The Emotional Depth of “Broken of Love”
Broken of Love is not another formulaic GL (Girls’ Love) series, but an exceptionally refined and multilayered Thai production that skillfully combines themes of revenge with psychological drama and emotional romance. From the very first minutes, the viewer is drawn into a world where the past is not merely a painful memory — it becomes a force that shapes the characters’ present and influences every decision they make. The screenplay deserves special recognition for avoiding cheap plot devices and unjustified twists. The story unfolds gradually, with great attention paid to emotional tension and character psychology. The creators deliberately choose a slower narrative pace, allowing the atmosphere to become increasingly heavy, suffocating, and filled with unspoken emotions. It is precisely this carefully built intensity that makes Broken of Love so deeply engaging.At the same time, the series never turns into an overwhelmingly bleak drama focused solely on suffering. The production maintains an excellent balance between dramatic scenes, romance, moments of tension, and action. Because of this, the story feels alive, and the emotions never seem forced. There are conflicts, painful conversations, family disputes, and psychological burdens, yet everything is portrayed naturally, without excessive theatricality. It is evident that Faye Peraya Malisorn — both as an actress and producer — understood exactly how much emotion should be shown at any given moment so the audience would never feel emotionally exhausted. That balance makes the series incredibly immersive to watch.
The central figure of the story is Arisa (Faye Peraya Malisorn) — a mysterious, cold, and emotionally distant woman. She operates within a ruthless corporate world while hiding the trauma of her parents’ deaths beneath a mask of professionalism, along with a desire for revenge that drives her entire life. However, Arisa is far from one-dimensional. Beneath her silence, glances, and carefully controlled reactions lies an enormous emotional weight, which Faye portrays with remarkable subtlety.
Arisa’s path crosses with Lalin (Atom Pariya Piyapanopas), who is her complete opposite — open, spontaneous, and expressive, yet trapped within the expectations of her dominant and controlling mother, Welling. The relationship between Arisa and Lalin develops slowly, yet incredibly naturally. This is where the series reveals its greatest strength. The trope of seeking revenge against the enemy’s family has appeared countless times in Asian dramas, but here it gains a fresher and far more emotional dimension thanks to its placement within a complicated GL relationship. Their growing feelings gradually clash with family loyalty, duty, and the pain of the past.
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A must-watch
I am still completely blown away by how incredible this production is. It is rare to find a show where absolutely everything is top-tier, but this one delivers on every single level. The storytelling is gripping and unpredictable, keeping you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.The casting is nothing short of perfection; the actors brought so much nuance and raw emotion to their roles that it felt incredibly real. Combined with the stunning cinematography and a breathtaking soundtrack that perfectly captures the mood of every scene, it is a true work of art.
I was so deeply immersed in the world they created that the hours just flew by without me noticing. The production value is insane, and its rewatch value is incredibly high—I’m already planning to start it over again. If you haven't started watching this yet, you are seriously missing out. A well-deserved 10/10!
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Never underestimate Li Pei Yi
Others have written excellent, more extensive reviews so I'm not going to spend a lot of words talking about the wonderful acting, script and production values that make this a top-notch historical c-drama. I just want to lay the thought for new viewers: Do not ever underestimate Li Pei Yi. She is an unbelievably brilliant master of events and everything ultimately plays out according to her schemes. Just when you think she has lost hold of the reigns, things will turn and show how she was riding a completely different horse. What a great character and Bai Lu does a wonderful job portraying her.Was this review helpful to you?
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This drama screams for 2nd season or it should have a movie sequel ma
You will fall in love with these fools.lady train wrecker,wang sap and royal nightmare will make you grin ear to ear.this genre of kdrama i will definitely want more like this.and not to forget Dheghe chalsaengeta Cha eun woo.onky thing that wouldn't want him smoking on screen.after wikiki and terius i laughed a lot watching this drama.park Eun bin so cute that you would take her in pocket .netflix worty vfx and effects .this became my next favorite.Was this review helpful to you?
