The Rebel Princess

上阳赋 ‧ Drama ‧ 2021
Completed
Meilee16
1 people found this review helpful
Jun 24, 2026
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

A beautiful drama !

Truly enjoyed story with all the plots , in flighting of royal throne and storyline of romance. Love the FL and ML and the chemistry between them is excellent. The production is very good and I enjoyed no dubbing of voices except a few. The supporting characters are indeed played their parts especially the prime minister is a character you will truly hate, such a selfish scheming person, the third price who is totally in love with Awu, second prince who harbours hatred and greedy for the throne. The first prince seems weak and constantly pushes & pressure by the queen and PM … the list goes on . It is a very drama .

In an excellent drama!

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Completed
Le Ho
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 26, 2023
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 6.0
Rewatch Value 2.0
This review may contain spoilers

Excellent ensemble and the acting is super, but it was too long (68 eps)

The Rebel Princess is a costume/historical drama starring Zhang Zi Yi, Zhou Yi Wei, and Tony Yang. It is about politics and power between the Wang and Xie family. Internal turmoil within the imperial family and Princess Wang Xuan's father is the mastermind behind all the disruptions and killing of the Emporer and many innocent people, including her mother.

The acting is exceptional in this drama, from the main actors and the entire ensemble. My major complaint was that it was too long, with 68 episodes where it dragged out too long. It could have been excellent with a 9.0 or even 10.0 rating if it was cut short by 10-20 episodes.

It took a while for me to finish the 68 episodes on prime video. It was not realistic to have one prime minister overpower the entire kingdom. Her brother is useless for not standing up against his father even when he was expelled from the imperial palace.

I would be more satisfied if the ending where Princess Wang Xuan is the one to kill her father for his selfishness and power desire without any remorse.

I enjoyed the drama and gave it an 8.0 rating, but it was too long.

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Completed
Cutie Penguin
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 27, 2023
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

The Rebel Princess

Xiao Chi has a wonderful character and the author should be congratulated for creating such a character
It is true that we see many of these brave commanders who care about their people and share their food with them, but Xiaochi is better than any commander I have ever seen! Not only because he eats the food of his soldiers and takes care of the families of the soldiers who died in the war, but also because he is willing to retreat to save the lives of his soldiers! When told that our army has never retreated, he says well this is the first time. If other commanders say that dying in war is an honor! It is true that it is an honor, but until now we thought that maybe a family does not need to be proud and the only thing it needs is a father, husband or son

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Completed
若般
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 6, 2021
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

Don't forget to watch The Rebel Princess

Nice drama I like all casts and songs
This is the best
Best couple Best song ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️At first I think this drama will bore but when I watch episode 1 attract me to watch next episode I loveXiao Qi because he love his wife No alcohol he has good mind so I like Xiao Qi role I thank all The Rebel Princess Team I am very pleased because I have a chance to watch The Rebel Princess I hope all the casts will be happy in their life I can't express the best of this dram this drama is the best for me

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Completed
Suzie Queue
0 people found this review helpful
Oct 17, 2021
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

Loved This

This was the second drama I watched, and I am saving it to watch again and again. I pretty much liked the story line, but the ML made the movie for me. The chemistry between him and the FL was delightful. However, admittedly, I just loved watching this guy. He smoldered in every scene and I am mesmerized! I am going to watch it again just to look at him.

That being said, it was a passable story, but I didn't care for the indiscriminate killing off of so many of the characters (especially the good ones that I liked). The costumes were fantastic. The cinematography was great. Realistic. All in all I really liked this piece.

And I'll say it once again - Zhou Yi Wei : hot!

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Completed
Princess Ramblings
0 people found this review helpful
May 6, 2026
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

Wait, it's still not over?

I don't want to make it seems as though I didn't love things about this series, because I did. The headstrong, no-nonsense, strong female character was fantastic. The true devotion of a warlord was swoon worthy, but the series itself was just sooooo looooong. Sixty Eight Episodes? It was really hard to get through it all in one go, so I took several breaks to watch other dramas and then came back to it.
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Completed
gatalito
0 people found this review helpful
Apr 28, 2021
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

When the recipe works ....!

A super production with a complicated plot, with Game of Thrones costumes, Lord of the Rings background music, set in an unspecified Ancient Chinese Kingdom... What could have gone wrong??

Strangely not that much. The recipe worked for one more time.
The badass but cool prince fights and saves his beautiful wife (that she is not a rebel and she is not a princess either) and the whole Kingdom countless times, with surgical accuracy and perfect timing while the rest of the characters are able to do all about everything in their fight for the Kingdom's throne.

Unfortunately the princess herself is the weakest link. Not because she is not pretty, not because she is not elegant but because she is expressionless, and very aware about her looks.

It is a pity that such a renown and experienced actress as Zhang Zi Yi is, fell in the trap of looking eternally pretty instead of spoiling a bit her looks and as a consequence her chance to give the acting performance of her life, in her own -actually- drama.

Putting aside this, this drama has some great performances from the rest of the cast, with Zhou Yi Wei - that I've never heard of him before- stealing the show with his performance. This guy is acting so expressively that I didn't need to read the subtitles in order to understand what he was saying. (And no... I don't speak Chinese. I have no clue of Chinese). His acting reminds me that of Toshiro Mifune whose face expressions changed so fast and so accurately that saying his lines was actually optional. Zhou Yi Wei
acting is of this class.

