noor1234

Ep. 24: What an incredibly beautiful wrap-up. [more in spoiler below]

This short drama may not have gotten much eyeballs, but it is the best one released this month (despite being shot two years ago!) Even the director has potential for greater stuff.

I am also extremely saddened by the confirmation (in Ep.20-23) that Zhiaoxi did indeed die in the wolf pit - I was hoping maybe he made it out alive somehow or was saved by someone once Wuxiang left & was kept in safehouse. Especially after we were given flashbacks of how good he was & of him being in the pit itself.

What a terrible, pitiful life the co-crown prince led trapped in a place he didn't want to be in only to be killed off by a jealous guy who wanted his betrothed - & I think the Pavilion master (wheelchair guy) is to blame for 'hiding' him & not investigating or even knowing what the king's son looked like - especially since the pavilion is supposed to be an investigative law enforcement agency of sorts. He was also an extremely bad father. Imagine raising 3 corrupt kids!

The cruel way in which Zhiaoxi is killed was in line with Wenshaung's unhinged anger & obsession because the poison he wanted to give to second-Zhiaoxi (ML) would have made ML suffer a painful death. So he wanted every rival to get painful deaths, hence wolf pit makes sense.

But I wanted both brothers to survive & a resolution to the question: Did FL fall for ML because he looked like Zhiaoxi (because she got attracted to ML very early on) or because they had different personalities (ML hiding his dangerous side & FL sensing him as intriguing).

Ep.23 is very boring & ridiculous: I expected the family to at least have ONE conversation about the fact that 1) the 'groom' (ML) was 'his highness' i.e. prince / crown prince - that was big news, but no one even mentioned it! 2) that they at least talk to returned-'Zhiaoxi' or 'Zhiaoxi' would have at least some question about ML with FL (so that we see FL talk about ML indirectly) - but no. 3) that FL would 'miss' ML a bit more or think about his 'princely' status (or remember that ML saved her from Xuwanxu/Gen.Shen OR that he said he'd 'die a thousand deaths for her') but no.

It was a very disjointed, slow & cold episode in which nothing major happened - a crime for a second-to-last episode. The big reveal at the end of episode was predictable & expected, so the episode should've moved forward or resolved more things, so that more scenes of ML-FL romance could be included in the last episode.

What was the proposal & what did he say to his father? Did she move into the palace as wife of heir to the throne or he got stuck in the pavilion?

@kate if you'd read the first post on the thread, you'd know I dropped it on Ep.1. I know the story / what happens later. You are finding excuses for her behavior in a professional setting as a 30-plus woman & blaming uncle/ mother / ML for it.

Nobody with a job in real life (abused or not) acts the way FL does: there's no excuse for being beaten up by strangers (she should've filed charges against the parents), looking like a bean bag (no self-care as professional) & ignoring your actual duties (absent mom).

Such a teacher would be fired in real life & such a mother would get called to principal's office in real life. Uncle / mother / ML have nothing to do with her professional commitments. You want to blame them, fine. If she got the wakeup call after being with a psycho, great!

@kate your 'victim blaming' argument does not suit FL's case: In Ep. 1, when we are introduced to her, she's 30+, ill-kempt, disheveled even though she's a teacher / college professional & I've never seen a person that disorganized & doormat in a professional setting as her - is it ML's fault? Or the fault of her bad childhood? Or her own fault? She gets beaten up by strangers / parents of a girl who cheated in exam (instead of parents & girl accepting their bad actions) - whose fault is that? Is it fault of ML's / gaslighting manipulative people of the world? She ignores her kid - whose fault is that? Can anyone imagine FL at a conference or meeting or date without being unsure or mumbling or embarrassing herself? Whose fault is that? She's in her thirties & has zero self-awareness. You cannot blame your childhood or bad relationships for your mistakes in all spheres of your life, all the time, for the rest of your life. You have to take ownership. She did zero work on herself. This is before she allowed ML to enter her life.

I believe women should take ownership of their own problems - it's no accident that ML chose FL - she's his type. But FL chose to make bad choices every step of the way in Ep.1, in every area of her life. There's no excuse for that.

I rewatched all 14 before watching 15-16 too. Actually he isn't empathizing with the missing husband - he at first was jealous of this 'incredible bond' between FL & his replica, & irritated by her constant praise of him which she was doing at first to show she had the 'incredible bond' (so that he doesn't think she only met him once) and post-makeout, she used the praise to rile him up because he created the distance by blaming the make-out totally on the drug & not any attraction/love & ignored her & hurt her. Then in Ep. 15-16, of course he found out the 'dead' husband is his long-lost secret brother, so he mourned the fact that he had lost his brother before even meeting him AND mourned the loss of his love because she is betrothed to the bro & he believes she has this 'incredible bond' with Zhiaoxi. He's depressed at the loss of both at the same time. He only stayed to give her the fake marriage which she needs to get control of Investigative agency (Z. Pavilion). After that he will leave (they even spoke very formally about it), but of course IF the real Zhiaoxi comes back, ML will still have to leave.

Thanks! I think it's ML. Let's see how it goes.

