Reviews

Could be better

I’d been waiting for the series Soulmate ever since it was announced, especially because of Taecyeon’s involvement. I was really curious how they would approach the relationship between two men in this case — considering it’s a Japan + Korea and streaming on mainstream Netflix. And honestly, I’m not surprised by the way this story was presented.

The fact that there are no romantic scenes in the series isn’t the issue for me. Feelings can be expressed in a hundred different ways. But I’m not sure I’m convinced by the idea that they wanted to portray a “pure” kind of love between the two characters. I know BL relationships are often overly sexualized and that romantic scenes sometimes add nothing to the plot, but here, honestly, one lingering look and one brief touch of hands would’ve been enough.

I don’t really buy the argument that they simply wanted to show the purity of this relationship. In my opinion, in mainstream Asian cinema the real reason is still fear of how this kind of relationship will be received, so it gets reduced to bromance instead. I’d genuinely like to read opinions from people who see it differently and why, because maybe I’m missing another perspective.

Personally, I think we should find some kind of middle ground between excessive sexualization and completely avoiding the subject of intimacy. Are we really supposed to believe that two young people wouldn’t want any deeper physical closeness over the course of years? That’s hard for me to believe.

The story also has a few plot holes, but I’m not that bothered by them since I understand this is just a fragment of several years of the characters’ lives. The ending, in my opinion, could’ve been better.

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Ye Xian is the main hero of the story and he completely deserves it❤️‍??

Why the heck the ending is so abrupt?...looking at Ye Xian's death scene literally made me cry ....the story went so abrupt ...I myself was completely devastated....sometimes the scenes were too much dragged ...it was a very good start but at the end ..it was kinda disappointing . I'm speechless ...I want to see WiNWin performing well as main lead in another drama....everyone acted very well , I love the child emperor...he too has performed very well but yes one more thing the FL sister who is also the second female lead ..got very less screen time .. couldn't see more of her ..like how her love life went with Mu Zidi ...I thought of seeing something more .. perhaps with so many characters dying ..its kinda C Trauma...not a real happy or satisfactory ending .

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When the Wrong People Escape Accountability

To generate angst, the writers keep the female lead on friendly terms with the love rival long past the point of credibility. This is a man who displays the same possessive, suffocating love that FL once found intolerable in the male lead and cited as a primary reason for their breakup, while openly abusing his professional position to wage a personal vendetta against ML out of unresolved feelings for FL. She should recognize all of this both professionally, as an astute producer attuned to relationship dynamics, and personally, as someone whose childhood trauma from her parents’ abusive marriage supposedly left her with a “marriage phobia.” Yet with barely any pushback, she allows the love rival to undermine ML, toward whom she still harbors deep feelings, while repeatedly imposing himself into her romantic orbit. Despite being completely tone deaf regarding the main couple, he is still allowed to shine in frustratingly contrived ways, dispensing piercing relationship insights to couples he barely knows. More damningly, he confesses his feelings to ML as a calculated provocation before FL ever hears them, ensuring he can never be held accountable for the interference he deliberately caused.

The drama’s contrivances occasionally tip into the unintentionally comic. ML delivers news of what he believes is FL’s father’s death at a hot pot restaurant, awkwardly prefacing it with a resort announcement as though death notifications require a warm up act. When emotional destabilization alone proves insufficient, ML is also manipulated into complicity, his integrity turned against him by the very scheme he refused to join. The following episode descends into farce, collapsing under the weight of its own contrivances. Yet the absurdity is clearly purposeful. The writers pile trauma upon trauma until FL is sufficiently destabilized for the love rival to make his calculated, self serving move.