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One of the best contract marriage dramas
I remember the days when I first discovered K-dramas, and how hooked I would get on them. I'd be buried under blankets on a Saturday morning, sipping my coffee and definitely not getting to any of my daily responsibilities til about 4 pm. But over time, as I started encountering repeated tropes and plotlines or chemistry that fell flat, I've settled into a rhythm of always having a drama going that I watch every few days or so but typically take a while to finish, but every so often one just takes me back to the golden era of 2016 dramas and I eat it up in less than a week.Perfect Crown was one of those. Honestly, what carried it for me was their relationship. I was swooning at every scene, and the slowburn contract marriage "oh we don't actually like each other... okay maybe I do a little bit... okay I want this to be real now" pacing was just soooo goooood. Their chemistry was also fantastic.
My only criticism is the plot surrounding them of the politics and world-building of the constitutional monarchy had some holes and left me with questions. There's not a lot of sideplot development to bolster the drama as this is 12 episodes instead of 16, so they really focus on the main plot of the relationship. Contrast that to a drama like Crash Landing On You where you don't just see their development, you also see stories like the wiretap guy and his relationship to the ML and all the musical thread of the piano through the whole show. It had 16 episodes to bring all that together. This drama didn't have that depth in the plot, but the relationship did, and oh man was it good.
And, I am not a fan of the "have to hurt you to protect you" trope. But the other tropes are done well.
If you're looking for a gripping thriller political drama, this is probably not for you. But if you want a romcom that absolutely nails the tropes and chemistry between the two leads, this is the one. I watched it in about four days and if I can drag my fellow drama friends into it, I would watch it again tomorrow.
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feels like stumbled at the finish line
Perfect Crown was already on my waiting list the moment the main cast got announced. IU + Byeon Woo Seok in a modern monarchy drama with contract marriage trope??? Oh I was SAT. SEATED. BUCKLED IN! Honestly, the biggest reason why I got interested was the setting itself. I’m such a sucker for modern monarchy dramas. There’s just something so addictive about seeing royal traditions, palace politics, luxury scandals, tailored coats, and generational trauma happening in modern society. Like yes please give me emotionally constipated royal people suffering beautifully inside expensive palaces. And this drama REALLY delivered on the vibes. Everyone looked insanely expensive. Even their emotional damage felt sponsored by luxury brands. Another thing that sold me was the contract marriage + high school crush trope. Was it cliché? Absolutely. Did I still eat it up every week? Also absolutely. Perfect Crown honestly does not reinvent the wheel. We got palace intrigue, tragic deaths, power struggles, one-sided love, hidden family drama, succession issues, emotionally unavailable parents, and enough trauma to destroy an entire royal bloodline. This drama looked at every makjang trope possible and said: “yeah put everything in there.” And somehow… it worked .What truly carried this drama for me were the atmosphere, chemistry, performances, and emotional tension.
IU as Seong Hui Ju completely understood the assignment. She brought such fun romantic-comedy energy while still making Hui Ju feel emotionally layered underneath all the glamour and ambition. Hui Ju spent her entire life trying to prove herself because she was an illegitimate daughter. She built everything herself — money, business, reputation, influence — yet legitimacy was still the one thing she could never fully have. Honestly, girl was working like she had three LinkedIn accounts and generational trauma to overcome.
Meanwhile Byeon Woo Seok as Lee Ian spent the entire drama looking devastatingly handsome while silently carrying the emotional burden of an entire collapsing monarchy. I genuinely loved how restrained his acting was. Ian grew up being treated like a threat by his own father simply because his existence endangered the crown prince’s legitimacy. His royal title always felt hollow rather than powerful, like he was trapped inside a palace that never truly wanted him there. And somehow Byeon Woo Seok made all that sadness look gorgeous. That man could stare at a wall silently for 10 minutes and I would still call it cinema.
One thing I genuinely appreciated was the communication between Hui Ju and Ian. For a drama THIS dramatic, their relationship was surprisingly healthy. Misunderstandings didn’t drag for 15 episodes. They actually talked, solved problems quickly, and returned to being disgustingly in love again. Sometimes they weren’t even doing anything romantic — they were literally just standing next to each other breathing dramatically and I was already sold.
