For all the issues of this drama, I want to share my appreciation for the good aspects of this drama, which I will appreciate for a long time to come, only because they seem to be so rare in cdramaland:
1. Overall the writing is better than most of the dramas being crunched out these days. And, in the first third, I greatly appreciate how they made fun of so many common drama tropes in a fresh, funny way (her dying in a hundred different ways, the first three kisses, the "iconic" scenes, etc.). The use of the scriptwriter's keyboard clacking was such a funny and refreshing plot device and it never got old for me - it was hilarious each time. 2. I appreciate that they flesh out the side characters and capture their humanness, their unspoken thoughts, and the grayness of their inner world. For example, I didn't expect them to give the 2nd ML (CGH) such a complex character, showing his blindspots and that he's not uncategorically "good." I also appreciate the complexity of the FL's father, who is largely silent and cunning in his own way but he's also expressive, wiling to reconsider where he went wrong, and his actor is able to convey his unspoken thoughts quite powerfully in those scenes. I also really enjoyed the 2nd FL's (FL's sister) complexity and her arc, seeing how her cunning, headstrong character comes out in a different way (than what the original "the script" planned). Many other characters are less one-dimensional than I expected. 3. Great editing, especially in the first third, along with the song choices, really created a special type of storytelling and atmosphere that I hadn't experienced in any other drama that made me truly laugh out loud more than once. Comedic storytelling is so hard to do and the combination of the acting and the editing is really just chef's kiss for me. I've seen it done well in kdramas but rarely in cdramas like this. 4. There's actually continuity and thought put into creating realistic elements, particularly the actors having somewhat realistic wounds and reactions of pain in the days after. I appreciate that they actually mess up the FL's hair and really gave her some gnarly wounds on her face (even if they healed impeccably a few scenes afterwards). The ML winces with pain that matches the back lashes he suffered and showing the blood coming out from his back. They have her realistically struggle with trying to prop up his body after they fall from the cliff. These are all details that really help me immerse in the drama and that are sadly overlooked in other dramas. 5. Two leads who can actually act! They can do both funny and serious/dramatic. The FL is wicked funny and props (sad that the bar is this low, but props nonetheless) that she doesn't mind looking "ugly" for comedic effect or for the story. I also found LYN surprisingly great at comedy as well - but not in a way where he tries but because he responds true to his character and therefore makes it hilarious (like all his "huh's" and how he yells when she pulls him off the cliff). 6. Some of those sets are quite elaborate and new, and I'm impressed by the effort put into them, particularly Waning River Cresent. 7. Last but not least, some of the ML as Seventh Prince's outfits are DAMN GORGEOUS with that lustrous fabric. Love, love, love - I want it for myself! Jealous of LYN, heehee. I find myself also staring at a lot of FL's hairpieces; they're gorgeous as well and styled beautifully.
Given all these good things, this is why I will never understand WHY they made the FL (despite SO MUCH evidence) and the Emperor (who automatically blames his nine year old son for killing a grown woman without a proper investigation, gimme a break) SO SET on hating ML. Boggles my mind. But it doesn't take away from the great parts of this drama that I've really enjoyed and appreciated and rarely seen executed so well in other dramas.
I came here to exactly vent on this. You said it all point for point. FL's persistent "Nan Heng = Super, duper…
Yes, this is the greatest travesty of this drama. We finally get an awesome FL who is smart and really funny (!) with an actress who can act but then they drive her character to this point. I mourn the drama that could've been. It would've been an absolute treat to see the ML, who only wants to be trusted, to slowly be loved by the FL, who begins to trust him and stand by his side. Alas it's not to be. *tears hair out and screams into the void*
Edit: I don't want to put all the responsibility on the FL though. ML had plenty of opportunities to communicate clearly... but didn't. So the onus isn't purely on the FL for not understanding or accepting the ML.
This is a really good and bewitching drama but I do feel like some criticism is justified, and people are being…
I came here to exactly vent on this. You said it all point for point. FL's persistent "Nan Heng = Super, duper bad guy" stopped being logical many, many episodes ago. I'll add that they made her a "know-it-all," which adds to her dislikeability. Just because she read a script once doesn't mean she suddenly knows and understands all these people through and through, especially (as Nan Heng says) they are living, breathing beings right in front of her. But her not taking any of those words to heart just makes her feel stubborn, callous, and arrogant.
