tried to start this and only on episode 2 and I already cant stand the FL - that ridiculous FL character that is the young girl who leaves home to 'find herself' - but is really stupid, obsessed with food and money, running around stealing all the time, constantly getting herself in trouble - and from reading the comments - doesn't sound like she gets any better. And, yes, whoever did the sound effects for her - the constant lip-smacking and loud chewing is VERY distracting. Was kind of looking forward to Ao Rui Peng, but dont think I can endure the annoyance for 24 episodes. Gonna put on hold and go watch something else. May use this as something to fill some time while waiting on something else.
wasn't bad, draggy in spots, didn't like the ending - while happy, just unsatisfactory. Cant believe she was just never gonna tell him they had a kid if he didn't come looking for her. And someone seriously needs to just shoot the priestess lady - the whole bunch of them - causing so much damage. Lots of typical palace intrigue, the usual corrupt officials trying to retain/steel/keep power. Did appreciate a king character that wasn't weak and powerless - he actually knew how to use his position and stood up to his scheming mother. Kind of tired of the spoiled, rich girl who likes the prince/king and then goes cray-cray because he doesn't like her back added to the stupid trope of he was once nice to her when they were kids, so thinks she is in-love with him and he likes her - but when he doesn't (cause she doesn't bother to actually ask) - she loses her mind. I actually liked concubine Kim - she was just unabashedly ambitious - could have cared less about the king - she was great. FL started out smart and tough and then by the end she was the usual damsel in distress (and seriously, the whole knife sequence - how does one forget they are carrying a knife - it was just stupid!)
Finished it, but did not enjoy it all that much. The over-the-top, slap-stick stuff when on way too long - worked in some parts, but they overplayed it. The pieces I did like were when people popped up from the bottom of the screen, the antics between brothers was fun, enjoyed how FL and her dad always greeted each other. But the whole wheelchair thing was stupid. Interactions between ML and 2ML had more spice than the leads As I often comment about FL's here - once again, having an actress who is 10yrs older than the character she is portraying just doesn't not work. It's the visual of having someone who is clearly not the age of the character, try to behave like they are younger - just makes them seem stupid. In this case, the actress was 28 when she played this role - the character is no more than 18, yet, behaves like she is 15 - I know they are going for naive and innocent - but she clearly looks like she should know better - so she just seems like an air-head and kind of dumb most of the time. Seriously - not the brightest bulb on the tree, this FL. While this is only 24 episode long - it was all over the place - just not knitted together well. And, please, for the love of all that is sacred - please teach these FL's and directors how kissing should be done - the ridiculous face-plant, dead-fish, just our lips touching without any movement. Kissing is a joint effort. All three kisses in this drama are all surprise-attack kisses. Added to that the horrible - let's just stand here while the camera pans around us. One of them having their eyes open because they have been surprised by the kiss. We got robbed here, cause we know Caesar Wu can kiss (not so sure I have seen this FL do it well anywhere before) It also didnt help the they didnt have any real chemistry - mostly because she acts so childish throughout this and there isn't a whole lot of a sense of intimacy with them. It just fell flat.
