When the snow fell, you came... breaking my lucid dream to pull me into yours
~~~***~~~"Because letting go is the best choice for memories~"
PLOT:
A broken vase of porcelain is always regarded as a bad omen. The shattered bits on the floor are often discarded. But what if this broken vase is her unconfirmed future? You can’t throw it, you can’t keep it. But isn’t what’s gone, gone forever?
She is a person who dwells in the dream like past unknown of the ways to mend it. At the same time, she is scared to be unbothered and let go. The heart can’t get away unscathed. She was left with questions unanswered and her probable future hanging on a cliff fighting to either survive or fall. I was reminded of 'Kintsugi’ while watching this drama. 'Kintsugi’ is the Japanese art of fixing broken pottery with gold. Now what’s broken is repaired, even more beautifully so… That is to sum up this story.
Jiang Xuening, a girl with a twisted fate right from her childhood, originally happy-go-lucky, helpful and an enough kind-hearted little girl is raised with an ambitious brain. She does what she can to achieve her aim. In the process, she lost herself. She lost the ones she loved, she lost the ones who loved her as well. Karma is a boomerang. It comes back to you the with the same momentum. She rose, she fell- as ugly as she went up, she came down. But, the writer of her fate has other plans- “give her a chance”. It’s not like she received none, she did- most often used for the wrong purposes but now she was given a chance in her full state of mind; when she was still HER- her 18 year old self.
She now has the chance to resurrect the broken porcelain with the gold in her hand, and more so- carve it even better. She does it! For she had experienced the price of an act. She does her best, like she has to- to begin with. Forming relationships of heart instead of her aim. Tasting the glory of love than power. She weaves this story like a grandma weaving a sweater for her grandchildren- with love and patience, overcoming the hurdles of the inevitable and slowly weaving into a pleasing garment that saves her loved ones from the cold of misfortune. Ning’er weaves and saves, hugs and safeguards everyone!
I hate palace politics. I always skip scenes with the palace drama. All the schemings, conspirations, plan-hatchings are not my forte. BUTTTTTTTTT I was interested in every palace-noise of this drama. It was interesting, not boring and also not too heavy. I love my manipulative Xie Wei and foresighted Ning playing things on their fingers.
A promising plot that wasn't let down.
~~~***~~~
“I really want to ask you, why?
In the plots we missed, was there any sincerity?”~
CAST:
Bai Lu as Jiang Xuening. Bai lu’s acting skills will never be a let down. I can bet on to buy a theatre of tickets, as her expressions sell out every single time. Being the one who remembers the future while being able to re-live a different past, she expresses her every fear, every trauma, every love, every hate, every collusion, every dilemma, every wit, every guilt, every irk, every loyalty, every thankfulness, every togetherness, every naughtiness, every incivility, every pain, every joy with grace and finesse. The story revolves around her, so she naturally has so much responsibility shouldered upon and she doesn’t disappoint a second. Her feelings are evident, her wit is ushered. She still cries making me cry with her, she still laughs making me laugh with her. The villainy side was villainous as it should be, her innocence was innocent likewise. Ask of balance in acting while juggling a whole bunch of different characters in one drama, you can’t find a better cast than her. I saw Jiang Xuening the rise, Jiang Xuening the fall; Jiang Xuening the Empress, Jiang Xuening the Second Lady; Jiang Xuening the forest girl, Jiang Xuening the capitalist; Jiang Xuening the seductress, Jiang Xuening the untouchable; Jiang Xuening the friend, Jiang Xuening the foe; Jiang Xuening the love and Jiang Xuening the regret. I saw Bai Lu as Jiang Xuening.
