Reviews

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Royal Drama, Scriptwriter’s Favorite Child, and Everyone Else

The Princess Royal is a compelling but deeply uneven drama. At its best, it delivers sharp political intrigue, emotionally intelligent romance, and one of the most solid male leads in recent memory. At its worst, it bends its own logic and sacrifices narrative balance to overindulge a character who does not earn the sympathy the script desperately wants us to feel.

Story
It’s another nostalgic trip to the past: a royal power couple, thoroughly miserable, die due to political betrayal and poor life choices. At least one of them wishes for a second chance, and, generously, half the cast gets one too. What follows is a cycle of fixing old mistakes, making new ones, uncovering conveniently hidden secrets, and reacting to past events with fresh “insight.”
It’s a good story, engaging enough, but hardly a groundbreaking one.

Characters
Princess Li Rong and her long-suffering husband Pei Wenxuan get the coveted do-over. Fortunately, they’re both intelligent, competent adults who actually learn from past mistakes and tackle problems together which in itself is a rare miracle. PWX is easily one of the better MLs in recent dramas. He is consistently supportive, deeply devoted, and capable of something revolutionary called critical thinking. Li Rong, meanwhile, upgrades from mistrustful royal strategist to full-fledged diplomatic powerhouse. Very satisfying.

Su Rongqing gets a second chance - lucky for him, disastrous for everyone else. The drama tries to sell him as a tragic, misunderstood soul - white Cinderella wardrobe, sad violins, the whole package - but let’s be real, he’s evil. Maybe a victim once, but now he’s the mastermind of betrayal, murder, and moral gymnastics, all while whining about his “love” for Li Rong and setting most of her traps himself. He’s not tortured; he’s a delusional, self-righteous killer with a full-blown victim complex. No amount of sad music can save him.

The supporting cast lives comfortably in various shades of grey and black, with the notable exception of Qin Zhen Zhen. As for the real villains? The Emperor and Empress - one an insecure ruler, the other a spectacularly selfish excuse for a mother.

Acting
Zhang Ling He and Zhao Jin Mei - hands down, in that order. These two are the reason the drama works at all. ZLH delivers a performance miles away from Kunning Palace, nailing Pei Wenxuan’s quiet cunning and fundamental decency with astonishing ease. His screen presence alone accounts for most of my positive viewing experience.

Zhao Jin Mei matches him beat for beat, making an authoritative, coldly pragmatic Princess Li Rong not just palatable but genuinely lovable. You root for them instinctively. Frankly, I’d watch an entire drama of just these two thinking their way out of problems.

And now for my controversial take on Chen Heyi’s Su Rongqing: just… no. Maybe he’s a good actor. I’ll reserve judgment until Mysterious Lotus Casebook or Fated Hearts eventually make it off my TBW pile. But here? I’m not impressed. His performance cycles through the same tired, droopy expressions and melancholic smiles as if permanently accompanied by an invisible violin. Unfortunately, it drags down more than a few scenes.

What makes it worse is the script’s apparent obsession with elevating SRQ at Pei Wenxuan’s expense. Several of PWX’s moments from the novel were reportedly reassigned, and the result is painfully familiar.. think Harry Potter films where Hermione gets all the clever ideas, leaving Ron and Harry to play supporting roles.. To manufacture SRQ’s “tragedy,” the drama tells us how brilliant PWX is instead of showing us, while handing precious screen time to a performance that simply doesn’t justify it. If the goal was to inspire sympathy for SRQ, it failed - spectacularly, at least for me. ZLH manages to shine through the script’s neglect, quietly proving his acting chops

The rest of the supporting cast largely does its job. Consort Rou, however, is a mystery. One moment she’s unhinged, the next she’s gloating, followed immediately by a smug smirk, as if she’s auditioning for three different characters at once. Was the director so busy cueing SRQ’s emotional violin that they forgot to ask her to pick a lane?

