first episode, we learn and know exactly about Wen Yifan and Sang Yan's love story. They just don't admit it and play along with the situation as mere roommates. The moment they realize their love, it is so monumental. The scenes of recognition were written poetically with some parallelism. Everything becomes well-rounded in the end.
It also gave us a strong message about social justice, women empowerment, and equality among people in society. This drama is packed with social criticism and reminders.
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Confusing genre dissappoint expectation.
The trailer of this drama last year created a hype among Dylan Wang's fans, me included. We saw palace setting, unusual starting point for a revenge story, some actions, and how a powerful eunuch confronted corrupt officials bravely. I personally expected that it would be a kind of a serious political historical drama. I was really suprised knowing this drama falls into comedy and romance category.I think, it is okay. Romantic and comedic drama is not bad, as the story is quite funny in the beginning. I expected it would be a kind of a warmhearted story, beautiful, and touching. A story that makes you fall in love with the power of love. Love can destroy any barriers as we found forbidden pairings here that somehow makes us understand why this drama initially titled Forbidden Love: Xiao Dou (a fake eunuch) and Bu Yinlou (a consort), Xiao Dou and Rong'an (an empress), Bu Yinlou (ex concubine of former emperor) and Murong Gaogong (the emperor), and Wanwan (emperor's sister) and that Yuwen guy (emperor's enemy brother).
However, the story turns out to be psychological with some degree of violence and madness. The theme of this drama, dissappointingly: Love drives you crazy, turns you into rebel and makes you break social norms and morality. Really, unchained love. It is not meaningful at all. Its romance and comedy is not sweet anymore in the front of such dark story. So, the story is the weakest of this drama, IMO.
I know some people watch this because of Dylan Wang is the star. Me is not exception. But, the essence of watching drama is not to see some actors and visuals, but mainly to enjoy stories and have fun. The acting of all actors is good, but I hope their talents can be used for a good story, too. The music is not so good. That comedic/ funny backsound is out of place frequently. When the course of event turns serious and emotion is depressing, why they put comedic music there (such as in episode 34). I cannot laugh at all.
The only positive thing in this drama is the acting. But, it is not enough for this drama worth our time to rewatch it.
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A cultivation story with powerful metaphor about humanity, mortality, and purpose
Xianxia drama is not a new thing to us, to the point that they are highly predictable. We have enjoyed various similar dramas before with the same composition involving cultivation, martial arts, magic, power leveling, immortality, godhood, righteousness versus evil, etc.. Characters like Han Li are plentiful, for example, Tang San in Douluo Continent (2021), Ning Que in Ever Night (2018), and even Xiao Se in The Blood of Youth (2023). We already know how the main character will end up: becoming the strongest among people. One thing that makes The Immortal Ascension (TIA) stand out is TIA takes the perspective of a mortal striving to attain immortality. A bottom-up view of the vast world where the story unfolds feels very fresh and adventurous.So many things are praise-worthy in TIA, I won't repeat them in great detail for you. The cast is perfect, especially Yang Yang. He is very suitable for playing Han Li. The music, the opening and ending OSTs, are great. The game-like visuals for battle scenes, magical creatures, artifacts, place and setting, etc, are so eye pleasing. The way the story is structured is easy to follow, fast-paced, and thought-provoking, with quality dialogue. TIA has clearly set its themes and premises: (1) You were once a mortal. Don't forget that. (2) The world is vast. You must see that. (3) You are weak. You must be more tactful and fully prepared. TIA is about becoming an adventurous, high-achieving, and adaptable person without losing one’s humanity. Because of this, it is perfectly crafted as a character-driven story. We can closely observe Han Li’s changes and growth, and it resonates with us as the audience, who see reflections of our own struggles to become the best version of ourselves.
However, after finishing all episodes in this season, I have some worries to share about future installments. Will the director dare to take the risk of diverging from the manhua/ donghua version while maintaining the established premises, in order to further explore human issues with this story as a reflection? This drama should answer at least one question: If you have already reached the peak after all the struggles and sacrifices, what would make you remain human? The antagonists already show us the opposite: they cease to be human after gaining power, knowledge, and status. With great power, they abuse it and oppress the weak. With knowledge and so-called enlightenment, they turn their backs on the world and the suffering of others. With status, they build rigid structures to prevent others from ever reaching the peak. So, what should a protagonist be like? I want a whole portrayal of a hero who is not only triumphant on the battlefield, but also has the wisdom to write a better history for mankind.
