5
1
Dark Historical Tale with Excessive Frosting.
You know that PQRST waves of the heart? The RST segment of the graph is an exact representation of my feelings towards this drama.
I don't consider dramas such as Prisoner of Beauty or Goodbye, My Princess as “Idol dramas” per se. So, I'll review it with the gravity of a serious one.
They clearly put some effort into shaping a good story and chose actors with skills without going overboard with all the nonsense that comes with aiming for popularity and fanbases rather than quality. (I'm looking at you Till The End of The Moon, which sacrificed its script for whatever that end product was.)
Now, this is out of the way, I'll begin my ramble:
☆ As usual, the story isn't new as far as CDramas are concerned. Basically, an intelligent girl is sent as a bride in hopes of repairing her family's past mistakes that led to the fall of the groom's clan. There she uses her wit, wisdom and charms to earn her husband's trust and his family's approval while attempting to save her clan from their wrath and navigating the turbulent political and social landscape.
☆ The star of the show is Xiao Qiao, who is portrayed convincingly as an intelligent, yet highly empathetic character by Song Zu Er, who has yet to disappoint me with her performances. I had seen her first in Legally Romance and I'm glad to see that she hasn't lost her quirky charm.
This is my first drama with Liu Yue Ning, and l he embodied the role of a General to tee. I don't think I'll go around squeaking rumours to him if I had been alive at that time, because he legit looks like he could snap you in half if he is enraged. The complicated relationship between him and his mother, his duty as the lord, his inner turmoil and confusion when it came to his family and Xiao Man were conveyed effectively to the viewer.
☆ I can't assess how bad actors are unless they are at a terrible level, but the entire cast was excellent. Particularly the maids and the generals who provided comic relief when necessary.
☆ The friendly banter between the advisor, the four generals, Wei Shao and their brotherhood, the bromance between Wei Qu and Wei Liang, the simple and heartfelt love between Wei Liang and Xiao Tao were some of highlights of the drama.
☆ And the romantic struggles between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao is definitely one to remember as its incongruence was extremely hilarious and funny.
☆ The antagonists came and went as they pleased when the script required, particularly during the latter half. I didn't particularly care for the Qiaos, except for the younger generation and Qiao Ping.
Xiao Man loved her grandfather, but I found him odious until the end.
It's not right, but I was annoyed that Xiao Man was going to extreme lengths to ensure her clan's survival because I despised their spinelessness.
Some of what irked me was addressed during the final six episodes, so I'll let it go.
☆ Are the costumes alright? Are the fight scenes done well? Are there conflicts to impel the characters? Yes to all three.
To be honest, I am not a huge fan of romance dramas, particularly CDramas as they tend to drag plotlines to excessive lengths in order to get the point across. Which might be why I have so many mixed feelings.
● As for the cold pricklies?
☆☆ •• The drama doesn't seem to have a lot going on when boiled down to the bones and this is one of those times I felt that the episodes could've been fewer.
☆ Personally, it seems to have the potential to be something very much better than it actually is. With this type of cookie cutter plots that already have superior predecessors, it's not surprising that I was expecting something more magnetic.
☆ I can see why there are people comparing this to Love Like the Galaxy or Blossom since the basic premise has a revenge driven Male lead and a smart female lead; but the major difference is definitely the romance.
☆ It was satisfying for the first 12 episodes or so, balancing out the romance with political subplots and scheming. The push and pull was adequate enough to keep me engaged and the dark undertones still existed, bringing some amount of tension that compelled me to go forward with the next episodes. Then, the drama changed tones entirely for around 15 or 16 episodes. And that too, there were a couple of moments sprinkled in between them that made me feel as excited as the first few and that was the only reason I stuck on till the end.
☆ The last few episodes in the late 20s, particularly 28 - 36 did revive the energy of the first few. It's not that I dislike the romance between Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao, but I almost felt bored watching those episodes. It did make me laugh and enjoy them, but I started to lose interest in the story as a whole, if you get what I mean.
☆ Do I dislike romance? Not at all! This one deserves a 9/10 for romance alone.
But, they depended on the actors' performances a bit too much. The story dawdles as a result of all this cute stuff in between, which was not what I expected. The last time I felt that the romance could be toned down was for Shinsengumi Youth Chronicles from last year, which deviated from a strong script and resorted to painful pining. Prisoner of Beauty reminded me of that.
