A rebirth that… doesn’t really change much
You know how rebirth dramas usually go—revenge, a smart and capable female lead, and a second chance to rewrite fate. That’s what Si Jin seemed to promise. Jiang Si dies a tragic death, supposedly at the hands of Yu Jin, only to wake up years earlier, ready to take control of her life. She breaks off her engagement, protects her family, starts a business, and even gains the status of a Saintess. Sounds great on paper.
But while the setup brims with potential, the execution falters in crucial ways. Despite her rebirth, Jiang Si’s second chance changes surprisingly little. Sure, her family avoids ruin, but her own trajectory remains eerily familiar. The Saintess subplot could’ve added weight to the story, yet it’s barely explored, leaving it feeling more like a gimmick than a meaningful part of Jiang Si’s journey. For a drama that leans so heavily on rebirth as a premise, it sure does very little with it.
The writing falters even further when it comes to its characters, and no one exemplifies this more than the Emperor. I honestly can’t tell if he’s borderline bipolar or just plain incompetent because half the time, his decisions make zero sense. One moment, he’s taking a firm stance; the next, he’s doing a complete 180 like he has the political awareness of a rock. He’s the Emperor, for fuck’s sake—where are his guards? His informants? His advisors? Did he somehow lack the resources to keep his own family in check? No, he simply chose to remain blind, letting the Royal Princess and her spoiled daughter manipulate him at every turn. And not because they were particularly clever, but because he was just that easy to fool. Sighs sighs sighs. Jiang Si herself also suffers from this inconsistency. Some episodes make her out to be intelligent and composed, only for the next to show she’s acting completely out of character—like that scene where she suddenly held a gold hairpin to the Royal Princess’s neck. It came out of nowhere, so over-the-top that I almost laughed. Was it meant to be intense? Because it felt unintentionally comedic. And definitely makes it hard to fully root for her.
Then we have the villains. If you enjoy over-the-top antagonists, this drama delivers them in spades. The Royal Princess, in particular, quickly became exhausting to watch. Her entire character arc is fueled by insecurity and jealousy—fair enough, if it had any depth. But no, it’s the same tired cycle: she’s jealous, she lashes out, and then we do it all over again. The drama insists she’s some great, menacing force, but in reality? She’s just petty with a royal title. And while I can appreciate the whole motherly love angle, watching her willingly push her child down the same self-destructive path was frustrating.
Now my biggest question of all—Jiang Si’s death in her past life. The drama makes it clear that Yu Jin didn’t actually kill her and that, in some grand act of devotion, he sacrificed himself for her. But how? When? They never properly explain it. Either I missed something (entirely possible), or the drama just decided it wasn’t important enough to clarify.
Well as usual, I skipped the second leads’ romance—it rarely impresses me, and this drama was no exception. Every time their scenes came on, I found myself reaching for my phone without a shred of regret. (Though, I’ll admit I might be a little biased toward Jiang Si’s eldest sister. I kept wishing they’d give her more screen time—she was far more interesting than the other supporting casts.)
Yet, for all my complaints, I still found myself enjoying the ride. Maybe it was Zhang Wanyi’s performance that kept me hooked, or maybe it was those fleeting moments of brilliance buried beneath the inconsistencies. Si Jin may not have delivered the rebirth drama I hoped for, but despite its flaws, I kept watching. And in the end, that has to count for something.
But while the setup brims with potential, the execution falters in crucial ways. Despite her rebirth, Jiang Si’s second chance changes surprisingly little. Sure, her family avoids ruin, but her own trajectory remains eerily familiar. The Saintess subplot could’ve added weight to the story, yet it’s barely explored, leaving it feeling more like a gimmick than a meaningful part of Jiang Si’s journey. For a drama that leans so heavily on rebirth as a premise, it sure does very little with it.
The writing falters even further when it comes to its characters, and no one exemplifies this more than the Emperor. I honestly can’t tell if he’s borderline bipolar or just plain incompetent because half the time, his decisions make zero sense. One moment, he’s taking a firm stance; the next, he’s doing a complete 180 like he has the political awareness of a rock. He’s the Emperor, for fuck’s sake—where are his guards? His informants? His advisors? Did he somehow lack the resources to keep his own family in check? No, he simply chose to remain blind, letting the Royal Princess and her spoiled daughter manipulate him at every turn. And not because they were particularly clever, but because he was just that easy to fool. Sighs sighs sighs. Jiang Si herself also suffers from this inconsistency. Some episodes make her out to be intelligent and composed, only for the next to show she’s acting completely out of character—like that scene where she suddenly held a gold hairpin to the Royal Princess’s neck. It came out of nowhere, so over-the-top that I almost laughed. Was it meant to be intense? Because it felt unintentionally comedic. And definitely makes it hard to fully root for her.
Then we have the villains. If you enjoy over-the-top antagonists, this drama delivers them in spades. The Royal Princess, in particular, quickly became exhausting to watch. Her entire character arc is fueled by insecurity and jealousy—fair enough, if it had any depth. But no, it’s the same tired cycle: she’s jealous, she lashes out, and then we do it all over again. The drama insists she’s some great, menacing force, but in reality? She’s just petty with a royal title. And while I can appreciate the whole motherly love angle, watching her willingly push her child down the same self-destructive path was frustrating.
Now my biggest question of all—Jiang Si’s death in her past life. The drama makes it clear that Yu Jin didn’t actually kill her and that, in some grand act of devotion, he sacrificed himself for her. But how? When? They never properly explain it. Either I missed something (entirely possible), or the drama just decided it wasn’t important enough to clarify.
Well as usual, I skipped the second leads’ romance—it rarely impresses me, and this drama was no exception. Every time their scenes came on, I found myself reaching for my phone without a shred of regret. (Though, I’ll admit I might be a little biased toward Jiang Si’s eldest sister. I kept wishing they’d give her more screen time—she was far more interesting than the other supporting casts.)
Yet, for all my complaints, I still found myself enjoying the ride. Maybe it was Zhang Wanyi’s performance that kept me hooked, or maybe it was those fleeting moments of brilliance buried beneath the inconsistencies. Si Jin may not have delivered the rebirth drama I hoped for, but despite its flaws, I kept watching. And in the end, that has to count for something.
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