What makes this worse is how the drama handles the love rival's exit. Instead of giving him a genuine reckoning, the writers frame his retreat as noble when it is really a strategic repositioning, recasting himself as the selfless guardian of her happiness. He is, in short, a deeply manipulative, hypocritical man the drama mistakes for a romantic, disguising obsession as friendship and possessiveness as protection. The hypocrisy becomes almost comical when he warns off the female love rival (who predictably receives the villain arc) for suspecting the same interference he openly admitted to himself. FL’s wilful blindness toward the love rival is most starkly revealed when she entrusts a comatose ML to his sole care the day after hearing him declare how much he hated him, while placating the only character whose alarm at the prospect was entirely rational. Rather than prioritizing character logic or accountability, the drama bends itself around a wish fulfillment fantasy in which male love rivals are redeemed through the intensity of their feelings, however much damage those feelings caused. Obsession and naivety go unaccounted for, leaving the central romance diminished by interference the drama excuses rather than examines.

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A Splendid Story; Fire the Editors

Overview:
Compared to how much I have ranted and raved about this drama, my rating is harsh; it aligns with my brain not my heart – let me explain. From the start, the audience can immediately tell that this drama is of a different standard, whether it is the cast, the story, or the camerawork. The first few episodes are entirely to build up the plot, making it relatively easier to understand. After that, the romance progresses slowly but steadily, leaving you on the edge of your seat, wondering what's next. But by around episode 30, it feels like the editors gave up and just started doing whatever. A mess, honestly. Now, the plot is still understandable, but it becomes slow, boring, and almost redundant. The scenes are sloppily placed around as if the editor threw a die to determine what they would edit next. If not for the outstanding acting of ALL of the cast, it could have gone much worse. 'A Splendid Match' is most definitely not a bad watch, but it will not meet the same expectations it created from episode one. If you don't want to end up disappointed or unfulfilled, you can stop watching at around episode 30 or just a bit after GJZ and CYY's wedding.

Context:
Originally, this drama had 36 episodes, but the editors got bored and let their imagination fly to the Vegas casinos. They really gambled and did anything yet also everything. So happy to be a mess. By editing the drama to become 40 episodes, they cut a lot of CYY's scenes, especially the ones with GJZ. In particular, there is a line where he says 'I don't care about anything except for my wife.' They had the NERVE to cut that out.

Some people have mentioned that this was done in favour of Winwin, as he has strong backing in the industry. Before anyone throws a fit, this isn't hate towards him; the industry is fraudulent and we need to admit it. It would make sense considering the amount of 'highlighted' scenes YX has, but to replace CYY's scenes with his is ridiculous.

Story:
The story in itself is wonderful, mostly. From the start, there is a clear understanding of what each character wants, but it doesn't categorise them into the good v. the bad. These characters are genuinely three-dimensional; they have fears, joys, angers, motives, plots, etc. You really want to see what happens next because this drama feels real. The characters have become alive, and don't act for the sake of the plot, but 'for themselves'. The politics is well-written, and it's noteworthy to mention FHL who embodied nuance. He really represents the fact that if you do something to such an extreme, you often end up on the other end of the scale. Even if he gambled on innocent lives, he believed that he did this for the good of Yan and its people. For once, the politic-centric plot is watchable and not the same 'good' v. 'evil' debate repackaged (though barely) with overly-confident leads.

It's a shame that the editors started playing Russian roulette 3/4s in. The final arch wasn't difficult to understand, but confusing in terms of progression and motive. It felt like the characters were just wandering with no sense of direction. Again, as I have barely mentioned, this is due to the editors cutting and adding scenes randomly. It's amazing how much editing affects the entire plot, because after losing a sense of direction, the audience then loses a will to watch it. Not to mention the ending is beyond underwhelming. It cuts with CYY carrying GJZ out of a burning mansion to the voiceover of a eunuch reading the Emperor's edict. You expect that there's another scene, literally anything, to give you some closure about what happens next, but no, that's the end. 'The end!' the editors happily say, probably.