I just finished this - but, man it was a bit of a chore. Mostly due to bad editing, a horrible script and one of the most irritating FL's in a cdrama. There are some cute parts - think my favorite was the Emperor and his brother at the end. Once they are together, together - they are cute, have good chemistry (when she isn't showing a tantrum about something) and good kissing scenes. So, SO could have done without the stupid maid/servant - seriously stupid woman - and the whole romance with her and Susu was just pointless, from a story perspective - was not needed at all. And, my god - who name a girl 'Meaty' - now this was probably a translation error - but, oof! And once again, cdrama writers managed to write one of the worst FL characters in this story. Besides the inconsistencies in her character - main one being she grew up in the Prince's mansion, but somehow lived on the streets?? Was not a favored in her house, but man did she act like a spoiled princess. She started to lose me me early on with all her mechanization right after she arrives - she agreed to this marriage, but then acts like she is trying to escape all the time and pulling all sorts of wild schemes for no real reason. Getting caught, then getting mad, acting like she is the victim and then yelling. I dont think she had a rational, calm conversation with the General in the whole first half of this drama. She really lost me when she goes on the scheme to help the Princess, doesn't tell him and then just treats him like sh*t - when the Princess asks her if ML will be ok and she is like, yeah, he is fine - he knows I am like this and will forgive me - I wasn't like - nah girl! that is not ok. But it really defined who she was - she really did feel like she could do whatever she wanted and everyone would just forgive her, so she felt it was ok to be a brat. What I didnt get, was why she has this attitude - she was not favored, she constantly brings up being a 'commoner' and growing up on the streets - made no sense that she would have this attitude. The girl was a walking disaster most of the time - everything she touched or schemed about turned into a mess and someone having to bail her out (primarily the ML). She didnt give a lot of thought to other people and the impact of her choices - just wanted to do what she wanted to when she wanted to do it and when she didn't get her way she either got drunk, threw a tantrum or both. She often when went off half-cocked due to hearing bits of a convo or maid heard bits of a convo and instead of finding out the whole story - then makes some really bad decisions. To be fair - the ML did always forgive and just enable her bad behavior - even called it 'cute' t times. She got a little more tolerable in the second half after they got to the capitol - but not entirely. Got bratty again towards the end. They mostly played this off as hormonal because she was pregnant. (and don't event get me started on what a ridiculous farce of writing it was about pregnant women - I just wanted to to scream). ML was not bad - a bit stiff in places and a bit too simpy towards his wife at times. Felt like he apologized way more than he should - especially when she NEVER apologized for her bad behavior. Fight scenes with him were good. Had some good tender moments with his wife.
Just finished this and kind of mixed bag for me. Storyline was ok - usually not a fan of sports-themed drams - but they kept it pretty low-key, so I could pretty much just skim through that. I mostly dont like them because the boys get way too competitive and a bit obnoxious - but they did ok here not overdoing it. Enjoyed the ML character, not so much the FL character. Esther has played this character so many times already - so nothing new here and it felt like she over-played the 'cutesy' a lot of the time here. And this is not to bash on her - she is lovely - just wish they would have her do more mature roles like My Journey To You - instead of these childish, bubble-head girls. Looking forward to Speed and Love to see if this is a more mature character. Enjoyed the story arc with the sister The arc about her comic book career was not too bad the story arc with her bestie and Lou Yan felt a bit unfinished/not fully flushed out Worth a watch as its short
anyone know a good place to watch this with English subtitles - NOT Hulu. I tried Kissasian and My Asian TV - but the subtitling is skipping over portions of dialogue - conversation in the car at end of EP 1 and her saying text she sent after he is thrown in the closet. Didnt want to go any further if this is going to be an ongoing issue. I was just gonna sign up for Wavve - but I am in the US - I dont see an English version of this website.
meh - could have been better. Did enjoy the parts with the writer and her editor Styling for ML was horrendous Younger sister was awful - the baby voice that was just grating and dressing her like 6 yr old exotic dancer was just gross (seriously - the lacy thigh-high stockings with the short skirts - just awful) FL is very stiff Really only watching this because of ML
I was gonna watch this and then the comments on IQIYI on ep 1 ruined the ending. Which I am kind of grateful for - saved me bunch of time and energy. I am not a big fan of SE/OE dramas. And I especially dont like the idea that I have to read the novel in order to appreciate the drama - I don't read Chinese novels - I just want to watch dramas - they are two completely different things to me . And if a drama has to have me go read the novel in order to understand it - means it was written poorly. Also sounds like the novel and drama have to different endings - hate it when they do this - either stick with original or do something different.
Not bad - definitely worth the watch. But, man, did I want to slap the FL character silly through most of this. Her nervousness and being scared was fine at the beginning - but after you have been through so many loops - get with it already! She never cals down, she was so slow to the uptake all time, constantly made rash decision that caused (generally, the ML) lots of headaches and it mostly got dragged out because she had REALLY bad judgments about people. I get that they were trying too portray her as scared - but, man, she just looked guilty as f*ck most of the time and then couldn't understand why people keep questioning her - maybe stop doing stupid shit and then being a really bad liar about it. She ultimately lost me when the ML kills someone (because she made a rash decision) and he is freaked out about and she doesn't even apologize to him or seem to really get why he is freaked out. Then it was her completely not recognizing that something is wrong with him - so hyper-focused on her own goals she cant even see that he is having real physical/health issues. She mostly comes through in the end - but I wasn't. big fan by then. Now -things not her fault -totally just a script problem - the need to stick her in the middle of everything - especially the investigation at the end - there is NO WAY they would let a civilian go help interview potential witnesses - the main excuse being that she just 'wanted to know' - which was pretty much her motivation for everything. Which, in of itself, drove me nuts - and that she would be better at getting info from the witness than the cop. Loved Capt Zhang and it would have added an interesting layer if he had joined into the loop at some point.