Hui Ju’s family dynamics were also really interesting. Her stepbrother initially felt like the typical legitimate heir rival, but later episodes showed he genuinely cared for her in his own way. Meanwhile Hui Ju’s father genuinely irritated me every time he appeared because that man raised his children inside an environment where love always felt conditional and political. No wonder everyone in this drama is emotionally unstable.
Now for Min Jeong U, the Prime Minister… On paper, he was technically the “better choice.” Status, influence, power, stability — he had everything. But Hui Ju still chose Ian because Ian understood her emotional loneliness in ways Jeong U never fully could. BUT STILL . Sir, you loved this woman since HIGH SCHOOL and still never confessed properly despite having endless opportunities. At some point that stopped becoming romance and started becoming a long-term government project.
And the Queen Mother… wow. Gong Seung Yeon absolutely embodied that role. She genuinely felt like someone psychologically trapped by palace life and her father’s obsession with making her queen at all costs. Her dynamic with Ian was also weirdly fascinating because I honestly think she became emotionally attached to him over time. Meanwhile Ian was just accidentally causing emotional collapse everywhere he went by standing there smiling softly while looking handsome!
Now here’s my biggest frustration with the drama; THE PLOT HOLES. I genuinely thought the drama was building toward some huge reveal about the late king possibly being illegitimate and Ian actually being the rightful heir all along. It would’ve explained SO much about the succession tension and the late king desperately wanting Ian to inherit the throne. BUT NO. The drama literally never explored that theory properly. Honestly, this drama being only 12 episodes should be considered a crime because there were way too many political conflicts and family storylines happening at once. This absolutely should’ve been 16 episodes. The pacing became insanely fast toward the end, and several plotlines felt unfinished.
Then suddenly…ABOLISHMENT. Like huh??? Is abolishing monarchy THAT easy??? That is literally an entire country system. The amount of political, constitutional, economic, and social restructuring needed for that would be INSANE. As far as I know, that’s literally one of the reasons why many European countries still maintain constitutional monarchy instead of abolishing it altogether. The transition itself would be unbelievably massive.
I KNOW this drama is fictional and fantasy-based, but my brain genuinely could not accept this level of elementary political writing . And episode 12 honestly became so messy because of it. You’re telling me the former king — someone established from the beginning as deeply beloved by the public — suddenly walks around outside after abolishment and NOBODY pays attention to him??? As if he’s just some random unemployed guy buying groceries??? That is literally unthinkable. Especially after the drama repeatedly showed how famous and beloved Ian was nationwide. Realistically, people would still recognize him instantly even without the title. And then the fact that Ian basically became jobless afterward… Oh that hurt me BADLY. From graceful grand prince carrying the emotional weight of an entire monarchy to pitiful house husband waiting for his busy CEO wife at home. Meanwhile Hui Ju goes back to being an ultra-busy Beauty Castle CEO while Ian just kinda… exists there looking pretty and unemployed. Like excuse me writer-nim what are we doing here??? I understand the intention was probably to symbolize freedom and normal life outside the monarchy, but the execution accidentally made Ian’s ending feel strangely humiliating compared to the grandeur and emotional buildup of his entire character journey. BUT STILL I also loved that Ian finally got to truly live as himself. Still, despite ALL my complaints, I cannot lie…I still enjoyed this drama a lot. I liked how most relationships healed by the end too… except for Prime Minister Jeong U because the drama literally left that man floating like an unfinished government document. Did he get jailed? Exposed? Exiled? We genuinely do not know. And lastly, the little king . My tiny cutie pie your majesty. I’m SO glad the drama never created conflict between him and Ian. Ian genuinely loved and protected him until the end, and honestly their relationship became one of the softest parts of the drama for me.
Overall, Perfect Crown is messy, rushed, dramatic, cliché, emotionally chaotic, and filled with enough palace trauma to emotionally bankrupt an entire kingdom. But despite all its flaws, the beautiful cinematography, modern monarchy setting, strong performances, romantic tension, insane family dynamics, and luxurious palace vibes still made this drama ridiculously entertaining every single week. Was the writing perfect? Absolutely not. Did I still get emotionally attached to these rich traumatized palace people anyway? Unfortunately… yes . 8/10.