Any guesses on who is the man in the mask killing everyone at the end of this trailer- ML (impersonator) or real Zhaoxi? And what does he say to FL while dropping the sword?
https://x.com/darkrivertes/status/2047832749667398042

Edit: Just saw a new series trailer, & it seems the real Zhaoxi is not dead & shows up on their wedding day! (If he's not wearing a face-mask, then he is ML's twin.)

https://x.com/darkrivertes/status/2047832749667398042

This is well-made, very different from other short dramas - there's a lot of silence in this one. Wire work for action is also a surprise, usually these dramas have a small budget. Drama title is strange. ML is mostly on the sidelines. Ep. 13 was a shock (the make-out out of the blue which is more graphic than in other C-dramas) but resultant on-off between them due to bad timing (& separate goals), while having immense attraction for each other, has provided good tension.

I doubt this will have a HE. All of the songs are sad & lonely. She's from a shadow organization, her family was killed most probably by king's right hand man (on orders of king) & it seems like ML is also working for a shadow figure, & trying to stay alive from king's right hand man. What happened to real Zhiaoxi is awful (eaten alive by wolves) - even though he was wearing a mask (or was ML's long-lost twin).

The conspiracy is of course who gets the kingdom, & I think Prince Rui wants to kill both ML & Zhiaoxi to become 'crown prince.'

Btw, in case it's a HE, as the wife of the Prince / heir to the throne, FL will have to contend with concubines & wives for the rest of life! (as is the case in monarchy). I wish her to have a happy life away from intrigue & chaos because she's known no stable life as an assassin/spy.

But why does it matter whether her feelings are real or fake, it's her life, not his, her career, not his, & her fake or real husband, not his. And PM cannot stop Heejoo from doing what she wants to do, at this point it's clear no one can stand in her way. Plus, PM has ALWAYS shown his support unconditionally so if there is argument or backstabbing, it will be over something like if Heejoo is in trouble again & Prince Yi-An is unable to protect her. I can see that as something that will make PM angry & withdraw support. The couple already has too many enemies, I don't think PM is going to risk losing TWO friends.

I've seen a lot of posts here on ML's acting ability & role & this is what I think: The drama is primarily an IU vehicle. She gets to rescue the prince & get everything else as well, while being super rich, super ambitious & non-snobbish, playing into the fantasy of largely female audience who want to see a woman have her cake & eat it too. I think I read somewhere it was her agency who worked with Disney on this project. So the drama is built around her & is supposed to lift her up / give her a glamorous, PPL-marketing success.

Even though I think ML is more of 'traffic idol' kind of actor (hired talent who sells products as opposed to 'acting') - his job in this drama is to look like dreamy eye candy & he & the drama's team of stylists have nailed the look. Plus, he may have limited 'acting' range, but it works in his favor because here the role is that of a repressed, reserved, aristocratic, regal man, who is aloof, is suspicious of other people's motives & is a loner because of life spent in the public eye. Since all of his immediate family died in weird circumstances, he's a sad individual. He didn't take risks before Heejoo & follows royal protocol. This kind of person is not going to be life of any party or be overtly charismatic or woo the girl. And that distant personality makes him seem unattainable which is part of his role as a coveted, eligible bachelor royal. If he was prancing around as a peacock, he would not look swoon-worthy or classy. Of course, his face does not move - is it because of facial fillers or lack of acting ability, it doesn't matter, because his role requires him to be a man of few words & to be quietly gentle. I think ML fits the role very well.

The romance is also with Heejoo, who has learnt to put a 'game-face' on while she remains vulnerable & insecure as a person & as a woman, since she never got approval at home. She sees that even though Prince Yi-An was a stranger till a month ago, he has been there for her more than anyone else in his non-abrasive, quiet manner. ML is perfect for this role.

Most probably, yes. And a media storm will ensue, threatening to ruin both their reputations.

But kdramas used to increase at least an episode when the drama got popular. Isn't Perfect Crown popular (I know it's on Disney which limits its reach & viewership) but isn't this drama trending in South Korea?

Cool! But I really wanted an extension of Heejoo & Prince Yi-Ahn's story in the present day - since a lot is still left to be covered in the last 6 episodes, mysteries, killers & family estrangements to be resolved, & it doesn't look like they'll get much peace (or time to act like a real working couple) till the end!

Is there a chance of episodes being increased from 12 to 14 at least? And a season 2 to show their life as a couple representing K-monarchy with a new villain or something?

'I think she wants to give a statement like- Yeah what, I am illegitimate, a commoner, I don't follow rules, I dare to wear same colours as Majesty, and Queen Mother, who cares, I will never bend, do what you want, but the Grand Prince is still mine, he still wants me.
She wants to be this brat in front of all.'

Yeah, that's true.

I believe all deaths of Prince Yi-An's side of family have been unnatural & done by QM's dad for power OR someone in the shadows who doesn't want monarchy-system:
- the former queen / mom (of course, truck of doom) - this was probably done to take control of 'raising the crown prince & second-born' away from the 'human'-queen (who on the phone with Prince sounded like a mom not a queen, unlike the current QM).

- the dad/king (heart attack; for a middle-aged man to die suddenly without actual disease, it is fishy), - this was probably done to hasten the rise of crown prince as king.

- the crown prince/ former king: Remember, he did not even want to marry QM and felt duty-bound to do so, & then died in a fire right after trying to abdicate.

What I don't understand is why no attempt has been made on Prince Yi-An's life & on 8yo Majesty.