Interesting premise of a story - just not executed very well. Too many receptive flashbacks - some made sense because it was showing from different perspectives - but just too much and it slowed the story way, way down. This could have been done in half the time - and then you could have spent more time on building an actual connection/relationship with the leads. There were also just way too many plot holes - which you really have to just let go and let the story run its course. It was definitely worth the watch - but not a rewatch at all.
Quick and cute. Not a lot of meat to it though. Happy the couples got together early and no misunderstandings and other usual tropes. Wish they had spent equal time on both couples instead of so much on just the one. Second couple story was a little more interesting to me Last two episodes were kind of unnecessary (and stupid, cause , come on! Empress couldn't have found out what happened to Dr Chen before now - just stupid)- really just filler as they wrapped up the main story by ep 22. Villain actor was good - although he could use some practice actually using his facial muscles - just kind of this flat look on his face the whole time.
I mostly liked this. Good story, good filming and costumes. Like most of the actors/actresses. But it had some weird plot holes. The biggest one being - am I really supposed to believe that this 17yr old girl who has lived in the country her whole life and been abused all of that time - is now, suddenly so composed, this master strategist and has this amazing command of every situation she is. I dont think so. It also doesn't visually work when you have a 31yrd old actress playing the part of a 17yr old (and dont give me the whole argument - they were more mature then - no, no they weren't - still teenagers and looked and behaved like teenagers - as they should) Now - where she most felt like teenager - was, of course, her emotional maturity. You also have the typical - I can lie, cheat and steal - but no one else is allowed to (especially the love interest). Then I get to be mad that you lied to me - but you cant be mad that I lied to you. Especially given that most of her lies were for personal revenge, while he was secretive because his job required it and she weighted those the same - which they are not. I also didn't get the full rage that the FL should have had - just felt like she was mad - but not deep-seated rage - just didn't see it in the eyes. I also don't know who did the makeup for the FL - but man did they wash her out to the point of no facial definition - wasn't sure if this was makeup or some filter - but you almost couldn't make her nose. And can I just say - they who scenario of the mom going through the secret tunnel in her wheel chair - was just kind of absurd. Just sayin'
not too bad - definitely worth a watch, just for the ML - so great to see him back on the screen. Thought all the actors did a good job. Villain was great - almost too much so - especially when it came to her daughter - it was kind of disturbing. This made the ending where the daughter tells her she loves her - kind of wrong. The woman tormented and emotionally abused her most of her life - there is no way you are saying that to her right after - just, no. While I did mostly like this - it was also a struggle. I had a hard time right out of the gate because there is just NO WAY you are believing that this 31 yr old man is a teenager. I could have bought into this a bit more if it had been college - but certainly not high school. So I REALLY had to let that go in order to move along in the story. FL was a hit or miss throughout for - she is just so weird and chaotic in the beginning. Her whole weird fixation in her 'student' got a little creepy at time. Once she calmed down - she was better. Main couple was kind of cute - but not a whole lot of chemistry there - not sure if there could have been as they dont spend much time here - which then feels weird to have it if you aren't going to go all in on it. Some of the plot lines didnt exactly make sense - like him joining the student council just so he can get in that room. Like, WTF? why cant he just break in like he did the basement or the other building?? It was just completely illogical. There were a number of these - but, you keep watching cause the ML was pretty awesome in this. Team 4 - also kind of a hit or miss. I get they were the /comedic' relief - but it got a bit too slap-sticky at times. Give it go - it is kind of fun (minus the horrible school bullying and the chairwoman's treatment of her daughter that goes on) and only 12 eps - so goes quick.