Ling He as Xie Wei. I saw every minute emotion in his beautiful expressive wide face. That of hate, that of resilience; that of love, that of innocence; that of a human, that of an evil; that of torture, that of patience; that of kindness, that of remorselessness. As Xie Wei, he spew what ran in his brain, at the same time hid his plans monotonously as well. He expressed his valour but also his modesty. Xie Wei is a very wise man who can outwit anyone. He pre-plans. He is quick witted. He thinks, he strides. It’s difficult for a quintessentially fit man like Ling He to seem more brainy than muscular and he nailed it. He looked like an intellectual in every angle, yet seamlessly hiding his monstrous bigger half. His eyebrow lifts were a treat to watch. He expressed his suffering in one scene and in the same scene he switches to show his boiling anger. And in the same scene he acts pitiful while conveying his mountain of love. He despises in the same scene and appreciates as well. In that very scene he daunts his fear while flaunting his courage. He switched his expression accordingly with every line of the same paragraph in the script. Ling he nailed Xie Wei.
Wang Xing Yue as Zhang Zhe. I'm a huge Bai Lu fan, I saw all of her dramas and if you do too, we've already witnessed Xing Yue's phenomenal acting prowess through "One and Only". That was just a trailer! He performed very well here too. He fits like a glove for Zhang Zhe. Zhang Zhe is silent and judicious. He is brave enough to tell what is the truth in a palace full of manipulative liars. He dares to pay the price for sincerity if it requires. A righteous man like a lotus in a dirt pond. Xing Yue did justice.
Zhao Jun Wei as Yan Lin. My favourite! I fell in love with him. Boy looks naughty being a hottie. When he was slaying with his armour on as the Viscount, I could not take my eyes off him. At the same time, when he expressed his love towards Ning Ning not only through his words but also his eyes, I was like- "Ning bae, if you won't have him, I shall^_~" I was squeaking with coy. He legit made me blush. I love his character more than anyone else's. GEM. GEM. GEM.
Liu Xie Ning as the Princess. My sweetieeeeee, my cutieeeeeee... I shall call her with all adorable names cuz she was A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. She was the apple of my eye like Ning's. She looked like a Swan bro. Beautiful as hellll! From a bratty Princess to a reliable friend and a responsible royal kin, she transitioned like water. Was I watching Barbie in any case? I guess. I'm fanning more than a fan (┬┬﹏┬┬).
The whole cast was a tailored pick meticulously embroidered to create a masterpiece.
~~~***~~~
“The abyss is in front of me,
I know I’ll be smashed to pieces if I jump in.
How could I go for it knowing this?” Ning’er pitches
“What if I jump in?” Xie Wei replies.
BONDS:
The chemistry between the mains is lit! Like as soon as you see Bai Lu and Ling He side by side, you see two incredibly pretty people looking like a match of the cupid. They do not need a script to look hot together. Though I was like- "bruhhhhh... I'm sailing the wrong ship" in the beginning, the ship overturns and we sail the right ship. Yeahhhh! LOL. I was not just having a treat, I was having an unlimited buffet seeing them together. The romance starts very slowly but as it starts, the heat is felt!
The friendships are my treasured part of this drama. Ning'er being the center and these awesomesauce friendships she forms around her were UwU. Not just the leads, the whole effin cast has sizzling chemistry duh! I live for these bonds! Especially, Yan Lin-Ning Ning and Princess-Ning stole my heart.
~~~***~~~
"The reflection of light will one day swallow you and me~"
APPRAISAL:
I know that the story is that way but I can’t fathom characters vanishing for half of the drama and then suddenly appearing. It’s like they serve a purpose, but like to talk that they serve a purpose than actually show the purpose they serve. So one moment you feel like a character is no longer important but the very same character pops on screen being the need of the hour. I do like the use of all these many characters but at the end of the day I feel few of them appear so okay-ishhhhh to me.
However great job with the main characters in hand. I love the dynamics, the friendships, the relationships. I love how complex they are, yet have a light airy calmness.
The camera angles were okay. Sometimes though they felt like they focused the wrong things, when I observed it better I see why that happens. This added a lot of depth to the scenes in my opinion. However, sometimes the cuts during the scenes to show different angles were not smoothly videographed. It feels kinda raw. For the time Kunning had in between the filming and release, a lot could’ve been perfected. The transitions were okay. They are not over the top minding that it’s not a high budget god-demon realm fantasy Xianxia.