While the editing may have been ridiculous, it must be mentioned that the filmmaking did not disappoint. In particular, the battle scenes in the last three episodes were amazing. They encapsulate the terror of war, and for once, the leads in a C-Drama are visibly, actively fighting their enemies. In particular, I liked how CYY made sure his enemies were completely dead but slicing their throats, even if they had already been stabbed. The need for detail was perfect.

(Take this with a grain of salt.)
Many readers of the original novel have also mentioned that the setting has greatly changed. For example, in the novel CYY had two children with his first wife: a son and a daughter. The son is CXQ and falls for GJZ, but she ended up becoming his step-mother.

Characters:
CYY – I think San Ye might be one of my favourite characters ever written. Granted, it may be thanks to Ci Sha's immaculate acting, but wow, he is just so likeable. Whether it's his intellect or his mannerisms, everything is just likeable. He proves to the audience that he IS a splendid match with GJZ, because he genuinely respects her. Instead of wanting to control her in the name of 'love,' he fulfils his promise of letting her remain free, even after marriage. A lot of MLs in dramas say that on the surface, but at the end of the day, they all end up controlling the FL, one way or another. But CYY isn't like the others. CYY thinks through all matters seriously and rationally, yet remaining enough emotion to balance out his rationality so that his decisions represent the best answer possible. He is a wise man, and that alone makes his likeable.

GJZ – For one, Zhao Jie's character development is perfect. While she may act irrationally and stubbornly at the beginning, you literally cannot blame her, considering she is still a child. But after the death of her mother, she is forced to become more mature, no longer letting her emotions get the best of her. She learns to take care of things in a more sophisticated and well-rounded manner, and her tasks have far extended business and family matters. The change between these two time periods is evident (must mention that Ren Min portrayed it very well). At the end of the drama, her growth is immeasurable and GJZ shows that she is indeed a splendid match with CYY. They quite literally complement each other.

YX – There is a lot of debate of this character, and I can see why. Similar to GJZ, he also goes through a strong character development arc, but he is forced through it slightly later than her. At the start, his irrationality really gets under your skin. Especially in the scene where he whipped GJZ, I didn't think that anything the writers did could ever make his character redeemable. Yet somehow, he IS likeable by the end of the story. Personally, I believe it has to do with the contrast between an emotionally unstable YX v.s. a YX who is forced to shoulder responsibilities as the head of his family after his father's death. Once he starts realising that his actions have consequences, he acts more clear-headedly. Some people may criticise his hot-headed behaviour in comparison with CYY, but it must be mentioned that YX is around 10 years younger than him.

CYY & FHL – Personally, CYY and FHL reminded me of two different ends of the trolley problem. CYY would rather sacrifice one person he knows to save the trolley full of people, while FHL would sacrifice the 5 innocent people he doesn't know. Technically speaking, CYY would want no one to be sacrificed, but he is still not written to be a character of 'goodness,' making him so much more likeable. FHL in general is just a character of nuance. He has humane sides to him (e.g., his love for his wife, the reforms for the country, etc.), but they're convoluted by his ever-increasing need for control. Simply put, you can't deem him as entirely 'good,' nor entirely 'evil.'

CXQ & GL – Their roles seriously reversed. At the start of the drama, I thought it wouldn't be bad if GJZ ended up with CXQ, because their love really was just puppy love. It was cute, it was simple. With GL, everything she did was infuriating. The schemes she would get into along with her mother to argue with GJZ's mother were beyond redundant. But somewhere along the line, CXQ revealed his true colours as a narcissistic, self-obsessed, maniac. I couldn't help but roll my eyes whenever I saw him preach about his so-called 'love' for GJZ. On the other hand, GL really matured after her mother was sent away to the monastery, and she was forced to recognise her situation in the Gu family. It's nice to see how she moved on from believing that marriage is the only way out for her, to rejecting the proposal of a respected family because she wanted to live for herself.

Cast:
Can you believe that not a single person in this cast let me down? I can't, and I'm overjoyed.

