Reviews

Loved it.

Great fantasy/historical series. The ML totally shined in this series. The acting was amazing, Yes, he was amazing.

I had been waiting for a good one and I totally found it. This is a captivating one. You’ll grow to love the characters even the ones you think you’d dislike. There was action, drama, romance and a little humor. The chemistry was very present between the leads, even before the things progressed. You could sense it. The ML did an amazing job keeping me captivated. He totally lead all the way. His wits, dominance and communication were strong and enjoyable. The FL was great as usual.she was smart as well. Her character did frustrate me a bit in the beginning but she pulled through. Although we have all seen a somewhat similar storyline, I have yet to see one that was this rail, well written, and had so much passion behind the cast. I love the consistency amongst the characters in this drama, and I also love how their character grew and we had the opportunity to see that through their actions and their communication, and let’s not forget the emotions that they portrayed through all of those things.

I love how the story revolved around a redo of events, they didn’t attempt to delude us with major character shifts, however they did show us the change in how our FL chose to interact with others and how that impacted the outcome. It also revealed things that were previously misunderstood. It really brought back to the forefront of how we often perceive things a certain way, but they may not be what actually true. If you are looking for a great historical fantasy fiction, you will absolutely love this one.

Chemistry was onsite everyday. Action didn’t miss a step and the love boat was definitely afloat.

I loved the ending as well. It was hilarious, sweet and cute.

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Sweetness

Series revolves around a girl with an ability and her desire to free herself from the confines of the world she was caged in. How she was raised to use it versus how she chose to use it was absolutely beautiful.

I really enjoyed this. It starts off with a really good pace and it continued to develop in a way that allows the characters grow. There were very few moments where I felt the need to fast forward. I absolutely enjoyed watching the lead interact as well as how their relationships develop. Although it is fictional the progression of the relationship and the realistic elements of it were relatable.

This one kept me on my toes. The way the FL interacted with others and how she blossomed into her person was amazing. I loved how she became someone that everyone loved.

There was action, romance, comedy, drama and some heartfelt moments. Chemistry was very present along with my beloved happy ending.


Definitely a rewatch.

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Focused point, Great actors, and a plot line that hooks you

It’s just unique, it has its own unique plot. I watched it thinking it would be something about catching weird thieves or solving mysterious crimes, but it turned better so much better (by the way I didn’t saw the trailer) I love how the plot is, like a police that is committing crimes (well not crimes but in law it is) and a reporter who is kind of helping him, and a rich fan who wants to be a team with him. I watched it mainly because (nam Jo hyuk) but also I liked the plot line that maybe can happen in real life,(you know like it is half way logical). Also we can’t forget the cinematography, sounds and the editing they can make a movie with that, It’s Superb. Of course the actors they portrayed the emotions and the feelings so well they chose the right actors for this Drama, they all did such an excellent job.
Real Justice can’t be real without one losing and sometimes it’s the victim losing. Like Kim ji woong’s Story made me feel terrible about how they just sent that trash to prison they let him away with it while she was killed I am sure if Kim ji woong was real his umma would be so proud of him. And so is the people who didn’t got their rights.
His every emotion was understandable, the only thing that makes me so mad is letting killers go away without receiving their punishment.
I like how he is just 2 different people, in the morning he is Kim Jiwoong and in the night he is the “vigilante” it always made me excited.
If we talk about the name I feel it’s the right name for him he is the meaning of vigilante, in case you don’t know the meaning of vigilante, it’s a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate. But he did by himself, he is such a strong person.
If we talked about the actors I feel if any other actor played Kim Jiwong no one would portray it like nam Jo hyuk.
I wish the ending will be happy one. Can’t wait for Wednesday.

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FL almost ruined everything

If I'm rating based on Baek Beom alone, this drama would be 11/10!

Granted, he can be harsh but there's a backstory to it, which is already mentioned in synopsis, duh! Plus, his comment makes sense, despite the tone being harsh

Now, the 2nd FL is a typical spoilt princess trying to prove herself. Wearing high heels to crime scene, touch body without gloves and then upset just because she is told off. Hello?! Even I, a non-prosecutor know you shouldn't do all this, and you, don't know? What have you been doing in law school? What's worse is she often go around shouting and screaming and throwing her tantrum at Baek Beom, like hello?! Oh gosh.