overall, I enjoyed this and would certainly recommend to watch, especially if you like this genre. LOVED the ML and the actor who played him - he could read ingredients off a cereal box and I would swoon. He also has some really wonderful facial expression, plus a commanding presence - fit this role wonderfully FL was good as well - loved how smart she was and a true partner in this drama. The main couple was pretty good, felt like an actual relationship, they communicate well - pretty healthy relationship - which is always good to watch. Would also say it gots a good ensemble cast - her dad and brother were just precious, Zhen Heng was so great as the nerdy, follow-the-rules, straight-man (great balance for Yu Qi's silliness and outrageousness. Chu Chu was THE BEST. Another stupid Emperor who puts loyalty to a family member over what's the right thing to do - so becomes completely blind to their nefarious actions. (they are literally running around slaughtering entire families and he is clueless) The typical crazy, spoiled, entitled princess - 2 of them really, mother and daughter - both cray-cray psycho's that everyone just lets run rampant. Some very standard historical c-drama plots Liked the second half way better than the first half. Pace was pretty good I say, give it go - it goes fast and the main couple is good
And someone seriously needs to just shoot the priestess lady - the whole bunch of them - causing so much damage.
Lots of typical palace intrigue, the usual corrupt officials trying to retain/steel/keep power. Did appreciate a king character that wasn't weak and powerless - he actually knew how to use his position and stood up to his scheming mother.
Kind of tired of the spoiled, rich girl who likes the prince/king and then goes cray-cray because he doesn't like her back added to the stupid trope of he was once nice to her when they were kids, so thinks she is in-love with him and he likes her - but when he doesn't (cause she doesn't bother to actually ask) - she loses her mind.
I actually liked concubine Kim - she was just unabashedly ambitious - could have cared less about the king - she was great.
FL started out smart and tough and then by the end she was the usual damsel in distress (and seriously, the whole knife sequence - how does one forget they are carrying a knife - it was just stupid!)
The over-the-top, slap-stick stuff when on way too long - worked in some parts, but they overplayed it. The pieces I did like were when people popped up from the bottom of the screen, the antics between brothers was fun, enjoyed how FL and her dad always greeted each other. But the whole wheelchair thing was stupid.
Interactions between ML and 2ML had more spice than the leads
As I often comment about FL's here - once again, having an actress who is 10yrs older than the character she is portraying just doesn't not work. It's the visual of having someone who is clearly not the age of the character, try to behave like they are younger - just makes them seem stupid. In this case, the actress was 28 when she played this role - the character is no more than 18, yet, behaves like she is 15 - I know they are going for naive and innocent - but she clearly looks like she should know better - so she just seems like an air-head and kind of dumb most of the time. Seriously - not the brightest bulb on the tree, this FL.
While this is only 24 episode long - it was all over the place - just not knitted together well.
And, please, for the love of all that is sacred - please teach these FL's and directors how kissing should be done - the ridiculous face-plant, dead-fish, just our lips touching without any movement. Kissing is a joint effort. All three kisses in this drama are all surprise-attack kisses. Added to that the horrible - let's just stand here while the camera pans around us. One of them having their eyes open because they have been surprised by the kiss. We got robbed here, cause we know Caesar Wu can kiss (not so sure I have seen this FL do it well anywhere before)
It also didnt help the they didnt have any real chemistry - mostly because she acts so childish throughout this and there isn't a whole lot of a sense of intimacy with them. It just fell flat.
There are some cute parts - think my favorite was the Emperor and his brother at the end.
Once they are together, together - they are cute, have good chemistry (when she isn't showing a tantrum about something) and good kissing scenes.
So, SO could have done without the stupid maid/servant - seriously stupid woman - and the whole romance with her and Susu was just pointless, from a story perspective - was not needed at all. And, my god - who name a girl 'Meaty' - now this was probably a translation error - but, oof!
And once again, cdrama writers managed to write one of the worst FL characters in this story. Besides the inconsistencies in her character - main one being she grew up in the Prince's mansion, but somehow lived on the streets?? Was not a favored in her house, but man did she act like a spoiled princess. She started to lose me me early on with all her mechanization right after she arrives - she agreed to this marriage, but then acts like she is trying to escape all the time and pulling all sorts of wild schemes for no real reason. Getting caught, then getting mad, acting like she is the victim and then yelling. I dont think she had a rational, calm conversation with the General in the whole first half of this drama.