☆ Yet, there are characters such as Wei Yan, Lady Xu, and dare I say, Da Qiao who don't have much screentime, but left a memorable/powerful impression. This is more than enough to convince me that you don't need multiple episodes focused on the Main leads alone to get your point across.
My favourite were Lady Xu, Wei Yan and the four generals along with their advisor. Even Da Qiao stole my attention.
☆ Da Qiao, who fades into the backdrop with just glimpses in between the episodes, was true to herself until the end. Her character felt underutilised to me.
☆ Lady Xu is my absolute favourite. I adore her interactions with Wei Yan and can understand how difficult her choices are. She is also the most empathetic and intelligent character in the drama to me; the second would be Xiao Qiao. (Because she suffered a much greater loss that most people would probably never heal from, yet she continued the Wei Clan's legacy.) She doesn't outright confront Xiao Qiao or Wei Shao when they are up to something - instead she plays a game of Chess. I loved how she set Xiao Qiao on the right track when she realized that the marriage was becoming a game of tit-for-tat between the two.
☆ I love Wei Yan a lot. Li Duan Duan was powerful in portraying multiple facets of the seemingly lazy cousin. Also, he was much more sharp when it came to making decisions. Even at times,more than Wei Shao.
He and Lady Xu's relationship was golden and an absolute delight to see.
☆ As for the antagonists? The cast did well, but the characters left no impressions for me.
☆ Something just seems to be missing, but I can't put my finger on it. In the end, the writers went overboard with the frosting for a drama that began with the right amount of tension and romance. On the bright side, it is perfect for romantics due to the same reason.
The final episodes felt out of touch as a result with the original tension returning, but it made me feel that there was insufficient screentime for certain characters. EP34 has an important scene, but the way it was handled was off-putting. The final few minutes of the last episode fell flat and rather hasty for me.
☆In short, if the story is divided into three parts, it has a strong start, mediocre middle and a weak ending. With more focus on romance.
☆ It's not a bad drama. But, the poor pacing and excessive ‘frosting’ took away my enthusiasm.
I don't think I'll rewatch this anytime soon. So, it's an 7.5/10 for me for now.
I don't consider dramas such as Prisoner of Beauty or Goodbye, My Princess as “Idol dramas” per se. So, I'll review it with the gravity of a serious one.
They clearly put some effort into shaping a good story and chose actors with skills without going overboard with all the nonsense that comes with aiming for popularity and fanbases rather than quality. (I'm looking at you Till The End of The Moon, which sacrificed its script for whatever that end product was.)
Now, this is out of the way, I'll begin my ramble:
☆ As usual, the story isn't new as far as CDramas are concerned. Basically, an intelligent girl is sent as a bride in hopes of repairing her family's past mistakes that led to the fall of the groom's clan. There she uses her wit, wisdom and charms to earn her husband's trust and his family's approval while attempting to save her clan from their wrath and navigating the turbulent political and social landscape.
☆ The star of the show is Xiao Qiao, who is portrayed convincingly as an intelligent, yet highly empathetic character by Song Zu Er, who has yet to disappoint me with her performances. I had seen her first in Legally Romance and I'm glad to see that she hasn't lost her quirky charm.
This is my first drama with Liu Yue Ning, and l he embodied the role of a General to tee. I don't think I'll go around squeaking rumours to him if I had been alive at that time, because he legit looks like he could snap you in half if he is enraged. The complicated relationship between him and his mother, his duty as the lord, his inner turmoil and confusion when it came to his family and Xiao Man were conveyed effectively to the viewer.
☆ I can't assess how bad actors are unless they are at a terrible level, but the entire cast was excellent. Particularly the maids and the generals who provided comic relief when necessary.
☆ The friendly banter between the advisor, the four generals, Wei Shao and their brotherhood, the bromance between Wei Qu and Wei Liang, the simple and heartfelt love between Wei Liang and Xiao Tao were some of highlights of the drama.
☆ And the romantic struggles between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao is definitely one to remember as its incongruence was extremely hilarious and funny.
☆ The antagonists came and went as they pleased when the script required, particularly during the latter half. I didn't particularly care for the Qiaos, except for the younger generation and Qiao Ping.