The saving grace is at least she is smart and is useful at times (not always, btw) and she does get better, holy cow. There are more than once I almost dropped the show ebcause of her. I've been staying because of Baek beom and the storyline, as I love forensic + prosecutor +detective combined!

The other male prosecutor is another annoying one. He has been having confirmation bias since day 1 and dares to call himself prosecutor. But, thanks God he quit and realized his mistakes

Towards the end, the two main annoying characters get better, hence making me wanna watch S2, otherwise I seriously can't stand more of them lol

Plus, the addition of the new prosecutor is a bonus. This is what i'm talking about. Someone who is fierce, bold, daring, but realistic, reasonable and cool, all at same time. No princess tantrum or prince tantrum for that matter

At first, I wish the ML is hotter, but then I grew to like Baek Beom character more and more, so all is well LOL

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Tissues are required to watch this drama

The first episode was a lot. The characters gave me GOONG vibes - you'd think this drama would be cheesy...BUT IT AIN'T!

I did not expect to ball my eyes out in the first episode. The topic of DA really hits me hard. I think the director and actors did well in conveying what some scenarios are like (and how victims may feel/think). It really does suck for Jang KiHo's situation (Father being a police officer - can't really report him with how corrupt the government/society is).

As you go through the drama, some things may seem expected/predictable, but it's still such a well-told drama (so far, as i haven't completed the drama yet). I've cried almost every episode, as each episode brings up different challenges and back stories of each character - the struggles!

I'm such a fan of all the dramas Park EunBin has been in, and her costars are always so amazing (good team work).

Also, I had high expectations when I saw who the screenwriter (Park Hye Ryun) and Director (Oh Choong Hwan) were, as they have been responsible for many amazing dramas I love.

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Moonlight Chicken is a hidden gem

You know the acting will be phenomenal based on the cast alone, but Khaotung (Gaipa) was my favorite of them all. His scenes were just purely fun, sweet, and/or very emotional. Man made me cry like a baby twice. Of the eight episodes, 5-7 did get a bit draggy because of the repetitiveness in the main arc, nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable watch and I love the order in which certain things were revealed i.e. Alan’s entrance, the identity of Wen’s stepfather, and Ms. Hong’s death. I also like that the timeline was clear and that all eight episodes happened within a six-month to ten-month period.