So in order to conclude. The Rebel Princess is an almost perfect production based on a well tested recipe, with beautiful cinematography and photography, some great performances from the majority of the cast, huge filming sets, luxurious costumes, and an interesting but dragging for way too many episodes plot.

If you don't mind the literally decorative presence of Zhang Zi Yi , I would recommend to watch it.



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Completed
13383176
0 people found this review helpful
Nov 13, 2024
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 6.5

Un magnifique drama

j’ai été attiré par les magnifiques costumes ! À tel point que j’en ai pris beaucoup en photo pour pouvoir les repeindre. c’est vraiment super Inspirant. Les couleurs sont très bien choisies, Ça donne un univers très harmonieux. ensuite, les acteurs jouent très bien, J’adore l’actrice principale, et même les second personnages masculins sont très charismatique, c’est agréable de voir des acteurs bien joué. le seul petit bémol était sur la fin que je ne trouve pas travaillé, J’aurais voulu en savoir plus, mais je ne regrette pas du tout de l’avoir vu.

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Completed
j-_-jonquille
0 people found this review helpful
May 6, 2026
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.0
Story 3.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

So indeed this Mary Sue is a rebel one — but not in a good way. Shameless might be the right word.

The ML's gaze alone could carry a drama — tender, composed, completely smitten from the moment he sees her, while still giving her space and respect. Xiao Qi is genuinely one of the best written MLs in C-drama — not cold, not irritable, not the typical idol type. Just a man who isn't afraid to love.
But that gaze is also about all the romance has. It moves fast, stays shallow, and never quite feels real — no real depth added, no evolution across 68 episodes. It's not a slow burn. It's just... stagnant.

And then there's the FL. She's capable, beautiful, beloved by literally every man around her — her childhood sweetheart, the crown prince, the villain, even Xiao Qi's most loyal general. The Mary Sue type rarely bothers me if the character earns it — but here she peaks around the halfway point and then slowly becomes exactly what the drama claims she isn't: aloof, self-righteous, and oddly warm to everyone except the man who deserves it most.

The production is stunning — costumes, cinematography, battle scenes. Just a shame it's wrapped around a story that kept frustrating me.

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Completed
ExploringUllu
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 5, 2026
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

A Mature and Powerful Story Led by Strong Performances

This is a grand and serious historical drama led by Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Yiwei. From the first episode, the drama stands out because of its high production quality. The costumes are elegant and detailed, the palace sets and landscapes look rich and realistic, and the cinematography gives the drama an epic and cinematic feeling. The story takes its time and does not rush important moments. War scenes are intense and well-choreographed, while the political parts are serious and easy to follow, even if they feel slow at times. This drama feels more focused on life choices, duty, and power rather than fast romance or light entertainment.

Zhang Ziyi plays Wang Xuan with grace and maturity, showing her growth in a very calm and controlled way. Zhou Yiwei is perfectly cast as General Xiao Qi, bringing strength, warmth, and quiet confidence to the role. Their relationship is built on trust, respect, and understanding instead of constant romantic scenes, which makes it feel more realistic and mature. The romance is subtle but meaningful, and both leads feel like equals.

Some parts of the story can feel repetitive, a bit stretched or emotionally distant, but the overall journey is strong and memorable.

This drama is best for viewers who enjoy serious historical stories with strong characters and rich visuals.

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Completed
Kai_lyn
0 people found this review helpful
Aug 20, 2021
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5

Rebel Princess

For a drama with 68 episodes, the pacing was very good. The costumes, cinematography, the acting are great. This drama has political power struggles, intense fight scenes, betrayal, romance, greed and an incestuous royal family.

The cast is good. Even though it's not the popular baby faced regular eye candy, their performance was spectacular and each character has their own unique charm and attractiveness.

The ML and FL are both intelligent. ML is a powerful general and FL is initially a spoilt Princess that I find to be a bit naive throughout the drama. Both are determined to change their fate ( being pawns in the power struggle...which I guess makes her a rebel) and despite coming from different social backgrounds they grow to love and respect each other. They had good chemistry. The scenes with them together are limited, however when together the moments are usually sweet.

The major obvious villians have perished or were punished. However, I feel the end was a bit rushed and leaves some questions. We see that the FL' s brother is the new Prime Minister so he is obviously calling the shots, but who takes care of the infant emperor? What happened to those corrupt noble ministers? ( Did they just become saints and escape punishment) Will the emperor be required to still marry from the Wang family when he is of age?

The ML and FL get a happy ending, so overall its a good watch.

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Completed
QwainiePretty
0 people found this review helpful
Mar 6, 2021
68 of 68 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
It is my opinion that the male and female lead are doing a fantastic job in keeping the audience interested and following every episode anxiously. Also the spectacular cinematography like the grassland episode, the incredible costumes and set design are truly of a grand production. I think that it is good that Zhang Ziyi got involved in the making of the movie and probably involved in the selection of the super talented cast as well. Her experience doing movies with award winning directors are a reflection of how well this drama is coming along.
It is also nice to see older and mature actors doing a movie that is currently pretty popular especially outside of China.
Too bad that the newer generation is not familiar with the ZZY great movie career.

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The Rebel Princess poster

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  • Score: 8.4 (scored by 4,716 users)
  • Ranked: #772
  • Popularity: #1886
  • Watchers: 14,052

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