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Perfect Couple in Disguise
This series screams expensive, elegance and majestic settings of a FICTIONAL modern Korea as a constitutional monarchy; it has lots of spellbinding visuals; a perfectly ensemble casts; and volatile dynamic from start to finish. It’s a love story which pairs two souls shaped by the same suffering yet showcase different approach on how to survive.Grand Prince I-An, a gentle soul, act as a pseudo façade of the crown’s honor; when in reality, hides the dark side of power struggling, greed and manipulations. Growing up, he was forced to restraint himself and being passive. Always positioned himself at the back, a shadow of his older brother. As he met Hui-ju at school, his rebel side starts to brew. He changed the school rules to give equal rights among the students ignoring nobility privileges. This little act in his earlier days in school was brilliantly overlooked by most of us, as it evolved steadily into a revolution, a deep desire to abolish the monarchy; which in his view is the root of all evil.
Hui-ju on the other hand is a feisty soul, like a wild horse; who always have to fight for her way up. She is fearless and not hesitant to play dirty in achieving her goals. Grown to be a cut-throat business-woman, who excels in making deals and negotiations. A master in public relations; trend-setting to bend and read the market and public sentiment. With her quick wit and confidence, she is able to adapt to her surrounding and often turns them into something which benefits her the most in the end. As she met I-An, she is tamed by his gentleness and moral values which she overlook as annoying and lesser important. It awakens her deep desire to be acknowledged for her worth; and be taken care of for her wellbeing without her even asking. I-An often surprises her and catches her off guard with his elusive approach, showcasing his sincere care and love.
The two compliment each other like a glove, a perfect union in marriage. In my native language they make ‘Raja Sehari’ meaningful as the perfect crown.
Plot
It has a good premise. An arranged fake marriage between a royal and a commoner; which then turns to be a real deal. How two souls compliment each other naturally. The dynamic is like a rollercoaster; juggling in between romance, comedy and few assassination attempts; at times somehow I was a little skeptical on how the characters manages to pull through in overcoming such bizarre and life-threatening experience without any consequences. "Yesterday, I was poisoned and today I show up for work." Logic and reasonable flow is thrown out the window.
So yes, the biggest flaw in this series is how short the show is. It forbids me to digest and fully immerse into their journey. The dynamic was incoherent at times as we expect to deal with its heavy aftermath, stems from its darker twists. Those turn of events often being treated as weightless and casualty-free. The span of the tragic events occured are a bit underwhelming and hard to swallow as we experience it in a fast pace environment; As if the characters are full-proof diamond; trauma free from any cuts and bruises.
Still, the biggest strength of this series is how fluffy and charming the romance is. The hidden desire, restraint in disguise; the unhinged boldness and confidence entertwine with comedic relief; the absurdity of its twists and logic which propel us into shipping the main couple to sail away. Both leads mirrors in few parallel scenes. The details in here is surprisingly fulfilling and won our hearts. I love how it was naturally written. Those parallel moments is anticipated and perfectly delivered.
Casts
BWS did it again. His innocence in Lovely Runner days has transcended into a higher level, sophisticated and elegance with much softer expressions to charm us. He was being portrayed as a calm persona, aloof and stoic, befitting as the restraint Grand Prince I-An. His charm evolves; as the beloved prince into the most desirable husband.
IU is brilliant in portraying Hui-ju. She manages to make an unlikeable character into a likeable heroin. We were presented with her unusual bizarre tantrum and quirky antics, matched as this cut-throat business-woman who has deep scar in her heart. As we learn more about them, we could relate and tolerate on why she behave in such a way. She managed to grip my attention and deepens my curiosity, hence had me rooting for her. I want her to succeed regardless whatever she does.
Queen Mother’s portrayal is superb. It shines as the crown’s nobility. Her portrayal screams elegance and honor yet her dark intention and past sins, cloud us into thinking that she is a villain with no redemption.