What I liked/enjoyed:
- The reality and hardship economically post-COVID. It’s a no-brainer that everyone was heavily affected by COVID-19 in one way or another. But what made Jim’s Chicken diner different was despite Jim being poor and a single guardian of an 18-year-old teenager himself, he was able to empathize, sympathize, and cater to the unfortunate out of the kindness of his heart. Not only is his chicken rice recipe simple, but it’s also affordable, convenient, and fulfilling for the middle and lower class. His kindness spoke volumes throughout the whole show.
- I love the entire cast but Mark and View’s coupling takes the cake. Salaeng and Praew are naturally fun to be around and are very supportive when they, themselves are struggling; set to be first-time parents with a baby on the way. I also love Saleng’s relationship with everyone, he was the perfect friend, employee, boyfriend, and support everyone needed. Probably would have been a good son like Gaipa had his parents been alive. He also seemed like a really great dad from the one scene of him playing with his baby in episode 8. I love that although he had to be put out of his job at the diner, he didn’t forget to pay Jim back and still kept in contact with everyone. It truly showed that Moonlight Chicken wasn’t just a workplace but a home away from home.
- Gaipa and his mother’s backstory was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Normally, funerals for side characters are rushed but in this case, the show highlighted the impact that Ms. Hong, a side character, had on not just Jim, his family, and the diner but the whole community. While Gaipa mourned, you can feel just how much the Hongs were loved and respected by all.
- I know some find it weird or unrealistic, but Wen rooming with Alan after they’ve broken up is probably the one thing I like most about this series. During lockdown and quarantine, it wasn’t uncommon to hear that couples who lived together do and did break up. I thought Wen living paycheck to paycheck was a reasonable enough reason to keep living with his ex; especially when his ex is the breadwinner and they’ve agreed to be friends. The only problem was Alan took this as a possibility of them getting back together despite being told it wouldn’t happen countless times. To be fair, it was completely understandable because, in Alan’s case, he was still in love and actions do speak louder than words. If Wen hasn’t moved out by now then obviously it wasn’t really about Wen falling out of love but something else. Like another man (Jim) for instance. The reality is Alan can afford to think this way because he isn’t financially restrained like Wen is. If Wen leaves, Alan’s capable of paying all of his bills just fine but if Alan leaves, Wen will have to look for another roommate or cheaper condo. We got a glimpse of that when Wen had to ask their friend, Gong, for help and ended up renting a condo (hello Ohm’s room in ‘Bad Buddy’ xD)
- All of the characters’ growth was noticeable and lovely but Li Ming’s growth is the most impressive. Once he knew what he wanted, his confidence and responsibility surfaced and he was able to sell his future plans to his mother and uncle despite their doubt. Li Ming really showed them that he wasn’t as unprepared or unmotivated as they were led to believe. Not only did Li Ming plan the next four to six years of his life, but he’s been working towards it. He was dedicated and ready to walk his own path and his family couldn’t be more proud and supportive.
- Jim and Li Ming fight as any uncle and nephew would but I had so much respect for Li Ming when Jim said ‘Don’t raise your voice at me’ and Li Ming instantly piped down and apologized. That scene was beautifully done and showed that deep down Li Ming has a lot of respect, love, and gratitude for his uncle. He’s just frustrated because of the lack of communication and the pushing and projecting from flawed adults. It was brilliant of Li Ming to recognize that what Jim was projecting onto him was in fact Jim’s dreams and Li Ming calling his uncle out for that was great.
- The fact that Heart was deaf. I love the representation here and I thought Gemini did an excellent job. He was really convincing. I loved that the show stressed the fact that people tend to think deaf people are also mute when that’s not always true. I love that not only was Heart finally understood by his family but also accepted by Li Ming’s friends and family. His parents learning and becoming pros at signing, Wen communicating with him through sign, and Li Ming’s mother's openness to learn and attempt sign were all very wholesome.
- The communication between some characters was great whilst others were realistic.
- I love it when characters drop names without telling us who they are right away. It keeps the audience guessing and gives the characters some history and substance. Or when children are introduced and you have to do some connecting the dots. i.e. Beam’s ex-girlfriend’s daughter and Jam’s stepdaughter/Li Ming’s stepsister.
- The portrayal of Jim’s stubbornness that stems from age and fear. Jim being set in his ways as an older, more traditional guy is so lifelike. Although Jim isn’t as expressive and agreeable as Li Ming would like, it’s clear that Jim is trying his best to build a good reputation and connections for Li Ming’s sake.
- The reality of being able to accept gays as friends, co-workers, or neighbors but wouldn’t come around to it when it’s family. Although it sounded homophobic, Jam made it clear that her concern was about how her son would be viewed and mistreated by others if they found out his orientation, and not that she was repulsed by it. I did like that she had at least three conversations about it with Jim and Li Ming. It showed how much she was bothered by it.
- The revelation of Ms. Hong’s death. From the marketplace to the hospital and finally temple/funeral. The transition from Gaipa and Saleng walking, talking, and joking around to the discovery of Ms Hong was so well done. Khaotung’s acting in the hospital scene, it was clear that he’d been given the bad news and his crying was so heartwrenching!
- The cinematography and setting were aesthetically pleasing. I love the color palette and it was really giving Hainanese. (I love Li Ming’s little lion dance too!)
- Aof’s cameo! xD