She really lost me when she goes on the scheme to help the Princess, doesn't tell him and then just treats him like sh*t - when the Princess asks her if ML will be ok and she is like, yeah, he is fine - he knows I am like this and will forgive me - I wasn't like - nah girl! that is not ok. But it really defined who she was - she really did feel like she could do whatever she wanted and everyone would just forgive her, so she felt it was ok to be a brat. What I didnt get, was why she has this attitude - she was not favored, she constantly brings up being a 'commoner' and growing up on the streets - made no sense that she would have this attitude.
The girl was a walking disaster most of the time - everything she touched or schemed about turned into a mess and someone having to bail her out (primarily the ML). She didnt give a lot of thought to other people and the impact of her choices - just wanted to do what she wanted to when she wanted to do it and when she didn't get her way she either got drunk, threw a tantrum or both.
She often when went off half-cocked due to hearing bits of a convo or maid heard bits of a convo and instead of finding out the whole story - then makes some really bad decisions.
To be fair - the ML did always forgive and just enable her bad behavior - even called it 'cute' t times.
She got a little more tolerable in the second half after they got to the capitol - but not entirely. Got bratty again towards the end. They mostly played this off as hormonal because she was pregnant. (and don't event get me started on what a ridiculous farce of writing it was about pregnant women - I just wanted to to scream).
ML was not bad - a bit stiff in places and a bit too simpy towards his wife at times. Felt like he apologized way more than he should - especially when she NEVER apologized for her bad behavior. Fight scenes with him were good. Had some good tender moments with his wife.
Storyline was ok - usually not a fan of sports-themed drams - but they kept it pretty low-key, so I could pretty much just skim through that. I mostly dont like them because the boys get way too competitive and a bit obnoxious - but they did ok here not overdoing it.
Enjoyed the ML character, not so much the FL character.
Esther has played this character so many times already - so nothing new here and it felt like she over-played the 'cutesy' a lot of the time here. And this is not to bash on her - she is lovely - just wish they would have her do more mature roles like My Journey To You - instead of these childish, bubble-head girls. Looking forward to Speed and Love to see if this is a more mature character.
Enjoyed the story arc with the sister
The arc about her comic book career was not too bad
the story arc with her bestie and Lou Yan felt a bit unfinished/not fully flushed out
Worth a watch as its short
Did enjoy the parts with the writer and her editor
Styling for ML was horrendous
Younger sister was awful - the baby voice that was just grating and dressing her like 6 yr old exotic dancer was just gross (seriously - the lacy thigh-high stockings with the short skirts - just awful)
FL is very stiff
Really only watching this because of ML
But, man, did I want to slap the FL character silly through most of this. Her nervousness and being scared was fine at the beginning - but after you have been through so many loops - get with it already! She never cals down, she was so slow to the uptake all time, constantly made rash decision that caused (generally, the ML) lots of headaches and it mostly got dragged out because she had REALLY bad judgments about people. I get that they were trying too portray her as scared - but, man, she just looked guilty as f*ck most of the time and then couldn't understand why people keep questioning her - maybe stop doing stupid shit and then being a really bad liar about it.
She ultimately lost me when the ML kills someone (because she made a rash decision) and he is freaked out about and she doesn't even apologize to him or seem to really get why he is freaked out. Then it was her completely not recognizing that something is wrong with him - so hyper-focused on her own goals she cant even see that he is having real physical/health issues. She mostly comes through in the end - but I wasn't. big fan by then.
Now -things not her fault -totally just a script problem - the need to stick her in the middle of everything - especially the investigation at the end - there is NO WAY they would let a civilian go help interview potential witnesses - the main excuse being that she just 'wanted to know' - which was pretty much her motivation for everything. Which, in of itself, drove me nuts - and that she would be better at getting info from the witness than the cop.
Loved Capt Zhang and it would have added an interesting layer if he had joined into the loop at some point.
Too many receptive flashbacks - some made sense because it was showing from different perspectives - but just too much and it slowed the story way, way down. This could have been done in half the time - and then you could have spent more time on building an actual connection/relationship with the leads.
