kupotea

I went into this completely unfamiliar with the leads. I kept seeing good reviews on reddit and here on MDL, and the premise interested me, so I gave it a shot.

I don't have a single complaint. The plot was phenomenal. I agree with some critics that the last few episodes felt a little rushed. But there were no loose threads in the end, I felt that it all tied together neatly. The loss of General Liang was devastating, but I saw it coming. Fan's death also made sense as it was the only way to free Bi Zhi from Liu Yan's control.

I loved, loved, loved this drama so much. There were some many compelling side characters - Wei Shao's loyal generals, Xiao Tao, Shi Yuan, Lady Xu, Gongsun... the script had a good balance of comedy and political intrigue. But its biggest strength was the romance between Man Man and Wei Shao. 😍 Sometimes in these shows, the slow burn is so drawn out, it's painful. Alternatively, the romance happens not so much quickly, but abruptly, and as a viewer you're just sort of forced to swallow it even if it feels too sudden.

But Man Man x Wei Shao? Their romance was perfect. It started out with so much distrust. Everything built between them felt so genuine and touching. I loved them so much, and I'm going to miss the tenderness between them! They were wonderful characters individually as well, which is also something not all dramas get right. I love how smart but guarded Man Man was, and seeing her slowly melt toward the Lord Wei. And him? First bitter, then clueless... but always with a heart of gold for his loved ones and his people. I adored them!! :)

Oh, and I should talk about the villains. Momma Wei started out as a busybody with some seriously clouded judgment, but I did appreciate her growth by the end. She was not really a larger villain, but I thought the different levels of villains (e.g. internal, external, easily dispatched, vanquished only at the end) were well portrayed. Liu Yan, on the other hand, was totally a character I underestimated at the start of the show. I had no idea he would end up being the last bad guy standing! After having caused so much trouble with Lady Noseless. 😂 I'm just glad they got their just desserts, even though we had to lose some beloved characters to get poetic justice. 😥

My last note will just be to praise the soundtrack. It really complemented the scenes and swept me away.

I MIGHT re-watch this one day, if I ever find the time. This show was that good.