What I disliked/wished was different/included, and noticed:
- Jim and Beam had more chemistry than Jim and Wen.
- Gaipa pursuing Jim is cute but surprisingly for someone who's really into Jim, Gaipa doesn't come around a lot. Yeah, he's busy helping his mom and keeping her company but he mostly, if not always, drops by only at his mom's requests and not because he misses Uncle Jim's face.
- Some events in episodes 5-7 could have been shortened or cut out entirely to focus, explore, and revisit older scenes.
- Jim consistently saying ‘no’ and bringing up what he said before their one-night stand was great, a man of his word, however; there were way too many back and forths about it on screen. They could have cut out one or two rejection scenes and implied it in a passing conversation with another character.
- It’s clear that Jim likes Wen and even misses him at the diner. However, whenever there’s an opportunity for Jim to initiate contact first, out of desperation, Wen would call or show up and we’d get the same rejection scene but in different clothes. If viewers enjoyed the mains together then sometimes a separation would do everyone some good and make a reunion 10 times better. It’s boring that Wen was the only one trying to make them work.
- The comedy was present but not emphasized enough to be memorable
- I wish there was a scene where Heart confessed to his parents that he was the one who broke the bottle OR there’s a short scene of his father drinking from the same bottle he and Li Ming secretly drank out of and wondering why it’s somewhat watery. That would have been a good callback.
- The reporter clearly said they were moving into 2023 on New Year's Eve, however, when Ms. Hong passed away, a couple of months later, she was written to have passed in February 2022. I suppose they filmed in 2022 and forgot to change the year on the printout.

This was a slice of life and I for one enjoyed them immensely. This is a definite watch and rewatch.

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A Fantasy Romance Between a Demon & a Heiress

A dangerous yet spicy romance between a devilishly handsome demon & a strong minded chaebol heiress!

The tagline definitely fits the bill as we talk about SBS’s latest fantastical offering, “My Demon”. Starring Kim Yoo Jung and Song Kang in the lead roles, this was one of the most anticipated romances of the year and rightly so. While the concept of contract marriages is nothing new in Korean dramas, this show strongly hinges on the “Opposite Poles Attract” premise. The settings are beautiful, cinematography is lush while the CGI effects are mindblowing. It has been a long time since I watched a drama that instantly grabs your attention. Being a huge fan of Song Kang, this drama was on my “Must Watchlist” and I’m glad that it lived up to the expectations. There is something exciting about watching an immortal demon butt heads with a cold hearted heiress. They both have unique personalities which merge well and I’m totally enjoying the joyride. Without further ado, let’s dig deeper into the pilot episodes!

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/11/26/my-demon-first-impressions/

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Fair Adaptation from the Webtoon

When this first came out and everyone was raving about it and about Park Jihoon’s stellar performance I was really excited to watch it. But, I saw that it was adapted from a webtoon and decided to read that first. There’s currently 3 seasons with it still being updated, and ended up being quite confused on season 1 compared to the webtoon.

However, after finishing season 1 in the webtoon I realized that the show is a prequel to it, and are things of which we only see through Sieun’s/Gray’s flashbacks. I was then very interested to see how they would flesh out the flashbacks into a series. The webtoon starts with Sieun/Gray arriving at Eunjang, which we see at the end of season 1.

I do have to say, it’s not quite like the webtoon, or accurately adapted. As seen in the series, Sieun is a loner who only cares about academics. He has no sense of a goal for life and is lost and tries to fill that hole with excelling in academics. Stephen/Suho approaches Sieun after he realizes that Sieun is lost and has no clear goal and takes him under his wing. He begins to show him what life is like outside of academics and how much fun he can have. Sieun wasn’t bullied at first nor did the bullies mess with his grades by placing a fetanyl patch on him as we see in the show. And Stephen/Suho was not a martial arts fighter, he was just a good guy that liked helping others.

Their friendship with Bryce/Beomseok is pretty accurate though, but also not at the same time. They became friends because Stephen/Suho approached Beomseok/Bryce in the cafeteria because he was alone. There was no background information about Beomseok/Bryce being bullied at a former school. He did however have an inferiority complex as he did in the webtoon, but it stems from when he heard girls saying how handsome Stephen/Suho and Gray/Sieun were. The more he started hanging out with them, the more he felt inferior to them. This is what led to his fall into delinquency and started targeting Stephen/Suho for bullying and even got Oswald and friends to start it. They started a group chat with the class, excluding Sieun and Suho, and spread a rumor that they were romantically involved. Gray/Sieun had no idea Suho was being bullied because Suho shielded him from it. He wanted to handle it on his own, because he couldn’t live with himself if anything happened to Sieun, which eventually led to him falling off of the roof after being lured there by Beomseok/Bryce and his friends and falling into a coma while Sieun was at a Math Olympiad. Which leads to a very big character arch for Sieun as he is terrified of going to rooftops because of what happened. It’s his thing, he DOESNT do rooftops.