I really love the makeup. I always feel so triggered with c-drama makeup which only aims towards whitewashing the actors which most of the times make them look pale and that often overshadows the acting and the little expressions that the actors try to make it appear on the camera. In Kunning, I see that the makeup nicely helps in bringing the features of all the actors at the same time being very subtle and minimalistic to go with the theme. There were also scenes and characters that required heavy makeup- like Bai lu in the empress era to show her cruelty or viciousness. Also when Xie Wei wilds out in the snow, a devilish kinda cold makeup is given with a nice red eye shadow to differentiate his emotions better. I not only love the character development arcs but also the makeup transition game that is evident in the drama. It’s nice and clear in the Princess’ case. Her makeup becomes mature as her character does. All those beautiful faces of a starry cast and not one face disappointed either with their expressions or their makeup.
The costumes are so-so. The styling is so-so. There is nothing new and nothing you see for the first time in a historical drama like this one. However I still appreciate the intricacy and the nice jewellery which went well with the theme. A job done is still a job done. I appreciate that it was nowhere seen underdone. Nevertheless, not a high on costume and jewellery drama. There’s nothing that goes par or under par your expectations.
The sets were fine too. Won’t say mediocre as they served the purpose. It doesn’t feel like there was no effort put in as the story doesn’t call out for huge settings. So again, no disappointment.
~~~***~~~
"Looking at the sky
anxiously waiting for winter
reminiscing my memories
I forgot that my four seasons don't have you~"
OST
How to even express my satisfaction that I received through the OSTs? Melodious music with eloquent lyrics paired with worthwhile voices stringing into a harmonious enticement. I heard it for the first time and I guarantee that there will never be a last time.
1. Borrowing Dreams sung by Zhou Shen. All Bai Lu and Keep Running fans are well aware of Zhou Shen and his amazing vocals. Why would this song be an exception? What makes it sweeter to me is the fact that they are good friends in real life too and Bai Lu personally thanked Zhou Shen in Keep Running for lending his voice to this masterpiece in her drama. This is also the closing song of the drama and also my favourite from the list. "Take a willingness to lose to exchange for my other half" is my most favourite part. Whether it played during their romance scenes in the drama or during the end credits, this song didn't fail to make me sing even though I sang it in gibberish due to the language barrier. And the song break where Zhou Shen harmonizes "HaaAAaaaaaaaa... HaaAAaaaaaaaa" .... man, I always transport to the Kunning world.
2. Snow Season sung by Bai Lu. Talk of a multi-talented queen who can act, dance, sing so beautifully! Snow season is a lullaby to the soul. Its like a sweet dessert that satisfies the soul after a scrumptious meal. Bai Lu sang "Entering A Dream" in Arsenal Military Academy along with Xu Kai and I got its vibes with this. I'm telling you, when Bai Lu sings such melodious slow songs, its the end of the world for me. I still couldn't take Entering A Dream out of my mind, now this adds to the list. Not kidding, the moment I listened to her sweet voice, I cried. IT IS SOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
3. Three Thousand Worlds Not Meeting You sung by Jing Long. A breath of fresh air. I think this music and Jing Long's vocals drift from the typical Xianxia music to slightly the current R&B side and it's such a refreshing transpose. Yet, it still feels to be within the theme adding to its ambiguity. The main chorus is very catchy and ran in my mind 24/7 during the whole period I watched SoKP.
Honorary mention: Like a Dream sung by Zhou Jun Wei (We hail a multi-talented king too.)
Other OST include: With Love sung by Jane Zhang
~~~***~~~
REWATCH VALUE:
I'm really satisfied. Definitely re-watchable. It has a calm feel to this drama (idk), I'll definitely re-watch.
~~~***~~~
RECOMMENDATION:
“Mr. Xie, your ambitions are high
as the clouds in the sky
While I’m shallow and short-sighted
like the mud on the ground.
The sparrow will not know the will of a swan.
A miner’s lady is stranger to the sea.
A mortal hopes for nothing else
but to live peacefully.
Mr. Xie, please have mercy on me.”
⁃ Jiang Xuening to Xie Wei
could Xuening really live peacefully? You gottu watch!