It seems like everyone is face palming about episode 12. I feel less alone.
I'm so disappointed. The first season was so good. I loved this drama and its characters because they built an actual friendship/relationship of respect and trust between the FL and ML - and now this... Pulling out every tired trope in dramaland. For what? It would've been so much more satisfying and aligned for us to see FL and ML move through each of these challenges as equals with the communication, trust, transparency, and respect that they've established. THAT is the drama I wanted to continue watching, and it would've made it infinitely more interesting that what this has devolved into.
I'm so miffed by ep 6 - thoughts in comment below.
First, apples don't fall far from the same tree, do they? Ever since a few episodes back when the brother was making those evil eyes at JCY when MD fell sick, I knew it was bad news bears. His eyes and attitude are all too reminiscent of his (deceased) sister's... And then we saw his eyeyes darting back and forth all over this episode. It seems that it's the quiet, deeply insecure ones - the ones that are all like "Oh, poor me, I'm so sorry that I can't do more" - that we seem to have to most watch out for.
Second, I hope this misunderstanding between Mu Dan and Jiang Chang Yang doesn't last long. I know that love can make people lose sight of things, but it's hard for me to believe that two EXTREMELY astute people as themselves would let this misunderstanding fester. I hope the story susses it out by the end of ep 7 - otherwise I see it as a cheap story mechanism when the writing has otherwise been good.
IMHO, it really shouldn't have been a misunderstanding in the first place. The brother has had red flag energy from the beginning. The brother has made his feelings clear on JCY and yet he's the one who delivered the gift - with a smile at that.. JCY should have clued in on that immediately.
The premise of this drama is so unique and interesting to me, but I just can't with the FL. Flailing, screaming, overdramatic, self-absorbed. It's too obvious to me that ML and FL are not compatible by any stretch of the imagination.
Mudan doesn't think she is worthy of him. She is not confident in herself. I don't blame her. She can't really…
I'm not feeling this. She isn't Shengyi - that's the whole point of Shengyi being a foil in the drama to MuDan, and the whole point of the last conversation that they had in her yard. MuDan sees herself as such as capable and worthy as any man, woman, plant, or shrub, rich or poor. It's one of the main themes of the drama.
I don't think it's because MuDan doesn't think she's worthy of JCY. Perhaps other FLs in other dramas would feel this way - but not MuDan. If she really felt this way, she would be more deferential towards JCY, but the only time she did that was when she thought he was capable of killing people. Once that got cleared up, she went back to treating him like a good ol chum. She's made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to get married and sees (as of now) JCY as a good friend.
I think Mu Dan has to make the first move. If she doesn’t because she thinks it’s a fake marriage the concubine…
You've gotta give JCY wayyyyyy more credit than that. Do you understand their characters? The leads are extremely sharp, astute, calculated, and intentional. They're the ones who manipulate/influence others, not the other way around.
Knowing his character, his connection with MuDan, and him knowing what the second lady is up to, I find it extremely hard to believe that she'll "get" to him. That'd be child's play and this drama's writing is not child's play by any stretch of the imagination.
Just finished ep.32, it’s ended harmoniously, we know that JCY has fallen in love with her, but he suppresses…
JCY is clearly in it - I think MuDan is getting there. JCY is holding back because MuDan has expressed multiple times that she sees him as a friend, frames the marriage as fake, and greatly values her freedom; as such, I think JCY is doing an extremely loving thing by respecting her wishes and not imposing himself on her.* It is a deeply loving act, and this is what truly healthy, unconditional love actually looks like. And I love the drama for it - he has always allowed her to make her own decisions from the beginning because he respects her as her own empowered person. Real love can only bloom from this kind of foundation - a true partnership.
I don't think MuDan is in denial but that she is clearly occupied by many things (she's simply a woman who doesn't center romance in her life - both shocking and absolutely amazing in dramaland), although seeds have been planted in her heart. I think that there will come a point when the seeds bloom fully in her heart and she realizes that she had already begun falling for him awhile ago.