In the series, Sieun/Gray tries to shelter Stephen/Suho from the bullying and goes himself, completely opposite of the webtoon. We also see in the series that after finding out about Stephen/Suho going into a coma, he immediately goes to Byuksan and finds and beats up those who were involved, but never actually beating up Beomseok. In the webtoon, Gray falls into a 2 month depression and doesn’t go to school, and only after his return does he get revenge on Beomseok and Oswald and friends and he actually beats up Beomseok to the point of unconsciousness.

But of course. this seems to be a little too boring for a show so I guess you have to add some pizzaz lol I’m not sure what the whole gambling thing was about but it was completely unnecessary. Even though we get no parental background on any of the characters in the webtoon, I do like the fleshing out of sieun’s parents, and why sieun is the way he is.

So I guess, in short, the series is nothing like the webtoon, but you gotta do what you gotta do to get views and spruce up the story. I would say season 1 of Weak Hero Class is “loosely” based on the webtoon. So for my webtoon readers, don’t get your hopes up for a good adaptation. Try your best to understand why they changed and provided different storylines for the series as to make it more appealing to those who did not read the webtoon.

The series itself, apart from the webtoon, is great. If I get rid of all biases towards the show adaptation, I do have to say I can see why it has such stellar reviews and I do have to admit Park Jihoon does an amazing job at embodying the character of Gray/Sieun. All actors in the show gave an amazing performance, and the music also played an integral role in setting the emotion for the show as I almost cried when we all thought Suho died (even though i knew he didn’t). The show had a great production value and I see why everyone likes it. If i hadn’t read the webtoon i easily would’ve given it a 9 or maybe even a 10, but because of my bias of reading the webtoon beforehand, I gave it an 8.5.

I still enjoyed the season 1 and am now very looking forward to season 2 since these are the characters I know and love and are attached to. All I have to say is they better not fuck it up haha

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I really enjoyed the series at the beginning. I liked how each episode built off the next. There were like episodes of the week but an overall main story about cops who were ambushed when they were out to arrest the biggest gangtser in town. There was a lot of characters and a lot going on. So many red herrings and things that kept you guessing. There was a lot of cloak and dagger in this series and it initailly had me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, it got dragged down by too many filler episodes. They literally, could have cut 8 episodes.

The best thing about the series is the cast. Zhang Yi plays the ML Chief Qin and he is fantastic in this. I'd definitely try another show he was in. Zhang Hao Wei as Lu was goood too!. I loved Zhao Zi Qi as Feng. She was Chief Qin's ex-wife and she worked for internal affairs.

My biggest gripe though was the annoying teen girl character. She was on my last nerve most of the series. Her character was unnecessary and only served to annoy me (the audience). Lu was at a murder investigation and she is was acting like a damn idiot. She shouldn't have been there in the first place. That scene pissed me off so bad and it wasn't the only one.

11/25/23

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dropped midway

watched halfway. lost interest. jumped to past few eps just to see ending.

casting wise honestly i dont really like this FL. but thats just my personal preference. i feel like her acting is very…. meh. i dont really feel any particular way abt ML either

i like the staff in the vet hospital though. cute. ?

there’s really nothing fantastic abt the show and i think it is 100000% way too long. i felt like even though i had dropped midway and watch last 3 episodes, i basically wasnt lost as to what happened. whcih means alot of it was unnecessary.

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I would have given this a 10 if it weren't for that lousy ending.

Other than that, this is what I call a perfect binge. The entire time I was so intrigued by the suspense, and I ADORE Park Solomon and Shin Yeeun :) Seeing them together made my heart feel all fuzzy (although I wish they had more screen time together T-T). Also I'm quite impressed by Chae Sang Woo's acting, his character made me want to die every time he showed up on the screen LOL.

I'm not so great at reviews but I felt the need to write something as I feel this drama is very special to me. Happy watching to whoever sees this!