Prime Minister's (PM) portrayal is commendable. Had it have more episodes, I could be convinced that he could pull such an evil act. What left me with his oddity is him being someone who is utterly stupid and delusional.
Ms Do was amazing. Her portrayal felt natural and she shows her charm and persona and turn me into a fan. Same as Aide-Choi, both giving me a comedic relief to ease the tension that baffles me at times.
Hui-ju's family was masked as her biggest obstacle but progressively it shines into her biggest support all along. Kudos to her big brother and sister in-law, the bickering siblings act is entertaining to watch. Her father’s love which was often misunderstood, shows possible potential to be resolved overtime.
Palace's Staffs in overall, are commendable as to convince me to this FICTIONAL modern day monarchy. It may different from actual thing but it still carries the weight of its grand majestic and magminity; and how the nations pride and culture were being preserved throughout the history. I'm not against in its discrepancy from true events in reality. I just appreciate the nuances it gives, regardless.
Music
It has a good amount of songs and instrumental background to immerse and pulls us into the story. It helps a lot for us to experience the moment, whether we are being fluffy over the romance or thrill of its suspense and gripping turns of event.
Fav song is Everglow by Woodz.
Fav scene : I-An and Hui-ju first meeting (both times)
Fav Character : Ms Do. I love her cuteness.
Fav Quote : "OH.. SO SHINY!!" - Aide Choi
Least Fav scene : PM shouting at I-An, being angry when Hui-ju is being poisoned.
Least Fav Char : PM
Least Fav Quote : "It's your fault. You turn me into this," - PM
Re-watchable : Yes, indefinitely.
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was invested at first but then...lost interest?
Modern royal monarchy plots was something that has not been done for sooo many years. I think the last drama I saw was King 2 hearts and Princess Hours years ago, so I was really excited for this show! Overall the show is still good but only issue is that it doesnt leave any emotional connection.So with the initial setup of SHJ's character I thought that wow once she moves in shes gonna bring havoc to the palace. I was looking forward to this portion cause its usually the comedic relief part. But they took so long going in circles and circles regarding their marriage thing that in the end they only got married towards the end of the drama...
The scene where she was playing with the king, making a change to the palace atmosphere is what I hoped to see more so we could connect with the characters....
Personally wasnt a fan of some of the styling items for BWS cause it didnt really give him the Prince aura. They went with the concept of yes he is in a very high position but actually he has no authority vibes. But then towards the end suddenly everyone is listening to him...
I enjoyed the start of the drama, IU's acting felt very confident and I liked how she was extremely proud of her achievements and you could tell she is really very good at what she does.
Visuals and OSTs were good as well~ yeah so in the end it was just lack of attachment (maybe due to shorter number of eps?)
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Handled trauma brilliantly
I absolutely loved the series. I have mixed feelings about it. They handled trauma so well; as a psychology student and a children's teacher, it was truly rewarding to watch. The acting was excellent, kudos to Santa, he really moved me. I cried in every single episode. Sadly, the show didn't get the hype it deserved, but more people should definitely give it a shot. I connected so much with Pobmek, Sun, and Solar. Saturdays won't be the same without it.Was this review helpful to you?
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Underestimated, Underrated MASTERPIECE
Ep 1 - SOLID this episode 1 of LOVE BEYOND DREAMS! A love story wrapped in a crime thriller. Very promising!!Thought LOVE BEYOND DREAMS would "just" be a good rehash of DENIED LOVExDANGEROUS QUEENxREVERSE FOR YOU.... It's turning out to be something beyond the enemies-to-lovers trope into a good crime thriller!
