tsuyoi_hikari

There are a lot of audiences that are not satisfied with the ending. But for me, the ending is great due to the various hints the writer keeps throwing to us since the beginning of the drama which is, So Young has always been part Bong Hwan since the very beginning -- which influence both his behaviors and actions. And her presence is more apparent when she fainted and fell into vegetative state. So all the romantic actions we seen later are all her own doing and not Bong Hwan. You see Bong Hwan being confuse and hate those actions since it was always been So Young's doing. Bong Hwan just always tries to justified himself everytime he does something against his will to console himself since he can’t understand his action either (like imagining Hong Yeon when the Queen and the King had their first night together and any other various instances). So Young's memories, So Young's feelings, So Young's sync actions with her father, So Young's music ability, So Young's embroidery skills are the many hints that the writer throw to us.

The biggest hints:

Hint #1 - When Bong Hwan left the Queen's body in Episode 20, So Young knew he was gone since she cant felt his presence anymore -- she wasn’t ecstatic to get back, but she just felt he is gone since she never left her body in the first place. This indicates that she always there in her own body influencing all Bong Hwan's sub-conscience, behaviors and actions and do things against his wills.

Hint #2 - Bong Hwan was revealed as someone who never do justice (based on his conversation with Secretary Han on the balcony). This is the biggest hint that show us that all the helps the King received from the beginning from the Queen has always been So Young's doing. He influences Bong Hwan to do that way and in the end, Bong Hwan benefited from it as well and he become kinder and more towards justice and changed his destiny as well in the future.

Hint #3 - So Young never revealed to anyone that someone took over her body. Why? Because she know that she was always there in the beginning influencing Bong Hwan's behaviors and actions. Bong Hwan started to get So Young's memories one by one and can feel her emotions (thats why he knew that the Queen loves the King since the beginning and never love Byeong In). This later intensified when even when the Queen think, it was in So Young's voice instead of Bong Hwan. And later, the kiss, the first night which was done against Bong Hwan's will further proves this. And when we reached the end of the drama, we started to see less Bong Hwan and more of the Queen in term of action and decision makings. The personality of the Queen might be Bong Hwan, but the sub-conscious has always been So Young. Thats why she didnt feels guilty towards the King as well since she knew it was her that the King falls in love with.

Thanks!

Yes, I plan to watch this soon since its so popular. :D

China is very strict with gay storyline so can I know how this series get the greenlight? I never thought this kind of drama is possible to come out from China lol even for a web series.

Ohh can you give examples of the false political image? The dramas that I have watched usually doesnt have this content so I'm curious to know which dramas has them.

Anyone can recommend me modern C-RomCom without any of the above? Like a totally healthy relationship between the leads where they are not even one non-consensual behaviors even for character development sake? I think costume dramas in general have better healthy relationships and thats why I tend to enjoy them more..

'I Cannot Hug You' is the only one that comes in my mind so far. I thought its awesome how the FL is sexually frustrated (lol) with the lack of touch since the ML is OCD but still can control herself. XD

In Cute Programmer, mostly everyone is blaming the male lead for sleeping with her while he's drunk lol and not the other way around. The male lead certainly do the first move and she consented (and taking advantage?) of it but he is drunk and not in his right mind. I wonder if you sleep with your drunk husband/wife (not the pass out drunk), is it mean that you do something wrong ? It certainly a grey area to me tbh.

Thank you so much for this article! I just couldn't agree for more esp this part:

'A downside to many of the oh so fluffy C-dramas since they often come with the bitter side of it, often portraying men in need of a lesson or two in consensual relations.'

I think it got to do with writers and their need to put all these non-consensual behaviors to move their plots. They also put those behaviors in since they view assertive and confident men as attractive (yes, but cant we do it consensually instead of forcing it? :(). This doesn't only happen in C-dramas and but in other dramas as well which shows that toxic relationships are okay and normalized. But at least in Cdramas, these toxic behaviors are shown as wrong and the male leads learn from it so I guess I was kind of okay as it is shown as character development but I just wish they just dont put it in the first place.

I love my C-fluffs. I honestly think they're the best which make me really love C-RomCom in general. Like you said, the guys are usually so sweet and gentle with one non-consensual behavior. :P I mean whyyyyy. Why you have to taint my fave character lol

I was rolling my eyes so much to all the pretentious slow dialogs between the characters in the last 2 episodes of the drama. I know Ji Ho has something under her sleeve for pulling the things she did at the end of this drama. But she did it at the expense of hurting many people esp Se Hee. This is probably the most ridiculous noble idiocy I have ever seen anyone pulled out. Other dramas noble idiocy at least make sense but this one didnt -- it didnt come out deep but instead very pretentious.

Ji Ho appear to be someone selfish and hard to please. First, she keeps shoving her feelings towards Se Hee despite knowing the fact the kind of marriage that they entered. When she hurts, she passive aggressively hurt him in return. And when he finally like her back, she's wanted out of the marriage because she loved him so much. Yeaaaaah, right. >.> The fact that she knew Se Hee's sad past and still do those things to him make her even more less likable. Se Hee in the other hand seemed like a pushover. The fact that he let both of the girls that he love push him around like that make him look like an idiot.

Stop romanticise emotional torture. It really getting on my nerve when writers did that.

Thanks!

I find C-dramas are more interesting in term of storyline so thats why I stuck with it now. There's so many dramas I want to watch but so little time. :D

Oh is it? The whole one character in one body is actually fun since it caused a lot of confusion to the ML -- esp the other personality is a lover of an enemy. But he knew since the beginning which one was her but it took quite a while for him to believe they are two different persons since after all, it didnt make sense lol.

The Eternal Love 2 is seriously an upgrade than the first season. I rated the first 7.5/10 but the second season deserved 9.5/10 -- that one is just straight up quality production with interesting plot (with absolutely beautiful cinematography). The third season much more hilarious and sad but seriously fun in all level. Its a drama full of fluff so you most likely just gonna enjoy it without much heartache or frustration. My fave dramas are usually not romance type but this one I truly love since it just straight up romantic with full of skinship. They act like normal husband and wife would.

You can watch second & third seasons without watching the first (and can understand the storyline without any problem). But you probably gonna enjoy it more if you understand how deep is their love and why they took certain decisions for each other (this one all explored in the first season). But since you actually try to watch the first and dropped it, then I would say just straight up watch the second season since they did explain everything again when the drama starts.

Oh no!! Thats the worst. I love this type of dramas but I dont know whether I can stand this pettiness OTL

Can you rec similar dramas like this?

Not historical but Xian Xia drama The Eternal Love 2 & The Eternal Love 3. ML only loves FL and the drama is just full of fluffs from the beginning till the end. I still considers both dramas as my fave romance dramas of all time since how not petty is their relationship with each other. A relationship goals without a doubt.

Please do! The other reviews has been very mediocre.

Angsty plots makes a good drama. :D

lol the ones that I watched is that he had concubines but never touch them. He just received them since its the custom.

What? That late? So they remained indifferent to each other like 36 episodes? lol

Thank you! :D :D

I love the drama to pieces. It was unexplaining very satisfying plot and script wise. The chemistry was crazy as well. I watched it back in 2012 and it remains fond in my memory even until now.

Ohh I agree. I'm a big fan of Moon Chae Won so I totally get what you mean. The part where she is losing her mind when Hyun Soo was kidnapped was really awesome. I wonder why she didnt get nominated for Baeksang Best Actress for her performance in this drama.

If you havent watch The Princess' Man yet, I would recommend you to watch the drama too. She played a strong character as well in the drama. One of my very fave romance sageuks. :D