Just watch it y'all. It's worth giving a try. But go with no expectations, you'll enjoy it better.
Also folks, do not miss "As You Wish: Story of Kunning Palace" with few of the cast of this drama. I gushed at every episode with the sultry chemistry between the leads and lovely rapport with the whole cast. It's worth your time.
~~~***~~~
P.S: Was I writing a review or a whole new story? I'm tired X﹏X
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The Story of Mistakes, Regrets and Revenge.
Let's start with the overview of plot....................................................................
Plot:
...............................................................
Jiang Xue Ning(Bai Lu), the second and legitimate daughter of Jiang Family, grew up in countryside but a very ambitious and greedy person. She wanted to become Empress & gain power to make everyone bow down to her. To fulfill her ambition, she did everything regardless of right and wrong, used many people who cared for her, and destroyed many lives. But, the karma hits hard....not so long after, her own people, Xie Wei and Yan Lin and many others, turned against her, raised a rebellion and massacred the whole Royal Family. She regretted her own deeds and finally suicide to make up for her deeds.
After her suicide, she woke up in her past, in her 18 years old body with the memories of her all above mentioned experiences. It's like... life gave her a second chance with a reincarnation and all the above-mentioned things happened in a dream. After waking up, she intends to become a good person and make up for all those mistakes and regrets to change the horrific fate of her and her loved ones.
This is an interesting and kinda new plot to me....
...............................................................
Main Characters and Their Relationships:
...............................................................
Jiang Xue Ning (Bai Lu): She was ambitious, greedy and arrogant at first. But after experiencing a lot in life she tried to change her temperament and wanted to become a good person. I won't say she is very kind-hearted but yes.... she learned to repay the gratitude with kindness. She is not perfect but ready to improve. She had guilt for her wrongdoings. A perfectly imperfect person.
As for her romantic relationship.... In her previous life she married Shen Jie, but fell for Zhang Zhe, had a relationship with Yan Lin and also tried to seduce Xie Wei. It sounds absurd, right....In her current life, she first fell for Zhang Zhe because of her past experiences. She friend-zoned Yan Lin and being loyal to him as a friend but has no feelings for Shen Jie. She finally fell in love with Xie Wei, the most suitable person to her.
................................
Xie Wei (Zhang Ling He): He used to be a kind-hearted, smart and straightforward person, but life didn't do justice to him.... He was abandoned by his own father for personal gains and left to die when he was just a seven-year-old child, in the hands of rebels. He turned into a very cunning and ruthless person who have some obsessions and always hide his real emotions & feelings but has a little bit of warmness in his heart. He never let his guards down to anyone and loyal to ones who loved him or whom he loved. He returned to capital just to take his revenge.
For his romantic relationship.... it seems he was in love with Xuening in her previous life. In current life, he fell in love with her again and wanted her to keep safe but also wary of her sometimes.
Okay....I'll stop now.... to be honest, he is my favourite character here... I can even write an essay on him.
................................
Zhang Zhe (Wang Xing Yue): The most righteous, kind, familial, loyal and perfect person in the whole drama. He comes from a poor background yet he never bends to injustice and wrong. He is smart and straightforward but unbending to situations. Because of this personality, he got himself in unnecessary troubles many times....
He developed feeling for Xuening in her past life and fell for her in this life too.
................................
Yan Lin (Zhou Jun Wei): He is free-spirited, smart, loving, loyal and sometimes a reckless person. He's a brave general as well as a great friend.
He loved Xuening with his whole heart in her previous as well as in current life.
................................
I liked many characters here and almost every character served some purpose in the drama. They are important to plot progression. Xiaobao and You Fangyin are the only ones who didn't get an ending they truly deserved.
...............................................................
Acting and Chemistry:
...............................................................
Main Leads and the whole other cast did a beautiful job with their characters. Zhang Ling He has really outdone himself here. This drama is purely and perfectly fall under category of a Slow-Burn Romance. Bai Lu as Xuening.... has great chemistry with all the three Male leads. They have enough sweet and lovely moments. Xuening has friendly chemistry with Yan Lin.... cat-and-mouse type at first then romantic chemistry with Xie Wei.... and guilty-and-wronged with some love chemistry with Zhang Zhe.