But I feel bad for LBD Ep 2 - It ran into major superstar-level competition like HOMETOWN ROMANCE, BROKEN OF LOVE, 4ELEMENTS: AIR.... I'm confident though that given how good LBD is (and how beautiful its two stars are), it'll find its footing soon enough🥰😍😘👏💯❤️🇹🇭
LOVE BEYOND DREAMS Ep 5 - We thought, "thank goodness, no more migraines, GIRL RULES ended happily!" And now, here's all the twists and turns of LBD, and we go, "oh no, more migraine attacks!" Haha haha haha But we're such a sucker for GL pain, that we keep on watching... And every time Khun Lene smiles, we smile too🥹😊
I keep on looking at MIE's face and I keep asking myself, "why are her features so familiar?" And it dawned upon me: MIE is the daughter of FAYE PERAYA and FREEN SAROCHA! 🥰😍😘🇹🇭❤️😁🥳
I just completed LOVE BEYOND DREAM's Final Episode 7 and here's what I think (⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD)
If you've been watching a lot of Thai GL long enough, inside your head there are thoughts of "P'Le and Nu Rann are Khun Sam and Mon re-booted and revitalized, version 2026" and "You did well, Donut's uncle, IYKYK" and "Why does this somehow feel like an alternate universe version of 'Shadow of Love'x'Reverse4You'?!"
Now, onto a crazy finale review: 1. Time travel x crime thriller x love story x family drama = LOVE BEYOND DREAM's whodunnit appeal hits across all audience demographics.
2. Mie Phattaranan Padpai (P'Le) is adorably sexy as the gun-slinging, hard-punching, flying-kicking Princess Charming out to save her Lady Love from the clutches of the evil King-Dad. But it doesn't sit well with an Asian family-oriented audience that she cried a river over Peem's untimely demise but never shed s tear for her father (no matter how vile).
3. Those cutely ubiquitous dimples of "Donut's Sweet Uncle" (ref. Play Park) are more substantively written about than the Peem role itself.
4. "The Office" seems to matter a lot to P'Le, that its the setting not only for lotsa stuff that went beyond PDA, it's also where P'Le proposed! Obviously, father and daughter were workaholics to the bone!
5. Why "forcibly" squeeze in everything into the 7th episode? A lot of expository flashbacks and hard-action drama could've been shown in Ep 7, then all the romance could've unfolded in finale Ep 8. But no, let's kill off the bad guy (and the good guy), lets get in on in the office, and let's get married and live happily ever after! All in the last episode, ep 7.
All in all though, LOVE BEYOND DREAMS is still a solid 9/10 for sheer effort. And for Mie🥰😍😘😁🥳🇹🇭❤️à
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Really like this so far - NiF whispers
I would recommend this. It is at a different class. Level above.Story, tight screenwriting, casting, acting, cadence, sets, OST, fight scenes.. all superb.
I sensed whispers of Nirvana in Fire production and investigated and this is made by several of the same crew. And for me: Nirvana in Fire is the absolute GOAT of all cinema.
I look forward to the rest.
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a thesis statement on everything wrong with 12 episode dramas
I was so excited about this drama and very much looking forward to it. So maybe because my expectations were so high, I was particularly disappointed in the things that kept this drama from being anything more than like a B rating for me. i enjoyed the costuming (though whoever put IU in those awful press ons...) the cinematography, The acting the ost, but I just think the writing fell flat. And I think a large part of it is partially due to the shorter length that k dramas have started to go towards on netflix and other international streamers. this just felt so shallowly written that I had a hard time really caring about anything that was going on but I have a hard time articulating how the writing could do better for everyone without a longer show length and more time to dig into the substantive reasons and explain people's motivations better. it's really a shame to see all of the pieces be there but the writing really disappoint the whole project.Was this review helpful to you?
Ti Jia Hou Fu Ren Ma Jia Cang Bu Zhu Le
3 people found this review helpful
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Boring first act but story became interesting once common tropes given different twists
I recently discovered Zhang Si Fan and wanted to explore his work. He has acted in a drama with same plot as this drama so I decided to watch this version first. It was alright.What I liked:
1. Acting - I liked Wang Xin Yue's performance. This is the first time I watched Zhuo Hang and his performance was alright.
2. FL characterisation - Her FL was cool, smart & poise. However it was silly that she had way too many skills e.g healer, violin playing, hacker.
3. Romance - I liked it when they started becoming familiar with each other. The teasing and eventually kisses. Good ones.
