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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gripping story/plotline

It's the kind of cliff-hanger ending that keeps you wanting for more asap.

From ep 1-24 it was a breezy watch for me. They maximized their 24 episodes so well that there's no room for filler scenes. There are no spoilers in this review, I'll just write why I love this drama.

1. The cast: I have to admit I've never watched anything from the cast aside from YSX and ZLH so I was pleasantly surprised with everyone's performance. Tian Jia Rui was a scene stealer for me as well as Zuo Ye. I was surprised they're newbies. There's just something about their interpretations of their characters that draws you in. Jin Jolin is ofc a fan favorite lol

2. The plot: It's a work of art. I love the world-building and honestly would want to know more about Wufeng and of their past (and ofc their future but I'm not too hopeful T-T). The execution is also really good, it keeps you hanging after each episode.

3. The production: Top notch. I love the general dark palette. It suits the overall vibe of the drama. SFX, VFX and sound effects are just the right amount to support each scene. Love it.

4. The characters: Very intriguing. I'm particularly curious about the Hanyas and the leaders. Also each character have their own stand out personality that each actor/actress portrayed well.

I'd also like to say something about the fan "feud" between YSX and LYX and their CPs. For me, LYX indeed was a standout. Every time she schemes, her eyes draw you in. I'm such a sucker for actors who have amazing control of their micro expressions and i think LYX excels in that (as well as TJR and ZLH tho i think he needs more training too). But YSX did an excellent job as an assasin too especially since this is far different than her usual roles. Her action scenes are good, tho imo her micro expressions need more work. They both have their strong points. As for the CPs, they're also both remarkable, they have their own audience. For someone who hates toxicity, I definitely preferred the main cp and for people who love thrill and sexual tension trope then the 2nd cp is def for them. I preferred the main cp's honest relationship.

Overall, My Journey to You is an amazing drama that I would proudly recommend to those who ask. It's amazing!

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true to its title

Crossdressing trope isn't new, but chen yao as male su ci is definitely one of the few very convincing female to male crossdressing characters I've seen. This drama has a lot going on but what stuck the most in my mind is how consistent our fl is as a detective. I actually enjoyed her investigation scenes which says a lot since I'm not a fan of mystery genre.

Story: Our fl is on a 7 years-long quest to clear her clan's name which was annihilated due to alleged rebellion against the former emperor while our ml is set on solving the case of his crushing defeat in battle. I really loved the start of the drama, everything was well-paced and the plot is intriguing to me. Unfortunately, somewhere in the middle there are a few inconsistencies that made me mellow a bit. It seemed that visually impaired ML was so much better in battle than his healed version. I actually expected more action since he's known as a formidable warrior on the battlefield but it left me wanting especially at the throne room scene at the end part. This scene was a bit disappointing to me, they should've picked better actors for the soldiers since it was a mess. It really took so much away from the immersive experience when the soldiers were clumsily sliding across the floor ? The ending tho is very heart-warming and a bit cheesy but I'm not complaining lol.

Acting: I was surprised when I learned this was ZLH's debut role. His acting isn't the best here of course and yet notably still better than some other actors I've seen. I can see he prepared a lot for this role and it shows. Chen Yao is also a delight to watch, she really made a convincing male here. Commendable performance from the villain tho, Prince Yun. He's very committed to his role and embodied a regal aura of a royalty but also of a serial schemer.

Music: OSTs are good, especially the one sebrina sang. I also love how it's inserted into scenes, I think they're very nicely done.

Rewatch value: We have a lot of dramas of a similar trope so personally I'm not itching to rewatch this, but it's something I would think of when I'm out of dramas to watch/rewatch.

Overall it's a nice drama. It has its upsides and downsides of course but I enjoyed it.

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enjoyable, but not for everyone

I hate to say this but it was borderline agonizing for me to finish this. I had a pretty positive expectation that I'd enjoy this after the first few episodes, but then on the latter part of the drama my attention went haywire like WeiWei's electricity lol. For some reason, the story and acting can't capture my full attention anymore. I was powering through it for the sake of finishing the drama.

Pros: It started off pretty light and not-so cliched. The side CPs are quite interesting, except for the class head/rich barista girl CP (their chemistry is pretty forced imo). The plot itself is illogical but everybody's actions/reactions are pretty logical and relatable in most scenes. ZLH's acting here is already pretty decent, just a few moments where he seemingly couldn't hold the emotions or the scene. LMS is also cute and very easy to the eyes. She's good at the emotional scenes but in others she looks reserved. The senior/ex crush of FL started off promising until he did /that/.

Cons: Where do I start? lol. As a medical professional myself I wish they didn't include the medical intervention for WeiWei's condition because this is no sci-fi and they did it sloppily anyway, plus the raincoat with exposed arms and feet... lol that part just felt too insulting to anyone who would dare think twice about the scenario ? I also felt sour that they made Xia Rui do that, but never apologized to WeiWei when she took most of the brunt for what he did. She should demand medical and psychological damages for that ahh but he only apologized to MSC wth?? I thought the romance would be the saving grace for this but unfortunately the friendship dynamics felt more real. I always felt like ZLH was one step ahead of LMS when it came to the romance scenes. That's where he excelled the most here, plus the comedic timing. Sometimes I felt like he was dating a high schooler especially when they dress her like one most of the time. Then for the crying scenes it's LMS who does it naturally. It seems there's always an imbalance that I can't get on board with their romance especially when they got together. In the last episode I just felt relieved that I reached the ending.

In any case, this is one of both leads' early works so it's already pretty decent performance from everyone. It didn't feel too draggy and the OSTs are nice. It's pretty enjoyable for people looking for something light and cutesy to watch.

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bittersweet reality wrapped up in youthful sweetness

I'm pleasantly surprised with how raw this drama felt. I thought this will be another cutesy, angsty and full of youthful energy drama but it's more than just that.

I love the balance - when focused on the youth, the story is leaning more towards innocence, studies, and having fun (except for our poor Jiang Haoyue of course ?); while the adults' story is very real and heavy. This makes Flourish in Time a perfect drama to watch with the entire family. Oftentimes, adults would want to shield their children from the early exposure to the realities of life which is why JHY's story is absolutely gut-wrenching. I hate to think any child would go through life like that but I know it's real. The drama was able to convey that without ruining the lightness of a youth drama.

I like that JHY's father had a redemption arc, so did Su Daifei. It's also refreshing that somehow 2 of the leads didn't have partners at the end, and didn't just magically found a partner in the final ep. I also love Ziye and Shi Che's dynamics, they'd make a cute couple. And personally, I'd easily fall for Qu Wei lol he's a nerd but also has a comparably high EQ and i love his humor. He's a very well-written character.

Zhang Linghe's naturally soft and innocent aura is a double-edged sword for me. He's definitely lovable but this is the 4th time (LBFAD, MJTY, SOKP) I've watched him in a dysfunctional family and so emotionally and mentally troubled because of it. It's heartbreaking to watch especially with those soft dewy eyes ? Nonetheless he's done a really good job portraying Jiang Haoyue!

Solid story and acting from everyone = an amazing drama, Flourish in Time.

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