First episode gets off to a bit of an uneven start. The story is a bit smashed together with only barely enough info to make it make sense. And the whole 'allergic to tears' thing is a bit weird and contrived. Why not give her a more believable condition such as maybe an anxiety disorder or heart defect or low-blood pressure that leads to fainting or whatever? Whil being allergic to tears (actually the proteins in tears) is not completely unreal, it's extremely rare and a strange thing to base a story on. That said, both Bai Lu and Lu Yun Xi kick off their roles in great form. They both look great and they immediately have chemistry even though they are at odds to start off. Oh, and Du Li already reeks of pathetic annoying unrequited SML before we have even started. Hopefully we won't have to endure too much of that creep.
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I'm a little disappointed in the ending. It wasn't 'bad', but some plot decisions were far less than satisfactory. Because they skipped ahead 2 years from the proposal to her master's degree graduation, we completely missed any interaction with the parents, which is something I was kinda looking forward to. And then while we got some 'wedding-like' events in the return trip to Guillen (the photo shoot and the 'banquet'), we never get the actual wedding. Also, because they had dragged out the Duo-Dou + Ya Song storyline forever (12 freaking years of unwanted 'friend zone'????!!!) that storyline filled up the final episode instead of, well, an actual wedding for the leads! And we also skipped right on past Zheng & Xiaoxing actually confessing to each other. That was just hand-waved over and we just accept it must have happened somehow. Finally, returning to Dou-Dou and Ya Song: This plot was just annoying. It started off great. Based on other commenters on the Viki stream, I wasn't alone in really liking the potential of this couple when first hinted at way, way back. Chen Hua Lan is one of my favorite actresses and she was wonderful right off the bat as Sister Dou Dou. But the show kinda ignored resolving the obvious 'thing' between her character and Feng Ya Song for too long and when they got back to it they turned Feng Ya Song into one of the most irritating baby man-child idiots that by the final episode I was rooting for Dou-Dou to give up on him and go find herself a mature man who would act like an adult. So disappointing. Unbelievable that they dragged their going-nowhere relationship out another 2 years (12 in total). Otherwise, the story we got in the limited time they left for the leads was okay. Just could have been much better. if they hadn't had to devote so much last minute screen time to the immaturity of Feng Ya Song.
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Huge step in this episode with MQC officially meeting with Sheng Sheng's Grandpa and her 5 million brothers. He still has to officially meet her parents and she has to meet his parents. Heck, so far we, the audience, have not even met his parents! In addition to family matters for the leads, the show's remaining episodes need to wrap up the other two couples stories.
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So we got (a) FL meeting ML's cousin - who looks like she'll be a very supportive bestie. Followed up rapidly by (b) ML meeting FL's mother and auntie ... in what could have been a drawn out exaggerated misconception scenario with all kinds of extreme drama or comedy, if this show was written like so many others. Instead it was quickly cleared up by simple adult conversation and everyone has a pleasant chuckle. FL's mother quickly takes an instant liking to MQC so that's an important hurdle cleared. Now we need a formal introduction to all of her crazy, over-protective brothers!!!
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So far this show has been a breath of fresh air after having watched so many very stressful dramas lately with deceptions, misunderstandings, betrayals, the constant threat of disaster looming, etc., etc. Not to mention annoying, stupid love triangles. This show is proof that a show can be enjoyable without all that. Yes, it's a slow, slow developing romance. But things are actually happening in each episode that are entertaining and the romance feels natural and 'real'. Not forced at some crazy pace that doesn't fit the characters. Both FL & ML are traditionalists and seem to want to move the romance forward in a particular order, without rushing past steps. Hopefully the show will manage to maintain it's pleasant tone and pace all the way through. I'm very intrigued to see how they go through the next phases of introducing each other to their respective families! Heck, even we, the audience, still have not met his parents. Only his cousin. Though I guess that fact hasn't yet been revealed either.
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I can tell by the Viki comments that folks are chomping at the bit for their first kiss. And poor Mo Qing Cheng is having a tough time because she keeps doing/saying cute things that make him want to kiss her so bad. But he also wants the first kiss to be special and when she's sober. And she seems to subconsciously feel that way too.
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Vincenzo in the freshly pressed blue suit was giving me Phoenix Wright vibes. And the wink and grin by Hong Cha Young at Choi Myung Hee just before they went in was so precious! Jeon Yeo Been has me in stitches, watching this show. On the darker side, Jang Han Seok is the scariest kind of villain because he's hiding in plain sight and seemingly harmless to everyone but we as the audience know he is a dangerous psychopath. So there will be constant tension around him at least to the point where he is finally revealed.
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So it's cool that the first thing he does upon leaving the hospital is go pay his respects to Papa Hong. Later, while it was also super-cool the way they start the revenge arc, one nitpick I have that also bothered me in the opening episode: Lighting the fire by casually dropping your lighter looks stylish for the show, but (a) means you lost your nice lighter and (b) is evidence connecting you to arson. Looks cool. Kinda dumb. Also kinda dumb of Cha Young to take off her mask once in the truck - never know if a security camera might still get a good angle. Oh well. This is just nit-picking. Absolutely loved the emotional reveal in the van ride of just who is helping them get revenge for Attorney Hong. Wonder how long before the good guys make the connection between the "Jang" brothers?