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ive watched over 50 dramas, SOKP tops the list

i wanna keep it short and simple but i can't, my love for this drama is literally through the roof.

STORY - most revenge plots lack good pacing, meaning a wonderful original novel could be ruined and not truly appreciated. sokp political plot was intriguing, the villains weren't written as filler characters; they had depth. romance wise i love how the second and third male leads have chemistry with the FL and get screentime together, sometimes it's conflicting to choose who to root for. i like how none of the relationships are overly toxic, they all have each other's best interests in mind. also it's amazing when FL and ML are both smart, there's always tension in the air romantic or not <3

ACTING - lord this cast is insane, i can't find a single pet peeve about the cast. the entire supporting cast did phenomenal, especially loved xueshu and luxian's portrayal. also chemistry is THERE, not a single moment do i look away or feel bored. i literally wanna jump through my phone screen and yell at the characters to get together. morally gray characters are also made interesting SOKP, bailu and zhanglinghe both made great efforts to understand their characters, and showed thanks to director zhu as well!

MUSIC - when i found out the ost was on spotify i was losing my sht, ive studied for 5 hours with it on shuffle. listening to the tracks make me reminisce my joy of watching the show, it's heavenly music.

REWATCH VALUE - this is always based on personal preference, but for me it's a 10. while waiting for new episodes i would endlessly rewatch even if i what events would occur. wonderful acting always keeps you on the edge of your seat, if i like a drama i seriously wont stop rewatching. it's a complex plot but somehow conveyed well enough for an unobvservant person like me to pick up on the little details.

I LOVE THIS SHOW IN IT'S ENTIRETY, ONE OF THE FEW DRAMAS THAT CAN BE TRULY CONSIDERED A 10/10 IN MY OPINION! also this show is like crazily popular in china compared to internationally, hope it receives more love
- don't hesitate "what if i get bored?" you won't "i don't like love rivalry" you will after this show "i'm planning on watching it later" never delay your own happiness, achieve it now!

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watch this or else

I'm not very good with words but here I am. ?

Hooked from start to finish, this drama has been worth the wait. Despite the limited budget, this drama delivered a high quality production. The script is quotable, there's so many lines that are memorable. It would've been better if iqiyi made more effort in translating them. The acting is top tier. It made me starstruck and engrossed. It felt like i'm there with them, I kept holding my breath not to miss anything. The costumes are also good. I like xie wei's hairstyle with his hair down and the ribbon on his back. He also looked great in his court official attire, that's my most fave look of him. The women's dresses are also so fine. I love the pastel colors. The gold on the royalties are also so fitting. I like a drama that invest in costumes because it adds to my watching experience.

I'm not sure how the drama plot stayed true to the novel but the drama plot was well done. I liked the pacing. There's something significant happening in every episode. There's no unnecessary fillers. Nothing was dragged or rushed. I think my main problem was the romance of xie wei and ning'er. While they have a lot of interactions in the first 30 eps, the love line hasn't really started there though from xie wei's perspective it's been going on from the earliest eps. Ning'er still hasn't have that kind of feelings for him yet. This is the slowest burn i have ever experienced in my cdrama life. But those moments of xie wei and ning'er from the first 30 eps are still serving chemistry. They're not doing romantic but they're burning of chemistry. bailu and zhang linghe did so well in that department. Came ep 31 onwards, some may say love was forced to ning'er but no. From the start, she might have develop something but only at later eps did it awakened. And mostly, xie wei's love for her reached her and she took it. They have such a toxic development but they're both intense so I think it suited them both fine.

I am not into love triangle, what more reverse harem. I liked how every men and woman in jxn's life are important to her story. I was stressed and seething of jealousy (for xw) when seeing her with zhang zhe though. Such a sad love story. Their moments were sweet.

When it comes to palace dramas, the scheming will always be present. Mostly, I get stressed watching those but this one our mains are mainly involved in the scheming. As the saying goes, they may not always win but they will never lose. That's how powerful our main leads here that I never have to sweat about them losing anything. They will pass through challenges again and again.

I think this is the kind of drama that I would want to marathon and watch with friends. Never a dull moment. Watch it, highly recommend!

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