I believe, cultivation stories can be powerful metaphors about humanity, humility, mortality, and purpose, yet too often they stop at power escalation and fan service. TIA Season 1 already shows us 50% of this potential. It is a meaningful story that resonates beyond its genre. People should see these "intellectual gems". TIA is not just another flashy xianxia power fantasy.
For Season 2 in the future, I hope this drama does not abandon the human aspect of becoming an immortal, for it is not only about the sense of justice in the face of oppression. It is also about valuing life—the everyday struggles, love, and relationships—despite the weakness and inevitability of death. I believe life is not only about a man's goals. There should be a righteous "why" behind the power cultivated. Since no one in the real world can truly become an immortal or a god, I hope this drama does not dwell too much in the fantasy realm or become obsessed with power leveling to the point of impossibility. Otherwise, this drama will be nothing more than a typical show, rather than a story that truly resonates.
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I watch this for high-quality romance, storytelling, production, and HAPPY ENDING.
No drama works without tropes. Most use at least one or two familiar templates, such as revenge, slow-burn romance, rebellion, or palace intrigue. This drama is no exception. However, it excels through its high-quality production and compelling storytelling for romance and palace politics. I especially love how it leans toward realism and sociological storytelling, and also allows us to process the emotions it evokes in a less dramatic yet still touching and moving way.I love every aspect of this drama.
Music: The opening theme is my favorite. Its gentle, warm melody touches my heart — melancholic yet intense — evoking both a romantic sense and the struggle to protect loved ones. I never skip the opening.
Production: The production quality is undeniably top-notch. The portrayal of natural, societal, and cultural elements feels poetic and harmonious, enhanced by thoughtful color tones and lighting.
Setting: It seems they filmed in various new locations, as I didn’t notice many of the “overused and familiar buildings” often seen in C-drama productions. This choice adds freshness and richness to the setting.
Costumes, Accessories, and Decor: The attention to cultural details is remarkable. Every character, from commoners and merchants to military figures, nobles, and royalty, reflects the era’s social hierarchy through meticulously designed outfits and accessories.
Storytelling Technique: I appreciate how effectively they use non-linear narratives. The transitions between past and present events are smooth and meaningful, with no unnecessary fillers. Flashbacks provide crucial clues and fresh perspectives, enriching the story. Additionally, the inclusion of “what-if” scenarios and the known alternative endings create a sense of hope for a happy conclusion. This hope makes the comedic and lighthearted moments more enjoyable and emotionally rewarding, as I know they won't be useless in the end.
Characterization: The FL and ML steal my heart because I like them instantly from the beginning. Shou Gu/ Dou Zhou is a tough, smart, pragmatic, adaptive, sociable, and efficient woman. She is also knowledgeable and resourceful. Her career as a businesswoman and a house manager makes sense. We know clearly how she climbs the ladder of success. Song Mo is a strong and loyal military man with firm integrity. He is the hero, the leader, and the backbone of the dynasty. He is ruthless sometimes, but he is also calm. He is not the type of man who would turn weak and stupid because of love. I love how they are already soulmates from the beginning, and their wedding and life as husband and wife are a big part of the story. It makes the romance more beautiful and affectionate. They also cooperate and communicate well, showing us how a healthy relationship should be.
Conflict: While not the strongest aspect of this drama, I still find it highly enjoyable. The internal conflicts might be limited, but the external ones are quite compelling. Revenge is a common theme in C-dramas, but what sets this drama apart is how the FL and ML resist the urge to seek vengeance. Instead, they choose patience and navigate their struggles with integrity. They live righteously while protecting themselves and standing against their enemies. I appreciate how the story shows that fate can be reshaped gradually by making the right decisions, even in seemingly small aspects of life and self. Additionally, I love how this drama takes a more sociological approach to explain the nature of the conflict among parties, families, and individuals. Everyone is under the control of social norms, and it affects how they make decisions and solve problems. The hypocrisy regarding women is interesting: Women are not equal to men and their life is controlled by men/ family, yet men are so dependent on them. Independent woman is frowned upon, yet interesting for greedy men.