Screenplay & Script
A full-blown Leaning Tower of Pisa, except less charming and far more irritating. Su Rongqing is unmistakably the scriptwriter’s cherished golden child, while everyone else might as well be fostered extras. Even in the finale when tension should peak, we’re forced to sit through extended montages of his wistful smiles and tragic reminiscing.
His exit is the final indulgence: a glorified self-impalement on PWX’s sword that frames him as noble, untouchable, and conveniently unaccountable. He dies undefeated, unconquered, and entirely unpunished because heaven forbid the narrative deny him one last self-aggrandizing victory.

OST
Brilliant.

Overall
Not a bad drama… if you fast-forward through half of SRQ’s endless pity party and self-congratulatory melodrama. Do I have to? Apparently, yes. Do I wish I didn’t? Absolutely. Skip the indulgence, and what’s left is genuinely good, but choppy, uneven, and an enormous squandered opportunity.

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A Satisfying Tale of Second Chances and Mutual Support

I don't rewatch many long dramas, but this one makes the cut! It's just so good--heartwarming and encouraging while still having some grittiness and angst and very hard sad choices along the way. But I adore the trust that blooms between the two leads and once it's there--mmm. No late-season horrible misunderstandings or any of that. They're such a great team. When one is distraught, the other is the steady rock, and then they trade as the emotional waves come for one and then the other.

Lots of clever maneuvering and strategy. Lots of delving into people's motivations. Questions of whether fate can change -- which kind of ties into the ability of individuals to make a difference in the sweep of historical forces. Questions of redemption, and digging down to examine your own weaknesses and decide to do better (or the failure to do so). Friendships, found family. And lots more.

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Take my brain away

Lady Tian Tian foresaw the doom of her clan framed for treason by the hands of her betrothed, seventh prince Yan Li. She has no idea how a disgraced prince will come to power, how they will end up engaged and why he will massacre her family. At present she is the cherished daughter of a military household, marriage proposals are flowing in, and he's a candidate !

This bird brain drama had no idea what it wanted to be, so it tried to do a bit of everything. It teases us with a typical enemies to lover "kiss and kill" opening (quite efficient, I must say : I fell for it), he's her enemy, but he's also in love with her, so how things came to such an end ? Don't expect any clever explanation because the drama doesn't truly care, you can see the final "twist" coming from miles away, and until then things are hunky dory for our heroïne : tragedy completely avoided, she just had to uncover the (very obvious) villain and voilà, now she can have her happy ending with the prince full of cute babies. But oh noes, the drama got rid of its main villain, our main couple is wed, and we are only halfway through ! What's a drama to do ? Suddenly, a wild green tea appears to save the plot ! At this point I was used to the drama's numerous plot holes and brutal transitions (at several moments I wondered if I had missed some scenes or skipped an episode) so I ketp watching. Thankfully the snake was played by the very graceful Sun Lu Lu (loved her in Wutong Courtyard) so it was at least well acted. Honestly the drama didn't deserve its cute and talented cast : handsome and soft (but also fierce !) Hei Ze, and the adorable and expressive Zhao Jia Min. Chemistry was good, they were cute together, kisses were good, I was contented. The direction was also good, they kept things simple but delicate, with lovely costumes, scenery and pastel colors. The plot is obviously the drama's weakness but for all its problems, they did realize that they were not telling some grand masterpiece and switched pretty fast to what they knew : tropey but fun adventures. In conclusion : don't believe the title there is nothing "dangerous" about this lover, the drama uses it as a hook but it becomes a cute romance with some (mild) adventure very fast, until they remember they need to go full circle to justify their opening (and the way they do it is so contrived...). So...yeah, another bait and switch. The cast is criminally pretty in period garbs so there is that.

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I found this drama while scrolling through Tik Tok and saw an edit of the couple.
To be honest, I loved the first five episodes and binge-watched them until the episode 14. But after that, just nothing.
I am not a fan of twisted misunderstandings and very evil SML/SFL but here, there was nothing; only those dovey-lovey eyes of the Main Leads (that they matched quite well tbh) and that's where it ends.
No plot, no story, no meaning and I honestly wonder why they dragged it till the 33th episode, truly. I had to skip many, many episodes and scenes to reach the final one and that is never a good sign.

