so f****** peak
as a lover of romantasy books, this bl felt like a dream. everything about the forbidden romance, the palace set felt like a webtoon come to life. for book lovers out there, this is like twisted games but make it gay.
I was looking forward to this drama months before it was released, then I kinda of forgot about it and only just watched it now as it came on netflix. boy should I have watched ts sooner. the main relationship was SO cute I had to replay all their interactions it had me swooning.
I had seen some negative reviews about this drama being underwhelming so going in I was cautious. and yes, this is not without it's faults. the acting at the start from the side characters was quite bad and I usually don't say this. the few action fighting sequences we get with Charan acting as a guard and fighting off attackers were pretty underwhelming and felt scripted and not real. you couldn't see the strength in his strikes. maybe that's because I just watched bloodhounds and before that rewatched weak hero but idk. also although I love the main couple so much I couldn't help but think their kisses were a bit funny to watch..is that just me? idk. same with some of their spicier scenes like some bits were cute others just felt like -especially khanin- he was trying too hard to be sexy that it didn't feel authentic idk. it did at some bits too but other times both of them were cringe.
also I think the plot in general with the courts and the assassins was very weak and poorly written. the plot was so one dimensional and it felt very straightforward and uncomplex. honestly it was just too good to be true.
khanin's biological dad was just so nice that it honestly pissed me off because he had no personality other than being nice. it just felt so unrealistic that he was so kind and considerate to khanin and that he would accept him giving up his title, not competing in the competition etc.. like come on man, give us some backlash, some plot!! your sons actions quite literally affect whether you have a right to rule and your chilling??!? where is the sense of urgency?? we get a bit more substance from the grandfather's character, but still, I feel like the story could have been told better (i.e by me, I have some ideas).
we should have gotten more angst in charan and khanin's relationship due to it being forbidden (either due to them both being male or because of the class difference between a guard and a prince or both would have been interesting) and them navigating that and fighting backlash from the grandfather, the courts and the press. I feel like that would have made the plot of this drama so much more intriguing. instead of whatever the hell the plot was. the writer needs to hit me up.
and the ending in what happens to khanin as a character was honestly so underwhelming and disappointing. the way he and his father had a whole conversation and were like yeah we should have a democracy 😀👍like come on this storytelling is actually pathetic what are we 10??? like wdym your happy to give up your power that easily like for no reason. no explanation. like I said, this has been written very weakly with not enough backstory.
despite the fact that these multiple factors made me cringe quite a lot in this drama, I still was hooked and binged the entire thing in 3 days more or less. because despite all its shortcomings the romance at its heart was what kept me going and honestly now that it's over I'm distraught. all I want to do right now is rewatch from the beginning. and I rarely feel that with dramas. the episodes just kept flying by and all of a sudden I realised I was on 13 and a sudden sorrow washed over me that this was not enough!!
charan and khanin are actually my roman empire. I'm so obsessed with Charan and his stoic, strict nature, bound by duty, who slowly unravels because of his love for khanin. honestly I live for ts. I do wish we had more build up, more angst, sexual tension, longing glances and discreet touches in public before they got together. that would have been so peak. maybe I'm just inspired by Bridgerton season 2 and pride and prejudice idk. like this show was peak but it could have been even more peak😭😭so I understand why some people have negative reviews.
the second couple (ramil and his lover) omg I actually can't. I felt so bad for the lover (I forgot his name) like the poor boy does NOT deserve the coward pos ramil is omg!! every time they came on screen I was screaming for the boy to just leave him!! he deserved so much more it pained me and I physically recoiled watching their scenes. idk it just felt so toxic and icky. I am a fan of dark romance and red flags (or at least, I thought I was) but ramil's romance/obsession with his lover honestly made me physically cringe it was so repulsive. I just felt like there was a power imbalance and that it wasn't true love.
all in all, this has gotta be the longest review I've written for a drama. if you've gotten this far, props to you, and honestly please watch this drama it's actually so good if you just switch off and focus on the romance!!