This drama has a good message for us. Whether you watch it for the romance or else, you get a high-quality story that won't disappoint you. It doesn't only entertain us, but also gives us a chance to celebrate something in the end.
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This review may contain spoilers
Realistic intelligent serious historical drama, with a great villain and great hero(in)es
With over a millennium long history of imperial age and profound philosophical tradition, China is blessed with literarily abundant source for inspiration for Game of Throne like historical drama. Among the best is this drama, Dream of Chang'an/ Stand by Me. "Stand by Me" draws inspiration from historical elements and the cultural backdrop of ancient China, particularly focusing on the Tang Dynasty. It tells the story of short-lived puppet emperor, Qi Yan (ML), and his struggle to end the tyranny of the corrupt eunuch party."Stand by Me" is a highly strategic, political, historical drama and takes realistic approach of storytelling. There isn't any use of superhuman ability to fight and combat as usually seen in Chinese wuxia. All conflicting parties use human ability i.e. their intelligence, before physical/ military forces. Their fights is symbolized as a chess game with real people as the pawns. On the board, eunuch party is on its height and led by a formidable psychopathic old eunuch Qiu. His defense is so solid as he control the army and build a strong fortress, The Chess Battalion. His aides are all powerful in intelligent and combat. His spies are everywhere. However, he has a weakness. His right hand and his confidante secretly have ulterior motive to revenge against him. In the brink of falling, imperial family of Qi is struggling to just live under the control of eunuch Qiu. After the rebellion to topple down the eunuch failed, the current emperor, Qi Yan, becomes a puppet. His life is controlled with poison and injury, his movement is limited and monitored, his brothers are all hostage, his friends are faraway, and he can be replace/ killed anytime. However, all of those are just an act. Unknown by many people, except two trusted allies, he plan everything to defeat his enemy. He must be perfect and patient in every step he takes. No room for mistake and weakness or the dynasty will meet the end and all sacrifice that had been made would be vain. Interestingly, besides Qi Yan, there are two other people who are plotting, the Qui foster daughter, and the Third Unknown Party.
The strongest aspect of "Stand by Me" is the story itself. The stakes are already so high since the beginning. All good people are in jeopardized situation. The position of the emperor is very unique. In the chess game, the King must be protected, but Qi Yan is exposed. From various angles, he is already check-mate. He is purposefully kept alive only for the eunuch to maintain supremacy and control over the land. He is humiliated and forced to wear "useless emperor" mask. Nobody believes in him, and all people in the country ridicule him as the dog of eunuch and accuse him as the throne usurper. The situation changes the day he got a female bodyguard (FL, Chen Ruoyu), who is initially sent by her master as a "honey trap" to kill him. Ruoyu saw him with sincere eyes and found the kind heart of emperor. She is the first outsider that trusts him fully and eases his emotional burden. They love and protect to each other dearly. Their relationship is so strong and there is no single day they misunderstood one another. Even though they were lacking in communication, they have faith to one another. This drama does not emphasis heavy romance between ML FL because love is never their issue.
Other things, the story is interestingly very plot-driven and not exploring the characters development. "Stand by Me" doesn't show typical character transformations e.g. villain turning into good people through redemption arc, or the good one becoming better after trials. The episode 1 to 49, the villain is villain, the good people are good ones. Instead, this drama presents a deep exploration about how far a villain can be, and how far good people can be.
The main villain, eunuch Qiu is not a typical villain. He climbed the ladder of power from bellow to the top, mastered high martial arts, gained supporter among eunuchs and corrupt ministers, and build military power. This vertical mobilization is made possible by imperial family itself which is knows as ruthless and killing each other to get the throne. So, he join the game and gain victory for himself. From the outside, he looks like a funny man, sometimes acts childishly, and intelligent. But, he is vicious, ambitious, and psychopathic. He punish and kill people like having fun. He rules with terror and fear, but people are gravitated and dependent to him. Every time he makes his moves, we instantly feel, "Oh, no. They will be doomed," toward the good ones, because he is above the cloud.