...............................................................
OSTs and Costumes:
...............................................................
OSTs are so satisfying and beautiful specially the ending theme.... I can't help myself but playing it again and again. Costumes are decent but there is a room for improvement.
...............................................................
Conclusion:
...............................................................
This is a story of mistakes, regrets and repayment for Xuening.... For Xie Wei, this is a story of injustice, revenge and love....
...............................................................
Ending and Recommendation:
...............................................................
Don't worry... it's a happy ending!
I'll definitely recommend this drama to everyone. It has an interesting plot and developed characters with a lot of politics and slow-burn romance.
GIVE IT A SHOT WITHOUT ANY OTHER THOUGHT.
...............................................................
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Ultimate slow-burn in the bustling nerve wrecking imperial palace
This one genuinely won hearts; it won’t leave you craving for more because they gave us everything.The initial lack of romance pointed out, is a crucial stepping stone for the development of the relationship between the main characters. This might change from person to person but the trust, bond, and belief they had in each other that came together the way it did due to all those episodes that literally serve this purpose.
In many dramatic works, the characters are often portrayed as one-dimensional and lack the depth that is required to fully engage the audience. However, this particular drama stands out in that each character possesses a unique set of traits and motivations. The character, Xue Shu, is a prime example of this well-developed and multi-faceted approach to characterisation. Her actions not only facilitated the meeting between the female lead and the second male lead, but also had a profound impact on the entire court, leaving the powerful Duke Xue speechless in the process. Moreover, her actions served to reverse the plans of the female lead which was a strong move from Fl’s side. This is a rare and impressive feat in the realm of dramatic works and serves as a testament to the author's ability to craft complex and nuanced characters.
Initially, I thought that there would be a couple of episodes specifically devoted to flashbacks. However, it turned out to be surprising as we were able to get an idea of the events and storyline from the past through brief glimpses, without actually having to witness them visually.
Kudos to the actors who made those characters alive.
Jiang Xuening is definitely a rebel to the social norms back then when it came down to the people she cared about, she went all the way to not let the past repeat.
Xie Wie, if confident, visionary, scheming, cold, possessive, and talented was a person he is the one. He’s a 10 (only for the FL *cough possessive cough*) but definitely can’t fight.
Yan Lin grabbed us with his charming, extroverted personality, let’s not mention the fight scene which definitely hooked and gave us relief with his entry when Duke Xue surrounded Xie Wie and Zhang Ze.
Zhang Ze (the righteous man who can’t be real) has the kind of judgement everyone would crave, his vision into other's perceptions and diverse view of the situations will leave you all wondering his IQ level. He’s a 10 and there’s no but…
Xue Dingfei, Dao Qin, Lyu Xian, You Fangyin, Xiao Bao, Princess and Jiang family each have unique personalities, which will keep us invested in their character build up. Each of them true to their character had one or another scene where the attention to the drama reaches maximum.
Duke Xue, Xue Shu, The Emperess and Zhou Yinzhi will keep the edge and rage alive, that itself says how well the characters were portrayed.
Even though politics and drama rule this drama, the scenes cut to a different level will bring you back to laughter immediately from the tense situation. The realization of getting finally attached might be too late. For me, it was You Fangyin’s fate that made me realize this.
The scheming plots were executed with great precision, and many aspects of the plan felt natural and logical. The decisions made were not forced or repetitive, and everything flowed smoothly even in the most challenging situations. This was definitely a 10/10 for me.
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Xie wei mat not always win, but he will never lose
This drama was a masterpiece. From the story to the acting to the plot twists to the chemistry everything was just perfect.Jiang Xuening was a smart and clever FL n Xie wei's intellect was mind blowing..the way he could predict n calculate everything left me in awe...the palace schemes and the support characters were all very interesting...both the politics and romance plots were great...
This drama is definitely worth the watch...
each actor had perfect chemistry with others no matter what their relation was...
