This review may contain spoilers
somewhat a guilty pleasure: enjoyable but poorly-written
This drama immediately pulled me in with its chaotic energy, strong characters, and good on-screen chemistry. It has so many tropes I usually love— found family, tension-filled slow burn, strong female lead, and action-packed scenes. While I genuinely enjoyed watching it, especially in the earlier episodes, it frustrated me because of its inconsistent writing and storytelling.
The story itself is engaging and, at times, unpredictable. There’s a certain “goofy yet intense” tone that makes it entertaining, and I appreciate how the drama tries to balance humor with emotional depth— He Yan’s chaotic personality, in particular, adds so much life to the narrative. However, this is also where it falls short. Her humor and aegyo-like behavior often feel inconsistent with the gravity of her character, creating moments that clash rather than blend with the overall tone. Her life as He Rufei/General Feihong wasn't exactly shown and explored enough, which made the shift in He Yan's personality feel unsubstantiated. It often felt like I was just expected to go along with the stark contrast, without the narrative fully bridging or justifying that change.
The Yezhou Garrison arc however stood out a lot for me. The found family dynamic there was so heartwarming— I love seeing characters form bonds that feel genuine and earned. Song Taotao and He Yan's girlhood; it's so endearing to watch. The drama also delivered on some of my favorite tropes: “who did this to you” (I will never get tired of this), slow-burn tension, mutual “folding” for each other, hidden identity / revelation arc (this didn't disappoint). The reveal of He Yan as the true General Feihong was powerful for me. It felt empowering and emotional— arguably one of the well-executed moments in the drama.
He Yan is easily one of the highlights of the drama. She’s chaotic, goofy, and unpredictable, but also strong and deeply emotional. Zhou Ye portrayed her incredibly well, especially in heavier scenes— her crying scenes hit hard and feel very real.
Her crashout was particularly impactful. Even without much screen time dedicated to her past with the Eight Warriors, her emotional delivery made it convincing— despite the fact there's literally a lack of storytelling/background of her life as General Feihong. Zhou Ye saved that scene, for me. Xiao Jue surprised me in the best way. At first, he seems stoic and composed, but he turns out to be incredibly thoughtful, romantic, and emotionally expressive. I love how he keeps making excuses at first to justify his treatment of He Yan— gaslighting that it's because he’s suspicious of her— when it’s obvious he’s affected by her in a completely different way. And when he does confess? He CONFESSES. In front of the whole royal family and officials no less: “I respect her, value her, and won’t let anyone slander her. She graces my view, occupies my mind, and claims my heart.” Find a man like Xiao Jue, seriously!
Their dynamic is one of the strongest parts of the drama. The tension is insane— even in simple banter, you can feel it. Xiao Jue constantly being bewildered by He Yan’s antics makes their interactions so fun and engaging. There’s also that underlying “almost gay panic” dynamic early on, which makes their story even more entertaining. I also appreciate that the gender reveal wasn’t dragged out unnecessarily— it allowed their relationship to develop more naturally. Their moonlit scene in Episode 17 felt like a major turning point— intimate, quiet, and deeply personal— and from there, their emotional connection only deepens. Indeed, she is his light, and he is her moon.
Despite all its strengths, the biggest issue of the drama is the writing. The script often feels inconsistent with: scenes that don’t fully make sense, underdeveloped backstories (e.g., He Yan’s master arc and how was he even able to save He Yan) repetitive or forced dialogue (especially some feminism lines that feel unnatural in execution) While I appreciate the intention behind the themes— especially the feminist representation— the delivery sometimes feels repetitive rather than organically integrated into the story. There are also noticeable plot holes, and certain narrative choices feel underexplained or poorly built up. This weakens the overall storytelling, no matter how enjoyable the drama is on the surface. Chu Zhao, for instance, is a complex character with a lot of potential. He initially reminded me of morally gray masterminds (like Ji Yong) or someone heading toward a heel-face turn driven by unrequited feelings (like Xiaosheng), but the execution of his arc ultimately fell short.
The final stretch was honestly just disappointing. The last 3–4 episodes felt rushed and poorly executed. The attempt to add depth to Chu Zhao’s character didn’t fully land— it just didn't make sense. Compared to the earlier buildup, the resolution felt underwhelming. Instead of elevating the story, the ending made the flaws in the writing more obvious. It felt like a missed opportunity, especially considering how strong the earlier episodes were.
Overall, this is a drama I really wanted to love— and in many ways, I did. It had strong character dynamics, amazing chemistry, great action scenes, powerful OST, and memorable emotional moments. But at the same time, the inconsistent writing and lack of cohesive storytelling hold it back significantly. Even if I enjoyed watching it, I can’t ignore the fact that it’s poorly-written overall. The drama was indeed an entertaining and emotionally engaging drama carried by its cast, chemistry, and production— but ultimately weakened by poor writing, plot holes, and a lackluster ending. Definitely a miss in my books. Would I recommend this? Maybe— if you’re just in it for a tension-filled romcom and can look past the inconsistencies and at times incoherent storytelling.