The main hero, the emperor, ML, is not like other emperor hero which is often depicted as powerful, handsome, and revered. He is powerless, sickly, and despised by his people. But, he has a big golden heart. For years, he keeps the truth, emotional torment, and suffering to himself, while tries his best to do his duty, to crack the cage slowly, patiently and selflessly. He play along the scheme of eunuch, but nothing fears him. He is ready to die anytime, but refuse to die easily. His moves are silent rebellion and he uses his Uncle Prince to use people to serve his cause unknowingly. In the end of the story, he has many people that stand by him. The second hero is the Uncle Prince who although has a dream to be a king, he still maintain his dignity and loyalty. He is a grateful person and never change his heart to become a greedy person. The third heroine is the FL. She changes from naively righteous and compassionate girl to more mature and powerful without losing her trademark. She has no trust issue and can see people clearly as trustworthy or not and love them unconditionally. The fourth heroin is the FL's sister. She is a good girl in disguise, a sheep in a wolf's clothing. She plays like a villain, but actually carefully plan everything to defeat her enemy without exposing her true self and mission. She is physically weak, but strong at heart.
Another thing worth to mention is, the characters in this drama are not emotionally explosive during emotional scenes. They are all calm, calculative, and careful. Their sad tears are flowing in repressed manner. In anger, the tension is never overboard and their voices are kept low. There are many moments of silence, when they are thinking and calming themselves. They are full control of themselves, and never do anything by the force of circumstances alone. Every move is based on calculation and hypothesis. Like playing chess, they are all future oriented.
"Stand by Me" has a beautiful ending that can be interpreted in two ways. One, the emperor is finally died peacefully in the shoulder of his beloved and trusted uncle. The state is stabilized and secure. His name is cleared and his wish fulfilled. His beloved woman is free of duty and now living a civilian life. Two, the emperor is finally died peacefully, as stated in historical record. But, he is not really died. Not explicitly showed, the last scenes of episode 49 tell a possibility that he comes back to FL. First, FL don't accept his death when the bell ringing in the city, announcing the emperor has gone. Second, the music is beautiful and the smile of FL is wide, teary, and beautiful after surprised on a man visiting her shop. That kind of smile is full of happiness, like a smile for a lover long not see. It is like the ending of The Untamed.
"Stand by Me" maybe is too heavy for audience who refuse to think and follow the talks, events, and moves. So indeed, it is not everyone cup of coffee. Many scenes of this drama cannot be skipped, or the tracks will be lost and you don't know what is happening. Gratefully, the story is so engaging intellectually and emotionally, and ML FL both have great visual and characterization. This drama is almost zero plot hole, every question is answered, and the ending is full-round. It is worth to re-watch.
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A perfect heroic tragedy wuxia
It is 10/10. Solid in every aspect of story telling. Although it follows typical successful wuxia tropes, it doesn't lose originality, novelty, and poetic quality.It follows a similar pattern we saw in dramas such as Nirvana in Fire (2015) and The Blood of Youth (2022) which focus the story on one central figure, the tragic hero, and his struggle to find the truth. Mysterious Lotus Casebook (MLC) starts from a downfall and ends with tragedy. We starts from zero and in the end, all return to zero again, creating a full complete circle. Our hero lost everything: his power, skills, fame, status/ position, and friends/ followers. He was defeated by his enemies and by his own mistake. When he was in a grave danger, a bikhu saved his life and he was reborn. He found new purpose of life and lived a humble and wiser life with new identity and changed personality. Everything is seemingly normal again, but a scar from the past forced him to return to the jianghu and involved in the conflicts. He found new friends and gain various supports to fulfill his mission. He was successful after so many hardships. He regained his former glory. However, his righteousness drove him to the path of self-sacrifice for the greater good and for the people he loved. In the end, he let go everything with a content heart. He died peacefully, and was loved by everybody.
The strongest aspects of MCL is first, the characterization of the main character, Li Lianhua. His development is so clear and flows naturally. We easily understand why he become or does this and that. He is a very positive and mature person who learns from mistakes and gains wisdom. The past is not turning him into a person with psychological issues. He is without emotional baggage so that he is able to stay firm when confronting people from his pasts. When he was confronted by his past lover, Qiao Wanmian, his sadness is there, but he stayed level headed. When watching this particular scene, I was so afraid that the story would follow the romance tropes where the male cannot resist his feeling and rebuild the romantic relationship. Or, during the marriage scene, the male usually is burnt with jealousy, and use the only chance to cure the female, to show romantic gestures. Gratefully, it is not. Other thing is the consistency from the start to the end, not only for Li Lianhua, but also for the other male main characters. Their personalities are different to each other, but their relationship is so harmonious, thus enjoyable to watch. They don't make stupid moves and every act is effective.