Ci Sha as CYY – Ci Sha's acting has never failed me. No matter what scene it is, he is always able to perfect it. Especially in scenes which require great detail, this man always delivers. He really makes you believe that CYY walked straight out of the novel. Acting involving his eyes seem to be a strong point for this man. After the first battle when they carry YX's body back to the military base, Ci Sha acts out CYY's multiple layers of emotions SO WELL. Words cannot describe what CYY was feeling, yet Ci Sha's acting can. I know I'm really putting him on a pedestal here, but I am beyond impressed.

Ren Min as GJZ – Again, Ren Min did spectacularly. At first, I wasn't sure about this drama because I have not watched her dramas before, and I didn't think her demeanour suited it so strongly. But I was proved to be terribly mistaken by how well she portrayed GJZ.

Dong Sichen (Winwin) as YX – Winwin really outdid himself here. I have watched a bit of his acting in 'Perfect Match,' but never properly finished as I didn't like the storyline, so I wasn't sure about what to expect from him. Often, when an idol starts pursuing acting, they are rightfully criticised; the industry provides them with so many resources, yet these rookies can barely act. However, this is most definitely NOT the case for Winwin. While I have mentioned that the industry may be biased towards him, he lives up to his name of acting well. YX's character cannot be an easy character to portray considering how many different emotions he must show. Whether it's the innate frustration he has for his weak body, his anger and helplessness towards the world, his love for GJZ, etc., Winwin grasped the situation well. Compared to the impression I have of him based on previous memories (NCT, variety shows, etc.), he completely changed in his portrayal of YX – which is a good thing because it shows he can act! I am genuinely and pleasantly surprised by him, and I look forward to his future projects.

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First drama to NOT leave me with unanswered questions

Before I start, I’d like to mention that I only started this drama after seeing one of the scenes with Cha Eun-woo smoking on TikTok, however, it most certainly DID NOT disappoint.
At first, I thought it was some Korean version of Stranger Things, but now that I finished it, it’s everything Stranger Things didn’t manage to be.
Chae-ni, our lead character, is the most unhinged woman I’ve seen in a drama, in a big role. She cannot take almost anything seriously, she acts like a teen although she’s in her late (?) twenties, she has so much personality that I can’t imagine how her heart manages to keep her alive! Most interesting and entertaining (and not at all polite or dainty like most) female lead I’ve met so far!
Lee Woon-jung? Introverted, selfish (at times), traumatized, powerful, with a white tank and a cigarette in hand? God, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen. I won’t comment any further due to spoilers, but don’t forget the reason why I started this series!!
The guys are very funny as well, especially their dynamic with and without Chae-ni and Woon-jung. A father who’s family is basically ignoring him, a true 90’s Karen, social services’ worst enemy, whose insane stories drive people away from him, ends up hanging out with a guy who’s been bullied by his entire class during high school, whose job is to peel onions, and whose best friend is none other than the town’s crazy neighbor. What could go wrong with such a diverse friend group? To say the least, A LOT, especially due to their lack of money. The first episode reminded me a lot of The Blair Witch Project, actually.
The only thing I didn’t like about this drama was that there is a credits scene where they kinda hint we might get a season two? I don’t know what more they could do about the story though, as far as I’m concerned, most of the questions were answered and there are little to no plot holes to fill!
Overall, worth every second and every bag of chips eaten in front of the screen, especially since it had a little bit of romance sprinkled on top!!

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Interesting story, terrible ending

From the beginning, this series was characterized by an interesting premise that started slowly but surely, with characters that promised a lot and plots in which you hoped that the antagonists would receive what they deserve, however, all this was eclipsed and I could say forgotten with the last 7 episodes, with very abrupt editing cuts, plots that were not relevant that were closed very quickly without any sense and closures of character arcs that left a lot to be desired like Chen Xuan's Qing or Ye Xian's. And the worst thing is the end of the series, a hasty ending that does not feel like an end at all, which leaves us with a disappointment and a feeling of not having absolute closure to the story or the characters that we were loving so much in the previous episodes.