In the positive aspects, I really liked the FL that had her own ideas and she was smart, not looking around like a lost puppy like most C-dramas' FL. She had quite the energy, she was soft and she matched well with the ML that was the greenest flag I've ever seen in C-dramas and he actually SMILED in the series.

Also, I liked the music aspect of the drama, something I don't really notice in these kind of series.

It was just very blunt for my taste but I couldn't fault the acting, just the non-existent story behind it.

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Hooked. Highly recommended

Well, a refreshing story, funny that captivates you.
The acting is perfect, no childish behaviors, the crime game within the plot is something new that i really love.

lead and supportive actors are all good. I love the lead actress, no useless mimics , just what is needed

So far, 10 episodes, i watched in 2 days,..... waiting for the next

the only negative point, is the music or songs , the volume is high which is annoying. plus because i watch with subtitles , the lyrics covers the subtitled discussion, ..... actually I can't put that on the series, can I :-)

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IT WAS NICE BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT MY STYLE

SNIPER BUTTERFLY is a sophisticated 2025 ' older woman/ younger man' romance that transcends genre cliches through grounded performances and cinematic direction. It explores the decade- long evolution of Li Wu from a rescued student to a successful man seeking the heart of his benefactor, Cen Jin.

Furthermore, unlike accidental romances, the show focuses on calculated devotion. The male lead's unwavering, long-term focus on the female lead gives the romance a unique, high-stakes intensity. Michelle Chen delivers a performance of quietness, while Daniel Zhou successfully navigates the transition from an awkward youth to a powerful adult. Their chemistry is praised for being mature and authentic. Also, the contrast between the rural 2016 setting and the sleek 2024 urban environment mirrors the characters' internal growth and the metamorphosis implied by the title.

However, the middle arc suffers from dry corporate subplots that distract from the emotional core of the story. The plot leans on the 'Noble break-up' trope, where the female lead pushes the male lead away for his own good, which I found frustrating and unnecessary. The final episodes trade the show's trademark realism for a rushed checklist of happy-ending cliches.

Lastly, I'll recommend it if you like 'second- chance' and 'age-gap' tropes. While it can be boring in the middle, the emotional scenes pay off.

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One of my first fantasy c-dramas and now I’m hooked

I’ve only recently started watching c-dramas, and as one of the first fantasy dramas I’ve tried, this one completely won me over. The pacing is really well done, the story keeps moving without dragging, and the romance develops naturally while still staying connected to the original plot.
The female lead is genuinely hilarious, and her reactions to being trapped inside a doomed script are one of the best parts of the show. What I really liked is that the drama balances comedy, mystery, and emotional moments really well, which keeps things interesting throughout.
Even with 40 episodes, it never felt long or exhausting. Each episode was entertaining enough to make me want to keep watching. The male lead’s character development and backstory were also handled perfectly, and his dynamic with the female lead added both tension and humor to the story.
Overall, this drama quickly became one of my favorites. It’s fun, self-aware, and genuinely enjoyable from start to finish, and I’d definitely watch it again.

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As a healthcare worker, hospital dramas and I usually don’t get along~ I notice all the mistakes :P
But this one really surprised me and won my heart 💖
I hope season 2 is just as good ✨


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🌸✨🌈 Hiii~ Welcome to my kawaii corner~ ♡(≧▽≦)ﾉ✨🌸

You can find more of my reviews on Instagram~ 🌟💖

Check my homepage for my account~ (｡♥‿♥｡) 🌷

Some reviews are under 500 words, so I can’t post them here~ (≧ω≦)ﾉ💫

Thank you sooo much~ ☆:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:☆ 💕🌸

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Final Review: Strong characters, strong chemistry and acting, but held back by a clunky plot.