4. Styling - I loved FL's white dress that she wore to the final banquet.
5. Supporting characters - I liked ML's grandfather & parents. I also liked ML's assistant. I also liked that guy who wanted to become FL's friend at university. He seemed like a nice guy.
6. ML characterisation - I liked that he offered support to FL knowing her family dynamics but never forced her to live with him / his family. He was also inquisitive.
What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - Song family was manipulative & shameless. I couldn't believe that they abused FL and was even willing to con another family for money.
2. Acting - The chemistry was passable. I found Wang Xin Yue quite stiff during kissing & couple scenes.
3. First act - Offered nothing new especially during the Song family arguements.
4. University - I found scenes involving FL & antagonist going to university confusing because. I kept thinking if FL was a minor because of the school uniform that she wore.
Favourite scene
When ML & FL were hot for each other
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10/10 one of my new favorites
Entertained the ENTIRE time. This one is contending with the big dawgs for me. I haven’t giggled and blushed this much since Twinkling Watermelon. Like they’re putting crack in the script I swear. It managed to toe the line so well between the light and dark scenes. ML carried a lot of this show in my opinion. He made 90% of scenes funnier with his reactions but he ate down the spicier scenes. I was impressed the actor was able to convey such a wide range of emotions in a character within seconds. Cudos to the writers as well because they really did the damn thing with this script.Dramas that don’t peak my interest completely leave a sort of hollow feeling. As if my Kdrama itch wasn’t scratched per se? This drama was like a 4 course meal, seriously, it was that good for me! I loved the dynamic of the leads. The way their personalities were written to play off of each other *chefs kiss* It was such a pure romance, the pacing was done wonderfully, nothing too fast but you’re not left wanting either.
In conclusion, the male lead is super fine and his shirtless scenes were 100 bonus points
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Great Beginning and Disaster Ending
This is the first Kdrama that I watch after so many years leaving this fandom. The constitutional monarchy fantasy lured me in. One my favorite Kdrama years ago was The King 2 Hearts. That also in the set up of Constitutional Monarchy. The early episodes were great. A prince and a businesswoman. In my mind, finally we are free from romance with social class gap trope. Because even though one is royalty and one is commoner, it is clear that Hui Ju is not your average commoner. She comes from the wealthiest business clan in the country, a CEO, and incredibly smart and beautiful. Certainly that amount to something. I am waiting for a double lead strong story.At the beginning, that was exactly what we get: a double strong lead. They complete each other quite well. And watching Hui Ju slowly falls in love with I-An is a treat. Their little romance here and there made me want more and more. I kept re-watching the episodes during the early airing, while waiting for next week for my next treat. Everything went downhill after Hui Ju poisoning case. At that time, in my mind, I felt: "Ah, just another classic trope". And behold, Hui Ju soon became just another damsel in distress (even though not for long). Gone was the confident CEO, the one with endless desire to win.
I waited with excitement for I-An to take the throne with Hui Ju as Queen. Then, what??? Abolishment? Is abolishment is that easy to be done? It is a country system! The amount of work to change this will be so enormous. As far as I know, that is one of the reason why many European Countries stay with their constitutional monarchy instead of abolishing monarchy alltogether. I know this is fantasy, but my brain just cannot accept this kind of elementary writing.
Episode 12 is so atrocious. Here you have the previous King, and we have no one paid him attention while he is in public. As if he is just your average guy. This is unthinkable. Since we are given the information in the early story, that I-An is so beloved in the country. So, after he lost his title, everyone ignore him right away? Wow! And then the very fact that I-An has become jobless man after abolishment is so humiliating for this character. And then Hui Ju becomes this busy CEO that don't have time to accompany his pitiful husband at home. From a graceful Grand Prince to pitiful house-husband. Is the writer want to demean man or what?
The positive of this drama is the visual. The clothing and jewelry look beautiful and expensive. Music also quite good.
Acting wise, honestly, it is not spectacular. I agree with everyone that second FL (Queen Mother) has the best acting. ML is just so so actually. Stoic does not mean no expression at all. IU is okay, I think she improves quite a bit since The Scarlet Heart Ryo (last time I watched her drama).
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