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GREAT STORY WITH BRILLIANT CAST
I will say the adaptation is the best, they remove some scene and make link to every story arc so is fit 38 episode.Jiang Xue Ning, she is someone who has regret and willing to fix it. She try to help people around her and changing their fate for something better, she's not perfect but she'll try.
Xie Wei, he complicated person. He use to have everything then lose all of it in a day. He had traumatic past, he know that people is cruel. Like he said he is not a saint. He schemes everything not care about the world.
Their relationship grow a long time, JXN use to afraid XW but then she became to trust him.
For novel reader the ending little bid difference, they tone down some character. They connect story so is more fit and not feeling rush. And of course is HAPPY ENDING.
For me is pity they don't make longer episode, they are a few scene from novel I think gonna make this drama more greater that ever.
BEST
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This drama is literally one of the best drama this year.
I will definitely recommend this drama to my friends and family. The story is epic. The casting is PERFECT. Bai Lu and Zhang Ling He deserves more than just a praise and I demand another drama casting them as Main Leads.Knowing that I already finished watching the episodes, I'm going crazyyyy. Hands up to the director, the casts, the DRAMAAAAA ...
I will definitely recommend this drama to my friends and family. The story is epic. The casting is PERFECT. Bai Lu and Zhang Ling He deserves more than just a praise and I demand another drama casting them as Main Leads.
Knowing that I already finished watching the episodes, I'm going crazyyyy. Hands up to the director, the casts, the DRAMAAAAA ...
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heart-warming in more ways than one
I am filled with emotions after just finishing the drama so this might contain spoilers.This is my most highly-anticipated drama and it did NOT disappoint! I might have a few issues but they're mostly on the technical side. Everything about this drama will invoke different sets of feelings from viewers (yes even the technical stuff ie the director's lighting choices, is a hot topic in the comments section lol).
Story: Rebirth/Reincarnation trope isn't anything new but once perfectly executed, it can be a gem on its own and Story of Kunning Palace is just that. The screenwriter/s were able to adapt the novel with full respect to the source material while also keeping the audience in mind. It's very compelling and would keep the audience guessing. Each side story tugs at the viewer's heartstrings making every character or scene memorable. The ending is also very satisfactory, every character was addressed and the main leads were given their deserved spotlight despite their slow burn romance.
Acting/Casting: I read the novel with the intention of only knowing the important bits about the characters. I wanted the drama to handle the rest as I've my own bad experiences from reading the novel before the drama aired. (Note: I still haven't finished the drama so some of my understandings about the characters might be off or lacking.) I personally think the cast especially BL and ZLH did a splendid job understanding and acting out Jiang Xuening and Xie Wei. Due to their spot on acting that the viewers are drawn to their story. The side character actors are also spot on. Everyone brought their A game to this drama and that's what elevated SOKP to its heights. ZLH is honestly a revelation here.
Music: The OSTs are amazing. I gave a 9.5 due to the editing. I think it could've been better. But the songs themselves are perfect for this drama. Bai Lu's OST is a personal favorite. I'll for sure have a sweet smile every time I'll hear it in the future since the scenes are forever etched in my memory plus her sweet voice.
Rewatch Value: I was already itching to rewatch as soon as I finished it. It's that good.
Story of Kunning Palace is a masterful storytelling about second chances, maturity, love, friendship, family, politics, and mental struggles. It makes you think and feel. This drama now has a special place in my heart.
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Disappointing fanservice
At the beginning I liked sokp much better and thought it was gonna be one of the best drama this year, but it turned out as a mediocre fanservice/wattapad for teens with dark fantasies. The breakup with ZZ felt forced and unnatural how can such a thing not be resolved by communication, it was not believable at all and I wish they stuck with the way the novel made them break up instead but they wanted to rush things probably pressured by fans that wanted the Xie arc, unfortunately that led to my discontent with Xie and what made matters worse is how bad his arc is turning to be forced kiss, forceful grabbing of hands and neck(wtf) forced kiss, overbearing and disrespectful that doesn't really respect jxn and treats her as a young girl that is his student another major eye roll as I am not into teacher/student type of romance its Hella creepy and disgusting.. I wish we can grow out of this weird fase where it's okay for a romance like this to happen in the first place. Unfortunately because of the reason mention the latest episodes began to drag a lot and what was a solid 9 drama became a 7 then a 4.. I felt like something was missing from the intrigue and like that it lost its appeal. Ps all that chocking was so cringe.. Felt like a bad version of 50 shades of GreyCet avis était-il utile?
mycloverformrdarcy
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Never-ending schemes ?