A young woman is forced to take the place of her sick brother lest their family lose their position of power because of their lacking male heir. She therefore turns herself into the perfect son and even becomes a legendary general in the military. However, tragedy strikes as her brother regains his health, her family betrays her, and she is left for dead.

After she recovers she vows to take revenge and show the world who the real general He Ru Fei actually is, so she joins the army again and finds herself in the camp lead by her past schoolmate and fellow General FengYun. FengYun, however, is disgraced and his father dead because of accusations by the current He Ru Fei. The actual He Ru Fei calls herself HeYan and hides who she truly is while gaining his trust and rising back up the ranks.

When they fall in love and FengYun eventually finds out who she actually is, will their love survive? And what about the revenge both of them are looking for?


Pros:

- Great chemistry between the main couple. You actually believe that there's something there, even when FengYun still thinks she's a man. And when both of them admit to their feelings, they are believable and charming.

- Great characters. Not a single character bothered me. Well acted, great in their role, and enjoyable. Personal favourites are one of my favourite actors, Bai Shu, as the horrible fake He Ru Fei and Zhang KhanLe as Chu Zhao.

- Talking about Chu Zhao, he is one of the best and worst things about this drama. I'm still not entirely know if I love or hate what they did with him, because we know he is up to no good from minute one and yet halfway through the show we start thinking that maybe we were mistaken and he's actually not that bad. (Only for him to become despicable again towards the end.) It's a wild ride and I'm still wondering what the hell happened there. The actor sure knew what he was doing, though.

- While the plot has its issues - I'll get to that - it IS still a very enjoyable watch and nowhere did I find myself bored. The push and pull between two people who are hiding secrets AND their burgeoning feelings for each other is a lot of fun. Especially when the rest of the world doesn't yet know that she's a woman and just see FengYun being wildly protective of his male subordinate. If you liked Mulan, you'll enjoy this.


Cons:

- Woof, the plot. I still enjoyed the story, but there are definitely issues. The female lead's plot armor was ridiculous, because what do you mean she survived being stabbed by someone who meant to kill her, managed to make her way up a mountain WHILE BLIND, and when she's thrown off the mountain into a river not only survives that but just happens to be found by her Shifu?? Show, please.

Also, Bai Shu (HeYan's brother) is 1.79 m tall and ZhouYe (HeYan) 1.65m. You're telling me no one noticed the difference??

- The male lead finds out she's a woman because she presses against his back when they're on a horse together and that's enough for him to go 'oh, a woman!' What?? You're telling me that 1. this woman who has had to pretend to be a man - at the risk of DEATH for deceiving the emperor - her entire life forgot to put her binder on?? 2. He can feel that the boobs on this really skinny woman are somehow different from the pecs on a dude? Through several layers of clothing??

- Deus Ex Machina Emperor who is somehow incredibly cruel, incredibly dumb, but also incredibly lenient?

The guy has the male lead flogged for leaving his post. Something which SAVED thousands of people and possibly the country, because without him the enemy would have overtaken an important stronghold and slaughtered everyone there. Meanwhile he gives the female lead, who ALSO left her post, a merit and title.

But then when HeYan's big secret is revealed, something we've been working towards all show, and everyone finds out she's secretly a woman, he just goes 'oh yeah, I already knew'. All of a sudden FengYun - the guy he has had tortured for SAVING THE COUNTRY - can admit to the emperor that they've deceived him and ask for leniency and the emperor is suddenly totally cool and forgiving.

Only to be a total asshole again when they want to get married and Chu Zhao brings up the fact that their army would be huge if they were allowed to stay together. Which the emperor apparently hadn't thought of before and he needed reminding.

Something which ends up not being a problem in the end, because Chu Zhao is too obviously evil and he gets banished, which apparently means that the emperor is no longer worried about their military power and so he lets them get married??

Dude is all over the place on this.


In the end, should you watch this: If you like chemistry, cute characters, and don't mind a trashy romp that's made enjoyable by the sheer likeability and acting of the actors involved, then yes. Just know that you'll have to fastforward some of the plotholes in your head.