It would have been a better series if it had another ending or at least another additional episode to close the plots that were left unfinished and at least see the lives of the main characters without intrigues involved.

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Squandered potential

This show has a lot going for it. The actors are great, there's believable chemistry, the premise of the story is classic and evergreen, and the build-up of the romance is extremely sweet.

So why have I dropped it after 10 episodes? The simple answer is that every ounce of tension was killed off after episode 6 and it never recovered. I was enjoying myself immensely until episode 7, even found myself thinking about the characters while I was going about my day. I think that's also why I'm so disappointed and uninterested in finding out how this ends.

Without spoiling too much, there's an important scene in the relationship that is immaculate. I think the show would almost have been perfect for me if that was the second to last episode, and things wrapped up after that scene. Unfortunately, the show had to go on for another 6 episodes, so they injected a meaningless time skip, introduced a silly way for the boys to continue playing games with each other, and chucked a whole bunch of project placements into the mix. The pacing of the next couple of episodes felt baffling, as the relationship between the leads was both regressing and skipping ahead at the same time. In one scene they're joking and hurting each others' feelings, and in the next they act like they've been established lovers for years. When I dropped the show, it felt mostly like how it does when me and my bestie flirt with each other as a joke.

Maybe this thing gets better in the last two episodes. Maybe not. All I know is that I don't have it in me to watch another drawn-out scene of a boy fiddling with a printer, or complimenting how healthy and delicious this iced tea is.

Do better!!!

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Done watching A Splendid Match and honestly, it was such a great and beautiful drama. I truly enjoyed watching it from beginning to end. The story, emotional scenes, acting, and character development were all done very well, which made the drama very memorable for me.
Still, my biggest bias in this drama is definitely Ren Min and Winwin. Ren Min acted so well here. Her chemistry with both the male lead and second male lead was amazing, and she handled every emotional scene perfectly. One thing I always love about Ren Min is her crying scenes. She cries so naturally, and her tears fall like waterfalls. The emotions feel real and sincere instead of forced, which is why I always enjoy watching her emotional scenes. She has this special ability to make viewers genuinely feel the sadness, pain, and heartbreak of her character.
I especially loved her scenes with the second male lead because I was never bored watching them together. Their interactions felt soft, emotional, and very natural. Every scene between them had this emotional tension and warmth that made their chemistry stand out even more for me.
Ye Xian played by Winwin was honestly such a perfect role for him and definitely one of the most memorable characters in the drama. His acting was amazing, and he portrayed Ye Xian’s gentleness, loyalty, sadness, and quiet strength beautifully. Even though his character had a tragic ending, I think it was executed very well and emotionally impactful.
His death scene while fighting on the battlefield as General Ye Xian was heartbreaking but meaningful at the same time. It showed his courage and dignity until the very end. I also loved the letters he left for the female lead, his mother, and his sisters because they were so touching and beautifully written. One of the most emotional parts for me was his message about how he would rather die on the battlefield than slowly die in bed because of his illness. Knowing that the doctors only gave him a limited time to live — only three years because of his sickness — made his decision and sacrifice even more heartbreaking and meaningful. Despite his condition, he still chose to fight bravely and live with honor until his final moments.
Overall, A Splendid Match is truly a beautiful Chinese drama with strong acting, emotional storytelling, and unforgettable characters. After finishing it, I’m honestly hoping even more that Ren Min and Winwin will collaborate again someday, but this time as the main female lead and male lead together. I really think an enemies-to-lovers story would suit them perfectly, especially in a republican-era drama. Their chemistry already feels natural and emotionally engaging, so imagining them in a story filled with tension, misunderstandings, hidden feelings, sacrifice, and slow-burn romance would be amazing. Both of them also have visuals and acting styles that would fit the elegant and emotional atmosphere of a republican drama beautifully.