I love the way that this drama has done this slow burn - it is realistic and meaningful. This is the kind of love that I want to unfold in my life. Two people who become true friends, who deeply respect and support one another, falling in love step-by-step as they walk side-by-side and support each other through life's journey. Natural, organic. Chef's kiss.
In Part 2, though, I do hope JCY puts down the mask and shows more of his true self and emotions with MuDan. That's my only reservation so far.
*I want to add that, if JCY were to express or act on his emotions right now, he knows that it would effectively push MuDan away; he knows that she just isn't on the same page yet. If she knew JCY's real feelings at this point, knowing her character, she might take active strides to separate herself from JCY as to not want to cause him further discomfort and/or to avoid the possibility of seeming like she is taking advantage of his emotions - even though she wouldn't do that, I can see her standing on principle.
On a scale of 1 to 10:How satisfying is the ending???????
A perfect ending for Part 1. Excited to see how it develops even further in Part 2. Such a satisfying drama to see characters growing through multiple phases of life.
I feel deeply for Shengyi. A part of me, perhaps intuitively, perhaps from past lives, understands her trauma, her helplessness, her despair, her longing, her brokenness as a woman in a ruthless, unforgivingly sexist society. And also the pain of knowing that you not only have created your own internal prison of crippling beliefs and indoctrination, but that you believe you can never free yourself from it, and ultimately this is the greatest prison and pain of it all.
Bravo to the writer/drama for including this character. She represents a long part of women's history that cannot be ignored.
Ah! So much drama... Starting of Episode 26 reminded me of LYF... Cousin brother proposing marriage to his cousin…
We're talking the Tang Dynasty - this was a looooooooong time ago. Marriages between cousins were not unheard of - all around the world (look at Europe lol).
This drama is so good in that you see her cousin and Liu Chang in the same scene - both men so passionately ignorant and sexist. Neither of whom understand Mu Dan, neither asking her what she wants or what she thinks, but both of whom view her as a helpless, powerless woman. Such a good scene from that perspective.
The delusional ex husband gets sillier every episode.How does he think keeping her in a private mansion will make…
It's not about keeping her safe - it's about control, possession, and ego. He's a deeply morally-corrupt individual who thinks he's the world's only standing bastion of morality. The arrogance, the narcissism.
1. Overall the writing is better than most of the dramas being crunched out these days. And, in the first third, I greatly appreciate how they made fun of so many common drama tropes in a fresh, funny way (her dying in a hundred different ways, the first three kisses, the "iconic" scenes, etc.). The use of the scriptwriter's keyboard clacking was such a funny and refreshing plot device and it never got old for me - it was hilarious each time.
2. I appreciate that they flesh out the side characters and capture their humanness, their unspoken thoughts, and the grayness of their inner world. For example, I didn't expect them to give the 2nd ML (CGH) such a complex character, showing his blindspots and that he's not uncategorically "good." I also appreciate the complexity of the FL's father, who is largely silent and cunning in his own way but he's also expressive, wiling to reconsider where he went wrong, and his actor is able to convey his unspoken thoughts quite powerfully in those scenes. I also really enjoyed the 2nd FL's (FL's sister) complexity and her arc, seeing how her cunning, headstrong character comes out in a different way (than what the original "the script" planned). Many other characters are less one-dimensional than I expected.
3. Great editing, especially in the first third, along with the song choices, really created a special type of storytelling and atmosphere that I hadn't experienced in any other drama that made me truly laugh out loud more than once. Comedic storytelling is so hard to do and the combination of the acting and the editing is really just chef's kiss for me. I've seen it done well in kdramas but rarely in cdramas like this.
4. There's actually continuity and thought put into creating realistic elements, particularly the actors having somewhat realistic wounds and reactions of pain in the days after. I appreciate that they actually mess up the FL's hair and really gave her some gnarly wounds on her face (even if they healed impeccably a few scenes afterwards). The ML winces with pain that matches the back lashes he suffered and showing the blood coming out from his back. They have her realistically struggle with trying to prop up his body after they fall from the cliff. These are all details that really help me immerse in the drama and that are sadly overlooked in other dramas.