If you think Xie Wei is one step behind, he’s actually two steps ahead. These types of revelations are actually my favorite because they’re satisfying and slightly unhinged. Making me believe that the situation is hopeless, but actually that was just a farce? The scheming and palace politics were really good, I liked how the characters all walked a fine line between being good and “bad”. Those who deserved a bad ending got one, and man was that satisfying. The scene with the eunuch giving Xue Shu the poisoned wine was so funny to be honest?. The man was too happy to kill that evil woman; it is quite sad how she ended because she did everything to survive but that is what you get when you can’t scheme properly. In the end, she simply couldn’t match Jiang Xue Ning and Xie Wei?.At first, I wasn’t very emotionally invested in the show to be honest, BUT it pulled me in regardless, which is why I kept watching it. The more I watched, the more invested I got with the intricacies of the plot, the scheming and how the characters would act next.
The romance was an interesting one: sort of toxic and possessive, and I think Zhang Ling He did a good job playing Xie Wei, I thoroughly enjoyed his performance. I can say the same for Bai Lu! Can’t wait to watch more of her dramas, she has a long catalogue!??
Overall, sort of different from what I usually watch but really nice!
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The Manipulators: Sizzling Chemistry between walking red flag ML & walking red Flag FL
Subjective Gut Rating - 8.75After finishing “Scent of Time” not too long ago, I was worried that I might find this drama repetitive. Both dramas have a similar premise of being given the chance to go back in time to correct past mistakes. “Scent of Time” focuses on family relationships more, and this one focuses on revenge and politics more. I like both dramas but like “Story of Kunning Palace” a little better overall.
What I Like:
1. Pacing - I am pleasantly surprised that I am kept entertained throughout the 38 episodes. I did not lose my focus or feel that the drama dragged in the middle episodes. In fact, there’s so much going on that I enjoy all the side plots and characters. It’s not perfect, as I want more episodes of the romance between Jiang Xue Ning (FL) and Zhang Zhe (2ML) in the present timeline, and less of the evil girl causing drama. Overall, I am quite satisfied.
2. Xie Wei (ML) and Zhang Ling He - I always love a good gray character, especially for the male character. After the success of Dylan Wang’s character in “Love Between Fairy and Devil”, I am happy to see another deliciously evil and cunning male lead. Oftentimes, he would be a second male lead. This is possibly Zhang Ling He’s best acting to date. This intriguing character provides ZLH an opportunity to showcase a side of him that we haven’t seen. He is so much better in this drama than in “My Journey to You”. Many fans (myself included) love seeing Xie Wei’s side-eyed glare, petty jealousy and cunning ruthlessness. Xie Wei is such a madman and I wish to see more characters like him in the future.
3. Acting - the overall acting of the cast is pretty good (but not exceptional) - both the younger and veteran cast. Bai Lu is Bai Lu. You know what to expect from her, though I wouldn’t say she exceeded my expectations. I just saw Wang Xing Yue in “Scent of Time” and felt that his acting is much improved and better here. Even though his character is quiet, he’s speaking with his eyes more. I want more of him.
4. Main Romance - Even though it took a very long while for us to see Jiang Xue Ning and Xie Wei’s romance to develop, it is worth it. They have so much chemistry together. I enjoy the development of their relationship from enemies to working together, then trusting each other and falling in love. Xie Wei is a walking red flag, and Jiang Xue Ning is not that much better deep inside of her. They really are a match made in heaven as they understand and accept each other’s strengths and flaws. The kisses are exploding with chemistry though not gentle or sweet (unless you watch the extra special). But no matter if they were in the past or present, scenes of them together are sizzling hot and you yearn to see them on the screen together more.