The letters of Ye Xian were honestly one of the most painful and heartbreaking parts of A Splendid Match. They were written so beautifully yet filled with so much sadness that every word felt heavy emotionally. What made the letters even more hurtful was knowing that Ye Xian already accepted his fate before going to the battlefield. He wasn’t writing simple goodbye letters — it felt like he was quietly preparing for his final moments while trying to leave comfort and love behind for the people he cared about.
The letters to the female lead, his mother, and his sisters were especially touching because you could feel how much he loved them, even while hiding his own pain. Instead of complaining about his suffering or fearing death, Ye Xian chose to speak gently and calmly, which made the scenes even more heartbreaking. Sometimes the quietest pain hurts the most, and that was exactly what his character showed.
One of the most emotional parts was his message about how he would rather die on the battlefield than slowly die in bed because of his illness. Knowing that he had lived for years carrying the burden of having only a limited time to live made his words even more painful. It showed that deep inside, Ye Xian already understood that his life would not be long, yet he still chose to live bravely and protect others until the end.
What made those letters unforgettable was how they reflected Ye Xian’s personality — gentle, selfless, loyal, and tragic. Even in his final moments, he was still thinking more about the feelings of the people he would leave behind instead of himself. That’s why the letters hurt so much emotionally. They didn’t feel overly dramatic; they felt sincere, quiet, and full of acceptance, which made them even more heartbreaking to watch.
I honestly think “My Love Letters” would be such a beautiful title for a future drama starring Ren Min and Winwin. The title itself already feels emotional, nostalgic, and romantic, which matches the kind of chemistry they showed in A Splendid Match. Their scenes together had this soft emotional tension that made even simple moments feel meaningful, so a drama centered around letters, hidden feelings, and emotional longing would suit them perfectly.
I can really imagine them in a republican-era enemies-to-lovers story with the title “My Love Letters.” Maybe they start as people who misunderstand or oppose each other because of family conflict or political differences, but slowly develop feelings through anonymous letters or messages they secretly exchange. Ren Min would fit the emotional and vulnerable scenes perfectly, while Winwin’s calm and gentle aura would make the romantic tension even stronger.
The drama could have themes of longing, sacrifice, healing, and slow-burn romance — the kind of story where emotions quietly grow over time instead of happening instantly. Both of them have visuals and acting styles that fit elegant and emotional storytelling very well, especially in historical or republican settings. And knowing how expressive Ren Min is in emotional scenes, especially crying scenes, combined with Winwin’s soft and melancholic acting style, I think they could create something truly memorable together as main leads someday.
Hopefully they really get another chance to collaborate again in the future because their chemistry honestly has so much potential.

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Weak Romance and Repetitive Pacing

Duan Hong’s longing for Wei Zi Fu was one of my favorite things about this drama, and honestly, his feelings for her felt more sincere and memorable than the main romance. Every scene with him carried this quiet heartbreak that made it easy to sympathize with his character. He constantly put the greater good of the country, the Emperor, and everyone else before himself, which made his sacrifices even sadder to watch. Even when he suffered, he rarely acted selfishly, and that made him far more compelling than a lot of the other characters in the palace. His storyline had emotional weight because you could feel how much he loved Wei Zi Fu while knowing it will never be him.

I’m a big fan of Raymond Lam and he was the main reason why I watched, so I ended up disappointed with how little depth his character was ultimately given. Despite Duan Hong being one of the most interesting people in the drama, the writing often reduced him to silently suffering for Wei Zi Fu over and over again without allowing him much growth outside of that. Emperor Wu also felt very one dimensional at times, which made the central romance weaker. I understood that the drama wanted to portray him as a complicated ruler, but he mostly came across as selfish, emotionally immature, and easily manipulated. It became frustrating watching him constantly distrust or mistreat the people around him while Wei Zi Fu endlessly forgave him and has shown loyalty time and time again.

