Brennnndda

I feel like the act itself is how they continue to show their love. Like, seeing the person they love well and happy is better than leaving and not knowing whether that person is dead or alive, happy or sad.
One of the reasons I adore historical dramas is because love was so hard to come by back then since marriages tended to be based on benefits and alliances. It wasn't a "well, we broke up but I can always find someone else" mentality, it was a "one life, one love" mentality.
The partner left behind could be vindictive and become an enemy but for men like him to willingly choose to be the protector, it's tragically beautiful. And, technically it is their choice to stay so they wouldn't see it as suffering, they'd see it as being true to themselves while still being allowed to be in their beloved's life.

It's only similar in that the male and female lead are separated because the female lead is forced to marry someone else and both female leads eventually become Empress Dowagers for their sons. The storytelling, characters, and tone of the dramas are quite different.

If anybody ever asks that question, the knee-jerk answer should be: "Depends on what it is"
It's like in Goodbye My Princess when Gu Xiao Wu told Xiao Feng the story about himself then asked her if she would forgive him if he hurt his friend to get revenge for his mom and she said of course she would...which probably made him feel a little less worse about wiping out her family.

She seems like a very good person and it would be nice for a change to not have a catty SFL.

Are you referring to her role in separating the lovers?

Agreed. His moments here he tries to be good to her after their marriage sickens me. He's trying to thaw her heart and I love how she just rebuffs him. I hope she doesn't grow to love him..at least not fall in love with him. He certainly doesn't deserve it.

They look and have a more mature aura about them and I would honestly hate seeing them try to pass off as 20-somethings.

I don't think that was on Wang Yi Bo because Lan Wang Ji is written as such. WYB is by no means a spectacular actor but I thought he played Lan Wang Ji to a certain perfection once he got comfortable with the character. For someone so young, he did a good job at the quiet nuances that defined Lan Wang Ji.

Your second paragraph is my reasoning for skipping many k-dramas. Don't get me wrong, there have been a handful of idols who've proven themselves as actors/actresses (Lee Joon, IU) but it still makes me angry when more capable actors are passed over for idol actors just because of popularity.

It has a more optimistic atmosphere than PoCA did, plus the characters (especially the female lead) are a lot more likable.

Helan Ming Yu was not a likable female lead. It could've been in part because of the actress's failure to convey complex emotions and partially because of how she was written but she was too wishy washy and self-righteous. She married a selfish man and had an incompetent, ungrateful son. She knew neither were worthy of ruling yet made excuses when they made mistakes. She then cursed the one man who loved and sacrificed everything for her to die at a young age all because he wouldn't surrender his hard-earned power over to her damn son even though said son continuously tried to kill him. (And the only reason he needed that power was to protect himself from her son.)

I do think Han De Rang is also much more fun to watch than Cheng Xu (love both Cheng Yi and Shawn Dou equally so it has nothing to do with the actors). Han De Rang doesn't have the blind trust that Cheng Xu had, which basically led to Cheng Xu losing everything. I think this will help him in the future when he returns to her side.

I think it's a much better improvement. Han De Rang won't be like Cheng Xu, sacrificing himself in vain to people who are ungrateful to him. From just the first couple of episodes, the characters are much better written than the PoCA characters. They're smart, capable, and not blind to the court politics in front of them.

I think it's so funny when characters steal that which isn't rightfully theirs then spend the rest of their lives insecure and paranoid lol

According to history she will and she will be regent for her son because her husband dies early.

Meteor Garden <3
The one that introduced me to Jerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Vanness Wu, and Ken Zhu.
My love for Vic made me watch Mars and Black and White which also became two of my all-time favorite TW-dramas.

What I like about these 3 is that they are incredibly mature. Like they each have their playfulness but when it comes to the bigger picture, they can see why they have to choose the paths they take. It's a stark contrast to say the second generation in Promise of Chang An where the emperor was trying to elope with his lover because she was betrothed to his brother. And even after his brother committed suicide because of them, dumbass emperor still married her anyways.

I was initially not going to watch this because the storyline of two lovers separated because of political reasons is too heartbreaking, especially when one lover pledges himself to be the protector. However, the cast is great and from just the first episode, I already love all the leads (including the sisters). The greatest travesty of this drama might just be the sisters turning against each other due to their loyalties to their husbands.
I also love the styling of the drama . I'm unfamiliar with the Liao dynasty so I don't know if it's accurate, but everyone looks marvelous!! I also love that the 2 male leads are best friends. Yes, it makes it hard when two best friends are fighting for the same girl, but when Han Derang chooses to be the protector, he'll do it not just because he loves the wife, but also because he loves the husband as well (in a brotherhood sense). His loyalty to them will be unquestionable.
It's odd because I grew up watching dramas of the Generals of the Yang Family from the Song dynasty so it's strange to see the perspective from the "enemy" camp this time around.

He is the son of the former crown prince

Not a fan of the male or female lead...but is this drama worth checking out??

If you liked Romance of Tiger and Rose, check out Oh! My Sweet Liar!
The storylines are not similar at all but the chemistry between the leads makes me think of the chemistry between Ryan Ding and Zhao Lu Si. Plus, it's a really light romantic drama to help pass the time.