There were also just way too many plot holes - which you really have to just let go and let the story run its course.
It was definitely worth the watch - but not a rewatch at all.
Happy the couples got together early and no misunderstandings and other usual tropes.
Wish they had spent equal time on both couples instead of so much on just the one. Second couple story was a little more interesting to me
Last two episodes were kind of unnecessary (and stupid, cause , come on! Empress couldn't have found out what happened to Dr Chen before now - just stupid)- really just filler as they wrapped up the main story by ep 22.
Villain actor was good - although he could use some practice actually using his facial muscles - just kind of this flat look on his face the whole time.
But it had some weird plot holes.
The biggest one being - am I really supposed to believe that this 17yr old girl who has lived in the country her whole life and been abused all of that time - is now, suddenly so composed, this master strategist and has this amazing command of every situation she is. I dont think so.
It also doesn't visually work when you have a 31yrd old actress playing the part of a 17yr old (and dont give me the whole argument - they were more mature then - no, no they weren't - still teenagers and looked and behaved like teenagers - as they should)
Now - where she most felt like teenager - was, of course, her emotional maturity.
You also have the typical - I can lie, cheat and steal - but no one else is allowed to (especially the love interest). Then I get to be mad that you lied to me - but you cant be mad that I lied to you. Especially given that most of her lies were for personal revenge, while he was secretive because his job required it and she weighted those the same - which they are not.
I also didn't get the full rage that the FL should have had - just felt like she was mad - but not deep-seated rage - just didn't see it in the eyes.
I also don't know who did the makeup for the FL - but man did they wash her out to the point of no facial definition - wasn't sure if this was makeup or some filter - but you almost couldn't make her nose.
And can I just say - they who scenario of the mom going through the secret tunnel in her wheel chair - was just kind of absurd. Just sayin'
Villain was great - almost too much so - especially when it came to her daughter - it was kind of disturbing. This made the ending where the daughter tells her she loves her - kind of wrong. The woman tormented and emotionally abused her most of her life - there is no way you are saying that to her right after - just, no.
While I did mostly like this - it was also a struggle. I had a hard time right out of the gate because there is just NO WAY you are believing that this 31 yr old man is a teenager. I could have bought into this a bit more if it had been college - but certainly not high school. So I REALLY had to let that go in order to move along in the story.
FL was a hit or miss throughout for - she is just so weird and chaotic in the beginning. Her whole weird fixation in her 'student' got a little creepy at time. Once she calmed down - she was better.
Main couple was kind of cute - but not a whole lot of chemistry there - not sure if there could have been as they dont spend much time here - which then feels weird to have it if you aren't going to go all in on it.
Some of the plot lines didnt exactly make sense - like him joining the student council just so he can get in that room. Like, WTF? why cant he just break in like he did the basement or the other building?? It was just completely illogical. There were a number of these - but, you keep watching cause the ML was pretty awesome in this.
Team 4 - also kind of a hit or miss. I get they were the /comedic' relief - but it got a bit too slap-sticky at times.
Give it go - it is kind of fun (minus the horrible school bullying and the chairwoman's treatment of her daughter that goes on) and only 12 eps - so goes quick.
LOVED the ML and the actor who played him - he could read ingredients off a cereal box and I would swoon. He also has some really wonderful facial expression, plus a commanding presence - fit this role wonderfully
FL was good as well - loved how smart she was and a true partner in this drama.
The main couple was pretty good, felt like an actual relationship, they communicate well - pretty healthy relationship - which is always good to watch.
Would also say it gots a good ensemble cast - her dad and brother were just precious, Zhen Heng was so great as the nerdy, follow-the-rules, straight-man (great balance for Yu Qi's silliness and outrageousness. Chu Chu was THE BEST.
Another stupid Emperor who puts loyalty to a family member over what's the right thing to do - so becomes completely blind to their nefarious actions. (they are literally running around slaughtering entire families and he is clueless)
The typical crazy, spoiled, entitled princess - 2 of them really, mother and daughter - both cray-cray psycho's that everyone just lets run rampant.
Some very standard historical c-drama plots
Liked the second half way better than the first half.
Pace was pretty good
I say, give it go - it goes fast and the main couple is good