I also felt the two leads lacked chemistry, which made it harder to stay emotionally invested in their relationship. For a drama built around this epic love story, I rarely felt genuine passion or emotional tension between them. Honestly, Xu Zheng Xi and Wang Luo Dan had way more chemistry together, and their scenes naturally felt more emotional and engaging. In comparison, many of the romantic moments between Wei Zi Fu and Emperor Wu felt flat despite all the screentime dedicated to them.

I really enjoyed Wei Qing and Princess Ping Yang together, though. Their relationship had chemistry, warmth, and a level of maturity that stood out compared to all the constant palace scheming. Their interactions felt natural and sincere, and they brought some much needed balance to the story whenever they appeared onscreen. I honestly found myself more invested in their relationship than the main couple.

That said, the drama dragged on way longer than it needed to. There was absolutely no reason for this story to be stretched into 47 episodes. So many scenes felt repetitive, especially with the endless misunderstandings, palace politics, and recycled conflicts that kept circling back to the same problems. It often felt like characters learned the same lessons repeatedly, only for the drama to create another misunderstanding a few episodes later.

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A Delightful Vertical Drama to Turn Your Brain Off and Just Relax

This is a good little drama to unwind and turn your brain off. You shouldn't expect the quality of a full-length series from vertical dramas, but within its own segment, it is a very decent story. Logic is present, there are no confusing or overly tangled intrigues, and no heavy angst. The costumes are excellent, and the acting is honestly wonderful.

The plot is cliché—a modern girl ends up in a harem. Of course, she meets the Emperor without knowing who he is. Of course, he falls for her because she is "not like the other concubines." And of course, they get into a bunch of funny situations before they finally figure out the truth. By the way, they didn't drag this part out, and the leads figured out each other's identities relatively quickly.

There is a female rival, a third wheel for a love triangle, and the FL's superpowers that help her survive in the Cold Palace (I was especially impressed by the weather forecast and the scene where a eunuch begged her for a cold beer). It’s cliché after cliché. But I liked it, probably because of the actors—they are just so charming.

Li Hao looks solid and impressive as the Emperor. You look at him and honestly believe that such a charismatic man could rule an empire. The fact that he isn't very knowledgeable about palace life and doesn't visit his harem is just the screenwriters' whim, which doesn't spoil his image. By the way, his costumes are great, and he has a lot of them.

The female lead didn't impress me quite as much, but my bar for female characters in vertical dramas is lower anyway—as long as they aren't annoying. Well, Zhang Qi Xuan was not only not annoying, but she also fully fit the image of a modern, cheerful girl in a historical setting.

I also liked the actors in the minor roles, especially the chubby guard from whom the FL brushed off dust while eavesdropping on the officials' conversation. In general, all the actors in this drama felt real, attractive, and so sweet that it was a genuine pleasure to watch them.

There is no erotica or even real kisses here—it’s a different type of story. But it’s completely watchable; the ML’s charisma alone was enough to keep me glued to the screen.

The music and audio effects weren't distracting and didn't pull attention away from the story. This isn't always the case with these shows, so I wanted to note that fact.

I doubt I’ll rewatch it (does anyone actually rewatch vertical dramas?), but the 2.5 hours flew by unnoticed and with great pleasure.

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One of the Best Historical Dramas

Before you start, don't expect you're watching a drama like Pursuit of Jade, Story of Kunning or even Blossom where everything happens in the first episodes. It's a slow burn drama, so you need to watch every detail of it, from the dialogues to the eye contact of the characters. There are so much detail in this drama that if you miss them you won't feel what the characters want to convey to each other.
I loved the main leads and their romance journey and also the side characters. As for the villains, from all from all of them the most intelligent and cunning is the male lead's mentor, you even can feel how treacherous he's by the way he looks to everyone from the very first episode.

It's a great drama, and I would watch it again. ❤️

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