Second, the amazing plot twists. MCL is the drama that should be watched patiently with open and clear mind. Don't rush to know the ending of each case and of the overall story. Protect your viewing experience from spoilers, because it definitely will ruined the twists and thrills. The first part of MCL (episode 1 to 20-30) are basically detective story. They are solving mysteries by following clues and leads. Not knowing or understanding many things in the beginning to the mid part of the case are normal to bear, and in the end we will certainty get the explanation. Just wait and see. The drama is very skillful at when to close and disclose important information for the viewers. We, viewers, are "cheated", believing false truth, and by the time everything is finally revealed, it feels shockingly great. It is really not like most dramas that place viewers as know-all-things so that we are becoming impatient watching clueless characters in screen. The drama is very careful at telling the past events and the flashbacks are contained in character perception or memory. So, we understand the story from the character's interpretation of that event. Meanwhile, the past facts are told through dialogue between characters, documents, and relics.
Third, the mixed genre is so good. It is a wuxia that is laden with action and sword plays. It is a tragedy, but full of comedy. However, it is also a mystery story with a suspense, horror, and gore. When they are exploring a tomb, a cave, underground facilities, or a body of deceased, with minimal lights, it is so scary. When they meet the zombie, ghosts, and the beast, my heart beats so fast. This drama has balance day and night scenes. When it should be scary, it is set at night. When it should by funny, it is on broad day light. It has romance (mature love), brotherhood, family, and companionship. It has moment of togetherness and adventure as well as a moment of solitude and self-reflection. The evil people are evil without white washing them with "good" humane motive. The jealous person is jealous. The greedy is greed. The crazy is crazy. No excuse. No feeling sorry. We don't mix the good and the bad. The previously evil or bad person becomes good in our eyes after they experience certain events in the story, not because of the subjective experience or pitiful past that begs our sympathy. It is good for us not knowing about the royal story behind why Jiao Liqiao is crazy, why Shan Gu Dao is jealous and cruel, etc. It is on their character, not circumstances. They are bound to received punishment as their retribution/ karma.
Those are things that make this drama stands out, IMO. I don't find any serious weakness. Of course, sometimes the CGI is not perfect, the performance is somewhat a bit lacking, the mobile house is weird (look small from the outside, but spacious inside), etc. We can overlook those and enjoy the story itself. It is so good, lets watch and re-watch!
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Hope versus despair. But, the story is going astray.
Story (6 out of 10)Love is Panacea perhaps is not everyone's cup of tea. It is a drama, but not dramatic. Its comedy is not comedic/ funny. It is not romantic enough, and not giving us emotional roller-coaster like in LYX's previous romantic comedy and romantic tragedy (e.g. Love is Sweet, Till the End of the Moon). You won't be able to binge watch it or be addicted to it because it is too flat and boring (sorry).
I have finished 20 episodes so far and I want to drop it. After the Lacaya arc, this drama lost its strenght i.e. the story theme. When they highlight Huntington Disease, I thought it would become Chinese "1 Liter of Tears". When they showed economic and social issues as well as the moral dilemma around the society and people with terminal illness or incurable disease (poor Sukun and his AIDS, the tragic general with brain tumor, etc), it is really hit my emotion and sympathy. This arc is like an introduction for the Huntington disease part. I prepared myseld to cry so badly, but... nothing is happened after that.
From Lacaya arc, I learnt that life is basically a tragedy. Many people are unlucky to have a full and free life. Unhappiness is bound to happen. In this context, doctors as part of privileged, powerful, and well-off group in society, plays a big role in bringing back happiness to people' heart. But, when they are back to China, to a luxurious city where nobody is struggling to live, those morale and inspiration are gone! It turned out to be a cheap romance, toxic, inhumane, and full of jealousy. Can't they just focus on the medical story, the support, and healthy romance so we (especially with medical conditions) can relate and feel heard? The story lost its promise.