P.S. Knowing that the original novel actually explored and addressed many of these “plot holes” makes the drama adaptation even more disappointing. It feels like so much depth and nuance were lost in translation.
The story itself is engaging and, at times, unpredictable. There’s a certain “goofy yet intense” tone that makes it entertaining, and I appreciate how the drama tries to balance humor with emotional depth— He Yan’s chaotic personality, in particular, adds so much life to the narrative. However, this is also where it falls short. Her humor and aegyo-like behavior often feel inconsistent with the gravity of her character, creating moments that clash rather than blend with the overall tone. Her life as He Rufei/General Feihong wasn't exactly shown and explored enough, which made the shift in He Yan's personality feel unsubstantiated. It often felt like I was just expected to go along with the stark contrast, without the narrative fully bridging or justifying that change.
The Yezhou Garrison arc however stood out a lot for me. The found family dynamic there was so heartwarming— I love seeing characters form bonds that feel genuine and earned. Song Taotao and He Yan's girlhood; it's so endearing to watch. The drama also delivered on some of my favorite tropes: “who did this to you” (I will never get tired of this), slow-burn tension, mutual “folding” for each other, hidden identity / revelation arc (this didn't disappoint). The reveal of He Yan as the true General Feihong was powerful for me. It felt empowering and emotional— arguably one of the well-executed moments in the drama.
He Yan is easily one of the highlights of the drama. She’s chaotic, goofy, and unpredictable, but also strong and deeply emotional. Zhou Ye portrayed her incredibly well, especially in heavier scenes— her crying scenes hit hard and feel very real.
Her crashout was particularly impactful. Even without much screen time dedicated to her past with the Eight Warriors, her emotional delivery made it convincing— despite the fact there's literally a lack of storytelling/background of her life as General Feihong. Zhou Ye saved that scene, for me. Xiao Jue surprised me in the best way. At first, he seems stoic and composed, but he turns out to be incredibly thoughtful, romantic, and emotionally expressive. I love how he keeps making excuses at first to justify his treatment of He Yan— gaslighting that it's because he’s suspicious of her— when it’s obvious he’s affected by her in a completely different way. And when he does confess? He CONFESSES. In front of the whole royal family and officials no less: “I respect her, value her, and won’t let anyone slander her. She graces my view, occupies my mind, and claims my heart.” Find a man like Xiao Jue, seriously!
Their dynamic is one of the strongest parts of the drama. The tension is insane— even in simple banter, you can feel it. Xiao Jue constantly being bewildered by He Yan’s antics makes their interactions so fun and engaging. There’s also that underlying “almost gay panic” dynamic early on, which makes their story even more entertaining. I also appreciate that the gender reveal wasn’t dragged out unnecessarily— it allowed their relationship to develop more naturally. Their moonlit scene in Episode 17 felt like a major turning point— intimate, quiet, and deeply personal— and from there, their emotional connection only deepens. Indeed, she is his light, and he is her moon.
Despite all its strengths, the biggest issue of the drama is the writing. The script often feels inconsistent with: scenes that don’t fully make sense, underdeveloped backstories (e.g., He Yan’s master arc and how was he even able to save He Yan) repetitive or forced dialogue (especially some feminism lines that feel unnatural in execution) While I appreciate the intention behind the themes— especially the feminist representation— the delivery sometimes feels repetitive rather than organically integrated into the story. There are also noticeable plot holes, and certain narrative choices feel underexplained or poorly built up. This weakens the overall storytelling, no matter how enjoyable the drama is on the surface. Chu Zhao, for instance, is a complex character with a lot of potential. He initially reminded me of morally gray masterminds (like Ji Yong) or someone heading toward a heel-face turn driven by unrequited feelings (like Xiaosheng), but the execution of his arc ultimately fell short.
The final stretch was honestly just disappointing. The last 3–4 episodes felt rushed and poorly executed. The attempt to add depth to Chu Zhao’s character didn’t fully land— it just didn't make sense. Compared to the earlier buildup, the resolution felt underwhelming. Instead of elevating the story, the ending made the flaws in the writing more obvious. It felt like a missed opportunity, especially considering how strong the earlier episodes were.
Overall, this is a drama I really wanted to love— and in many ways, I did. It had strong character dynamics, amazing chemistry, great action scenes, powerful OST, and memorable emotional moments. But at the same time, the inconsistent writing and lack of cohesive storytelling hold it back significantly. Even if I enjoyed watching it, I can’t ignore the fact that it’s poorly-written overall. The drama was indeed an entertaining and emotionally engaging drama carried by its cast, chemistry, and production— but ultimately weakened by poor writing, plot holes, and a lackluster ending. Definitely a miss in my books. Would I recommend this? Maybe— if you’re just in it for a tension-filled romcom and can look past the inconsistencies and at times incoherent storytelling.
P.S. Knowing that the original novel actually explored and addressed many of these “plot holes” makes the drama adaptation even more disappointing. It feels like so much depth and nuance were lost in translation.
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