5. Two leads who can actually act! They can do both funny and serious/dramatic. The FL is wicked funny and props (sad that the bar is this low, but props nonetheless) that she doesn't mind looking "ugly" for comedic effect or for the story. I also found LYN surprisingly great at comedy as well - but not in a way where he tries but because he responds true to his character and therefore makes it hilarious (like all his "huh's" and how he yells when she pulls him off the cliff).
6. Some of those sets are quite elaborate and new, and I'm impressed by the effort put into them, particularly Waning River Cresent.
7. Last but not least, some of the ML as Seventh Prince's outfits are DAMN GORGEOUS with that lustrous fabric. Love, love, love - I want it for myself! Jealous of LYN, heehee. I find myself also staring at a lot of FL's hairpieces; they're gorgeous as well and styled beautifully.
Given all these good things, this is why I will never understand WHY they made the FL (despite SO MUCH evidence) and the Emperor (who automatically blames his nine year old son for killing a grown woman without a proper investigation, gimme a break) SO SET on hating ML. Boggles my mind. But it doesn't take away from the great parts of this drama that I've really enjoyed and appreciated and rarely seen executed so well in other dramas.
Edit: I don't want to put all the responsibility on the FL though. ML had plenty of opportunities to communicate clearly... but didn't. So the onus isn't purely on the FL for not understanding or accepting the ML.
Second, I hope this misunderstanding between Mu Dan and Jiang Chang Yang doesn't last long. I know that love can make people lose sight of things, but it's hard for me to believe that two EXTREMELY astute people as themselves would let this misunderstanding fester. I hope the story susses it out by the end of ep 7 - otherwise I see it as a cheap story mechanism when the writing has otherwise been good.
IMHO, it really shouldn't have been a misunderstanding in the first place. The brother has had red flag energy from the beginning. The brother has made his feelings clear on JCY and yet he's the one who delivered the gift - with a smile at that.. JCY should have clued in on that immediately.
I don't think it's because MuDan doesn't think she's worthy of JCY. Perhaps other FLs in other dramas would feel this way - but not MuDan. If she really felt this way, she would be more deferential towards JCY, but the only time she did that was when she thought he was capable of killing people. Once that got cleared up, she went back to treating him like a good ol chum. She's made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to get married and sees (as of now) JCY as a good friend.
Knowing his character, his connection with MuDan, and him knowing what the second lady is up to, I find it extremely hard to believe that she'll "get" to him. That'd be child's play and this drama's writing is not child's play by any stretch of the imagination.
I don't think MuDan is in denial but that she is clearly occupied by many things (she's simply a woman who doesn't center romance in her life - both shocking and absolutely amazing in dramaland), although seeds have been planted in her heart. I think that there will come a point when the seeds bloom fully in her heart and she realizes that she had already begun falling for him awhile ago.
I love the way that this drama has done this slow burn - it is realistic and meaningful. This is the kind of love that I want to unfold in my life. Two people who become true friends, who deeply respect and support one another, falling in love step-by-step as they walk side-by-side and support each other through life's journey. Natural, organic. Chef's kiss.
In Part 2, though, I do hope JCY puts down the mask and shows more of his true self and emotions with MuDan. That's my only reservation so far.
*I want to add that, if JCY were to express or act on his emotions right now, he knows that it would effectively push MuDan away; he knows that she just isn't on the same page yet. If she knew JCY's real feelings at this point, knowing her character, she might take active strides to separate herself from JCY as to not want to cause him further discomfort and/or to avoid the possibility of seeming like she is taking advantage of his emotions - even though she wouldn't do that, I can see her standing on principle.
Bravo to the writer/drama for including this character. She represents a long part of women's history that cannot be ignored.
This drama is so good in that you see her cousin and Liu Chang in the same scene - both men so passionately ignorant and sexist. Neither of whom understand Mu Dan, neither asking her what she wants or what she thinks, but both of whom view her as a helpless, powerless woman. Such a good scene from that perspective.