Xiao Man loved her grandfather, but I found him odious until the end.
It's not right, but I was annoyed that Xiao Man was going to extreme lengths to ensure her clan's survival because I despised their spinelessness.
Some of what irked me was addressed during the final six episodes, so I'll let it go.
☆ Are the costumes alright? Are the fight scenes done well? Are there conflicts to impel the characters? Yes to all three.
To be honest, I am not a huge fan of romance dramas, particularly CDramas as they tend to drag plotlines to excessive lengths in order to get the point across. Which might be why I have so many mixed feelings.
● As for the cold pricklies?
☆☆ •• The drama doesn't seem to have a lot going on when boiled down to the bones and this is one of those times I felt that the episodes could've been fewer.
☆ Personally, it seems to have the potential to be something very much better than it actually is. With this type of cookie cutter plots that already have superior predecessors, it's not surprising that I was expecting something more magnetic.
☆ I can see why there are people comparing this to Love Like the Galaxy or Blossom since the basic premise has a revenge driven Male lead and a smart female lead; but the major difference is definitely the romance.
☆ It was satisfying for the first 12 episodes or so, balancing out the romance with political subplots and scheming. The push and pull was adequate enough to keep me engaged and the dark undertones still existed, bringing some amount of tension that compelled me to go forward with the next episodes. Then, the drama changed tones entirely for around 15 or 16 episodes. And that too, there were a couple of moments sprinkled in between them that made me feel as excited as the first few and that was the only reason I stuck on till the end.
☆ The last few episodes in the late 20s, particularly 28 - 36 did revive the energy of the first few. It's not that I dislike the romance between Wei Shao and Xiao Qiao, but I almost felt bored watching those episodes. It did make me laugh and enjoy them, but I started to lose interest in the story as a whole, if you get what I mean.
☆ Do I dislike romance? Not at all! This one deserves a 9/10 for romance alone.
But, they depended on the actors' performances a bit too much. The story dawdles as a result of all this cute stuff in between, which was not what I expected. The last time I felt that the romance could be toned down was for Shinsengumi Youth Chronicles from last year, which deviated from a strong script and resorted to painful pining. Prisoner of Beauty reminded me of that.
☆ Yet, there are characters such as Wei Yan, Lady Xu, and dare I say, Da Qiao who don't have much screentime, but left a memorable/powerful impression. This is more than enough to convince me that you don't need multiple episodes focused on the Main leads alone to get your point across.
My favourite were Lady Xu, Wei Yan and the four generals along with their advisor. Even Da Qiao stole my attention.
☆ Da Qiao, who fades into the backdrop with just glimpses in between the episodes, was true to herself until the end. Her character felt underutilised to me.
☆ Lady Xu is my absolute favourite. I adore her interactions with Wei Yan and can understand how difficult her choices are. She is also the most empathetic and intelligent character in the drama to me; the second would be Xiao Qiao. (Because she suffered a much greater loss that most people would probably never heal from, yet she continued the Wei Clan's legacy.) She doesn't outright confront Xiao Qiao or Wei Shao when they are up to something - instead she plays a game of Chess. I loved how she set Xiao Qiao on the right track when she realized that the marriage was becoming a game of tit-for-tat between the two.
☆ I love Wei Yan a lot. Li Duan Duan was powerful in portraying multiple facets of the seemingly lazy cousin. Also, he was much more sharp when it came to making decisions. Even at times,more than Wei Shao.
He and Lady Xu's relationship was golden and an absolute delight to see.
☆ As for the antagonists? The cast did well, but the characters left no impressions for me.
☆ Something just seems to be missing, but I can't put my finger on it. In the end, the writers went overboard with the frosting for a drama that began with the right amount of tension and romance. On the bright side, it is perfect for romantics due to the same reason.
The final episodes felt out of touch as a result with the original tension returning, but it made me feel that there was insufficient screentime for certain characters. EP34 has an important scene, but the way it was handled was off-putting. The final few minutes of the last episode fell flat and rather hasty for me.
☆In short, if the story is divided into three parts, it has a strong start, mediocre middle and a weak ending. With more focus on romance.
☆ It's not a bad drama. But, the poor pacing and excessive ‘frosting’ took away my enthusiasm.
I don't think I'll rewatch this anytime soon. So, it's an 7.5/10 for me for now.
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