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How about a love story transcending age gaps!?

This is a dating reality show worth watching if you don’t get pissed off easily and if you are emotionally strong. You might find some people irritating but you might as well brush that aside and focus on the bigger picture (a participant or couple you like)😂 It’s the type of show where some scenes or people may trigger you to drop it but there are better moments which will keep you hooked. It has its messy, dry, awkward and dramatic moments but it still can pass as a pastime watch. Sometimes the drama may be unnecessary or too much so this is heads up before you go down the rabbit hole.

Firstly, the show had the concept of younger men and older women which had a fresh idea compared to other Korean dating shows. This became the show’s weakness as well as its strength. Having this age gap made the dating show unique thus drawing attention from various audiences. That being its main highlight would keep you hooked so that you can find out who ends up with who, the age gap between various ships or how participants will handle the age gaps.
Despite this, participants seemed to have entered the show without expectations of huge age gaps which made things a bit awkward among participants in noticeable manners. If participants had joined with acceptance of potential huge age gaps relationship dynamics would have been much easier and better.

While on the positive side, this show really had interesting moments like concealed age, careers, ways of choosing dates which made things more fun! They tried their best to make sure that and relationships’ growth among participants could develop solely based on feelings rather than career and age. However, we do all know that it is inevitable to avoid some things but this concept built and broke some relationships, but a win is a win hey🥱

It is important to note that some of the flaws of the show cannot be pointed directly towards directors as other problems arose due to certain people’s behaviours, attitudes and actions. After all you can’t push someone to have confidence, self love, decisiveness, respect for others overnight. It would have been better if all participants mentally prepared themselves for the type of show they were signing up for because some of them clearly could not stand the variation in age or career differences since some women seemed more established than men. The only solution to this can be made during casting but you can never know how one may act in the face of competition or pressure 🫠

If l had written this review mid-show l would have confidently told you not to get emotionally attached to any couple as you may be disappointed but now that the show has ended, l approve of shipping any couple you like. After all, it’s a reality show, what’s bound to happen will happen just be emotionally strong to embrace the outcome!

PS: l dropped it several times after certain episodes’ endings but l still found myself continuing it because the couple l was rooting for kept the fire burning till the end!🥰 Anyway, my interest in a certain couple is the main reason l kept on watching the show because some of the stuff was either too chaotic or unnecessary.😂🙈

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A STRONG AND PROMISING START!!!!

"This drama immediately captivated me with its unique premise: a romance blossoming between two people who first connect in a virtual reality murder mystery game, eventually carrying their connection into the real world. It's a familiar trope, but the execution feels fresh, especially with the immersive virtual reality setting, which offers two distinct timelines – the game's historical setting and the modern real-world. The dynamic between the characters in both settings is incredibly compelling.

The female lead is a standout. Lu Yuxiao delivers a natural and expressive performance, but it's her character that truly shines. She resonates deeply, reflecting the struggles of those who have had to set aside their dreams. Her journey to reclaim them is incredibly moving, and the quote, "Do you know what happens to someone who keeps a bad option while looking for better ones, they spend the rest of their life with that bad option without realizing it," perfectly encapsulates her character's internal conflict. I'm already rooting for her to achieve her goals; she's a truly comforting character. I also love her personality; she's real, fierce when necessary, brave, calm, collected, mature, and kind.

Chen Xingxu, who impressed me in "Love on the Turquoise Land," is equally captivating here. His acting is strong, and I'm eager to see more of his character's development. My only minor critique, and this is a recurring observation with many male leads in Chinese dramas, is the heavy makeup. It can be a bit distracting. However, this doesn't detract from my overall enjoyment.

The leads' relationship is beautifully developed across both timelines. Their shared interests, the support they offer each other, and the natural development of their chemistry make them a joy to watch. I'm eagerly anticipating more episodes. This drama is off to a fantastic start in 2026!"

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