5. Sisterhood - I am pleasantly surprised at the relationship between the Zhang sisters. Oftentimes, we either see sisters hate or love each other. But true to the plot and because of the history between the two, their sisterhood develops organically and realistically. They are not forced to be super close.
6. No annoying character - sure there are villains and a girl here and there that are jealous of the female lead. But for the most part, they are not super annoying and are not frustrating to watch. I like many of the characters - the three male leads (all lovely in their own ways), the princess, the best friend, the guards, the sidekicks, and even those girls in the palace. No one really makes dumb decisions that make me want to shake some sense into them.
What I have Mixed Feelings About:
1. Jiang Xue Ning (FL) + Zhang Zhe (2ML) Romance - I was deeply moved by the flashback scenes of them together. Zhang Zhe’s internal struggle of doing the right thing vs. doing the wrong thing for the woman he loves. These flashback scenes are minimal, but they gave us such great emotions and just enough to tell us their story. However, their romance in the present time is not given enough opportunity to develop and move me as an audience. It’s such a waste as both Bai Lu and Wang Xing Yue also have great chemistry together. The way they steal glances, try to express their feelings through their eyes, but struggle internally - all could have contributed to a great romance and a big contrast to the main romance.
2. Xie Wei + Sidekicks/Guards - I would like to know the backstory between Xie Wei and his guards and friends. How did they all work together in support of Xie Wei? What else did they go through back in the day? Why are they following him and not the rebellious group?
3. Forced rom-com directing/editing - For a serious historical drama, we should never have so many forced romantic slow-motion scenes and music blasting to tell me how to feel. We have good actors who can convey feelings through their acting and subtle facial expressions, we don’t need these cheap and cheesy shots. I am also so irritated by the bright white backlighting that the director seems to like so much.
4. Dubbing - While I appreciate actors dubbing their own voices, not all are great at reading their lines yet. Bai Lu almost always dubs her own and does it well, and I think Zhang Ling He can learn from her. Some of his lines are spoken in monotone, or he screams and growls a little too overdramatically. Having said that, I am glad Bai Lu, Zhang Ling He and Wang Xing Yue all dubbed themselves. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the cast didn't.
5. Production Quality - “Story of Kunning Palace” does not seem to be a big budget production. The sets are on the small-to-medium scale. The costumes and accessories are average. As I said earlier, I don’t like the lighting and they did not use natural light. Bai Lu’s makeup is uneven and she could have been much more beautiful. I also dislike the use of BGM playing over the music instruments. The OST is OK. Compared to “My Journey to You”, this drama pales in comparison.
6. Fight Scenes - Except for the big fight in the last couple episodes, I am not impressed with the fight scenes. I feel that they are over dramatic and not enough good close-combat battle scenes. Since this is not a wuxia or xianxia drama, seeing someone being punched once and then fly over to the other side is quite hilariously unrealistic. Some guys got slashed multiple times and survived. Others die with one stab.
Overall, I had a fabulous time watching this drama. I enjoy the plot, the pace of the drama (though the ending is a tiny rushed), the development of the main leads’ relationship and romance, and of course the anti-hero male lead. It’s a good mix of romance, friendship and politics.
Completed: 11/27/2023 - Review #381
Cet avis était-il utile?
Marianne Priscilla
6 personnes ont trouvé cette critique utile
Best Drama in 2023!!
Definitely recommended to watch! Im my opinion , this is the best Chinese Wuxia drama in 2023. The story is about revenge and hoping to change the destiny. Unique story and well written script. Love that the FL lead is also smart and strong just like the ML. the ost, story, plot, and the cast are 100000000/10. Even though, there are not much romantic scenes, but i still love it and addicted to watch. Zhang Ling He and Bai Lu’s acting are incredible ??. Their chemistry is great, but sadly had to wait for so long till I get to watch their romantic scenes together. But that’s okay, I still enjoyed this drama so much.Cet avis était-il utile?