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Episode starts out where prior left off, with the party successfully holding off the demo crew ... for now. Hong Cha Young and Choi Myung Hee start off at odds at the big law firm. Cha Young's intern randomly blurts out the future with, "He's your soul mate.", comment about Vincenzo ... The Italian food taste off between Toto and Vincenzo looks like it's going to last for a while. Our heroine so far doesn't seem to be achieving any successes on screen in this show. Would like to see her start to score a few wins just to validate the premise of the show that she does whatever it takes to win. Jeeze I do love her constant physical comedy. Her constant quirky physical humor antics are a wonderful running gag so far. Making fun of Choi's exercise routine, while professionally stupid, was hilarious. Wow! Papa Attorney Hong already tagged Vincenzo as the son of his client! Still working out whether the big law firm is fully in cahoots or just caught up in a trap w/Babel. Was Choi brought in to try to dig them out? Or the opposite? Is she taking Cha Young off the Babel case because of lack of progress? Or to protect her? Choi is still a mystery character at this point. Ha ha! The sight of Vincenzo trying to get out of the line of fire when Hong dad and daughter are arguing! Woah! I can't say I was totally surprised by the ending. They had lots of foreshadowing that something like that was going to happen. But it still sucks and is going to be a huge revenge arc kick-off.
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Story of Kunning Palace Episode 38
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I had a couple of nit-picks here and there along the way, but overall this was a fantastic series and this was a very satisfying wrap up. The only negatives are that both Zhou Yin and Duke Xue got off with quick deaths. They both deserved much worse endings. I'm still upset about Fang Yin. Poor Lyu Xian! I'm glad that Xue Shu resisted taking her poison. The Eunuch's face as he poured poison down her throat? That was my face.
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Story of Kunning Palace Episode 37
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Why did the writer have to do this to poor, sweet Fang Yin???? There is no plot purpose to this other than to trigger us viewers emotionally to hate Duke Xue & his cronies even more. But do we really need more reasons? We already know he's willing to kill children - even his own family. I guess it's to also make us now hate Zhou Yin Zhi, but even that could have been accomplished without this! I'm so upset that the writers did this cheap emotional plot device. But I will commend the production of the scene. The camerawork. The rain. The blood. The music. All three actors were spot on - especially Bai Lu. Wow, the grief and despair on her face were so real.` Definitely one of the more heart-wrenching death scenes I've seen recently.
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Story of Kunning Palace Episode 36
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Unfortunately, suddenly Yue Fang Yin is set to the pay the cost of his betrayal! Jeeze I hope she survives this. If she gets sacrificed by the writers I will be very upset. Loved the girlfriend talk between Zhi Yi and Ning. It really confirmed that she no longer is running away from her feelings for Xie. This becomes further cemented when she flat out tells Zhang Zhe that she loves Xie. No word weaseling involved. And while I know he is a good guy, I'm low-key annoyed that Zhe didn't at least offer her his umbrella when she left. Rude. Fortunately, Xie sent Jian Shu for her with an umbrella, at least. Naturally, Xie misinterprets her meeting with Zhe and throws another jealous fit, ending it by aggressively kissing her - but we get a milestone moment when she finally, actually kisses him back.
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Story of Kunning Palace Episode 35
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Not surprising, of course. He already showed 20 years ago he was willing to kill his own son for his ambitions. Killing his nephew would be trivial to him. His sister shuts him down for now. I also won't be surprised if he tries to assassinate Zhang Zhe on his fact-finding mission in order to blame it on Xie Wei and the Yan family.. Meanwhile, J'uan's and Ning'er's bizarre relationship moves "forward" with ... fake intimacy in order to fool Lord Pingnan. Methinks they are just fooling themselves, though. Later, we see a light go on in Ning's head as she starts to realize that in her former life, Xie Wei may NOT have been intending to kill her! That light going on in her head is like a push that starts her sliding towards finally, inevitably realizing her true feelings towards Xie Wei. The events in Pingnan's courtyard and finally Yan Lin's words to her accelerate it. And thank goodness that Yan Lin has grown up so much from the dumb jock he was when younger. He has learned wisdom, sincerity and grace and can see that Ning and his cousin truly love each other.
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Story of Kunning Palace Episode 34
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This line by Ning kinda sums up their relationship. He really does come off as bat-s**t crazy to her and I can't blame her for wanting to run far, far away. We've got 4 more episodes to somehow transform this mess into an actual romance? Now, wtf is Lord Pignan doing at this outpost? How the heck do c-drama villains always get to move around and pop-up wherever they want? And how does he know about Ning's importance to Xie Wei? Just who is his deep mole spy? It has to be one of Jian Shu, Dao Qin or Lyu Xian. Well, at least Ping Nan's character (psychopathic, child-murdering a**hole) is consistent. That guy is totally bent. Him finally getting his just deserts is going to be a welcome moment.
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Story of Kunning Palace Episode 33
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After the (relative) slow pace of the prior two episodes, this episode explodes with lots of action as Xie Wei, Yan Mu and Yan Lin take steps to rescue the Princess. It was an understated but awesome side bit to watch the 'old man', General Yan Mu, kicking the butt of that jerk Prince Da Yue. We get a jealous petty bit by Xie Wei over Ning's happy reunion with his cousin, but he makes up for it the next day with a nice self-made gift of layered walnut cakes. And of course we get an emotional reunion between Ning and the Princess. Now we move on to the final 5 episodes with clashes against both Lord Pingnan and Duke Xue looming on the horizon.
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