It is a relief that in the beginning, this drama depicts Dr. Gu as a mature and experienced man as well as a professional and dutiful person. His idealism is the moral of the story. He is a person who have faith, "Instead of letting them die in despair, why don't we let them put up a fight? Sometimes love may create miracles. Everything is worth it when you're with your loved ones." His faith is the premise of this drama. How reliable is his faith to face the next challenge when his beloved is the one with incurable disease? This faith makes him the strongest character (emotionally, intellectually, and morally). Will he always be strong? Nope. Back in China, he turned out to be like an immature young boy, chasing after a woman who repeatedly push him away. The story forgot he is a very much adult. His charisma is destroyed. Why should romance make a person less intelligence? I am so disappointed with his character declined development.
And for the female main, Su Wei'an, her depressed personality is not interesting. We understand how an illness can rob many things from a person. But, the story didn't give us enough explanation for her depression or disappointment (the root cause why she wanted to end her life). Did she has a dream that she invested everything to achieve it? Did she has a family that she wants their happiness so much? Did she has a life that is so promising in other eyes? No exploration about those. And, she knows she had a psychological problem, but why she didn't meet any counselor to get help? Her decision is not logical, in fact she was formerly a medical student and definetely learnt about that kind of thing. She doesn't possess positive mindset and strong mentality, which make me wonder how spoiled is her upbringing?
Other weak parts:
Music. Not memorable. Boring. No banger.
Antagonists: Wen Ran, so egoistic. How could she be a doctor? Dr. Li, insane. How could she be a psychiatrist? I want to punch their faces!
Support characters: Jiang Muying, she is so good in Lacaya. But, in China, she lacks contribution to the story. She is just a side-kick and secret keeper for female lead. Fang Mingfan, he takes so long to solve his phobia, and at best, he is just a commentator of love between the main leads.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama has great villains and heroes but is weak in resolving conflicts.
The Double is like rain after a drought of good quality C-Dramas in 2024. Initially, I didn't expect it to be this great. But, after completing all the episodes, I would say this one might be in the same league as the phenomenal, Nirvana in Fire (NIF), as the best revenge drama of this year.Revenge historical dramas are usually not easy to watch because the plots are often quite complex, especially when connected to palace politics and intrigues. To enjoy them, we must pay attention to each milestone and understand the strategies and tactics to reach the targets. Because of these reasons, watching dramas in this genre can be tiring and boring if the story and plot are not captivating enough. Fortunately, 'The Double' is able to overcome this challenging aspect of a drama. For the majority of the episodes, I could not fast forward because it is really interesting, entertaining, and thrilling.
The story is the biggest strength of this drama. First, to help us understand and follow the storyline, and to manage the large number of characters, this drama smartly uses an episodic story structure every 4-5 episodes. We see this from the changing settings, such as moving from the mountain temple back to the capital city, then to Luyang City and several other cities, before returning to the capital again. In each place, we get a smaller story that contributes to the main story, and in each smaller story, we see targets achieved one by one. The storyline is mainly chronological. Backstories and flashbacks exist in certain parts, but they primarily help us understand the characters' motivations and personality development.
Secondly, I love how this drama heavily embraces realism and shows us two balanced perspectives from the elites and the commoners. This drama explores themes that are not commonly found in other C-dramas such as gender equality, women roles in society, social class and mobility, patriarchy, poverty, abuse of power, tyranny, greediness, etc. The tragedy that befell onto many characters are the results of society sickness. This context makes the struggle to seek justice and uphold righteousness in this drama very grounded, relevant, and realistic.
After the story, the most interesting aspects are the characters and their development, and the portrayal of trauma and the emotional scars left by trauma on several characters. I personally love the male lead (Duke Su) and the second male lead (Shen Yurong) because, as romantic partners of the female lead, they have such different personalities, like heaven and earth. Shen Yurong is the former husband of the female lead. He is an intelligent, kind, and gifted scholar who highly upholds his idealism. However, he lacks the agency and bravery to fight for what is right, and therefore cannot protect his beloved wife and is forced to do horrible things. Meanwhile, Duke Su is a military man, the later husband of FL. He is intelligent, powerful, and feared by many, but cold and ruthless in doing right things for the emperor and for the sake of the nation. This contrast is meaningful because it tells us that without power and bravery, you cannot uphold your idealism.