I was looking forward to this drama months before it was released, then I kinda of forgot about it and only just watched it now as it came on netflix. boy should I have watched ts sooner. the main relationship was SO cute I had to replay all their interactions it had me swooning.
I had seen some negative reviews about this drama being underwhelming so going in I was cautious. and yes, this is not without it's faults. the acting at the start from the side characters was quite bad and I usually don't say this. the few action fighting sequences we get with Charan acting as a guard and fighting off attackers were pretty underwhelming and felt scripted and not real. you couldn't see the strength in his strikes. maybe that's because I just watched bloodhounds and before that rewatched weak hero but idk. also although I love the main couple so much I couldn't help but think their kisses were a bit funny to watch..is that just me? idk. same with some of their spicier scenes like some bits were cute others just felt like -especially khanin- he was trying too hard to be sexy that it didn't feel authentic idk. it did at some bits too but other times both of them were cringe.
also I think the plot in general with the courts and the assassins was very weak and poorly written. the plot was so one dimensional and it felt very straightforward and uncomplex. honestly it was just too good to be true.
khanin's biological dad was just so nice that it honestly pissed me off because he had no personality other than being nice. it just felt so unrealistic that he was so kind and considerate to khanin and that he would accept him giving up his title, not competing in the competition etc.. like come on man, give us some backlash, some plot!! your sons actions quite literally affect whether you have a right to rule and your chilling??!? where is the sense of urgency?? we get a bit more substance from the grandfather's character, but still, I feel like the story could have been told better (i.e by me, I have some ideas).
we should have gotten more angst in charan and khanin's relationship due to it being forbidden (either due to them both being male or because of the class difference between a guard and a prince or both would have been interesting) and them navigating that and fighting backlash from the grandfather, the courts and the press. I feel like that would have made the plot of this drama so much more intriguing. instead of whatever the hell the plot was. the writer needs to hit me up.
and the ending in what happens to khanin as a character was honestly so underwhelming and disappointing. the way he and his father had a whole conversation and were like yeah we should have a democracy 😀👍like come on this storytelling is actually pathetic what are we 10??? like wdym your happy to give up your power that easily like for no reason. no explanation. like I said, this has been written very weakly with not enough backstory.
despite the fact that these multiple factors made me cringe quite a lot in this drama, I still was hooked and binged the entire thing in 3 days more or less. because despite all its shortcomings the romance at its heart was what kept me going and honestly now that it's over I'm distraught. all I want to do right now is rewatch from the beginning. and I rarely feel that with dramas. the episodes just kept flying by and all of a sudden I realised I was on 13 and a sudden sorrow washed over me that this was not enough!!
charan and khanin are actually my roman empire. I'm so obsessed with Charan and his stoic, strict nature, bound by duty, who slowly unravels because of his love for khanin. honestly I live for ts. I do wish we had more build up, more angst, sexual tension, longing glances and discreet touches in public before they got together. that would have been so peak. maybe I'm just inspired by Bridgerton season 2 and pride and prejudice idk. like this show was peak but it could have been even more peak😭😭so I understand why some people have negative reviews.
the second couple (ramil and his lover) omg I actually can't. I felt so bad for the lover (I forgot his name) like the poor boy does NOT deserve the coward pos ramil is omg!! every time they came on screen I was screaming for the boy to just leave him!! he deserved so much more it pained me and I physically recoiled watching their scenes. idk it just felt so toxic and icky. I am a fan of dark romance and red flags (or at least, I thought I was) but ramil's romance/obsession with his lover honestly made me physically cringe it was so repulsive. I just felt like there was a power imbalance and that it wasn't true love.
all in all, this has gotta be the longest review I've written for a drama. if you've gotten this far, props to you, and honestly please watch this drama it's actually so good if you just switch off and focus on the romance!!
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