Besides the male characters, I love how this drama presents the villains. The biggest villain is Princess Wanning and her allies in the palace, along with her brother, a military general planning a coup. Princess Wanning is characterized as a psychopath (torturing, controlling, and lacking remorse). However, the story tells her complete background, showing why she turned out this way, and reveals her human side that deserves compassion. Similarly, the second biggest villain, the female lead’s stepmother, becomes a manipulative woman seeking power and domination, but also love and attention, due to her suffering. In the past, she was an innocent flower, but her family forced her to take the evil path. Besides them, there are several minor villains, each with eccentric, ruthless, and corrupt personalities, posing a great danger to the female lead in her pursuit of justice.
Overall, this drama is a story about society, not merely about revenge. The context and environment are realistically portrayed. This is a world of ancient China where family status, reputation, and position are the three most important things, and people can turn into beasts pursuing them. Meanwhile, women are loved, educated, and trained well, just to be used as tools to gain and maintain power by their men. In this aspect, I can say that this drama surpasses the masterpiece, 'Nirvana in Fire/ NIF' which is too high-politics and captures mainly the dynamic among elites and didn't provide us more insight about society. Furthermore, there is a balance between the use of hard power (military power, martial art skill) and soft power (manipulation, influence, deception, and intimidation).
However, from a problem-solving perspective or in terms of problem resolution, the story lacks sophistication because success is guaranteed from the beginning. There are no surprising twists in the middle that could make us worry about their potential defeat (In "Nirvana in Fire," we have the scene where Mei Changsu is poisoned, imprisoned, and nearly dies). We don't experience any gritty or desperate moments between the female lead and male lead because both of them are so capable and manage everything adeptly. Furthermore, upon closer examination, it's unclear what is truly at stake. Firstly, the emperor supports the protagonists, while the villains in the palace lack strong political influence. Secondly, the questionable identity of the female lead poses no significant threat to the Jiang family beyond a tarnished reputation. Thirdly, the romance between the male lead and female lead feels unearned and lacks any meaningful trade-offs. Fourth, the villains are ruthless to anybody, but the leads. Everybody dies, but the leads. Fifth, in the end, the wrong doing of Princess Wanning toward FL and her family is not exposed to the world. She just died by killing herself after mistaking the intention of her lover, who poisoned her for political purpose, and being heartbroken. The same goes for the second male lead (Shen Yurong). He killed himself because the female lead no longer loved him and that he couldn't return to the beautiful past days, not because he understood why he had failed his own idealism. So, the justice is not served well.
This drama is perfect until episode 30. The last 10 episodes are a downfall, making the story anticlimactic. It's a good idea for the female lead to try to make the second male lead admit his wrongdoing, but she does so as if they were strangers. In fact, they were husband and wife who loved each other. It's understandable and valid for his reasons like 'I had no choice' and 'I had to protect my mother and sister.' However, the emotion remaining in the female lead's heart is just hatred and anger, while the second male lead feels guilty and regretful. Psychologically, it doesn't make sense because it seems forced for the plot to make the female lead and male lead become lovers. It would be a redemption story if FL helps him remind his true heart before entering palace, and he turns out to be her another hand to revenge Princess Wanning, playing new role as a trojan horse.
It's a significant development that Princess Wanning finally succeeds in trapping the female lead inside her game. However, it feels wrong to leave her safely in jail without any torture. This action seems out of character and misses the potential for a desperate scene that could increase the stakes and conflict, pushing the emotions and motivation to succeed in the revenge mission and save the nation. Additionally, the episodes involving the coup d'état are shallow and lack complexity, with less strategic movement. This should have been the climactic moment to leave a deep impression on the audience, but instead, it feels like an everyday event. It could have been a great war within the country and against an evil neighboring country simultaneously. This final development would have made the deaths of Duke Su's two aides more acceptable. Alternatively, they could have provided Prince Chen with a more compelling reason to stage a coup, such as seeking revenge for Princess Wanning, who was taken hostage, or aspiring to become a braver emperor and defend against enemy countries. It's disappointing that Prince Chen, as the main culprit behind the country's suffering, is portrayed as merely greedy for power, without a higher purpose.
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