This review may contain spoilers
Everyone is a walking meme
I've been waiting for this for a while, mainly cause of FL and also cause I wanted the haters comments to blow up in their faces. And I'm glad it did!! I had expections and I was not let down. From the comedy, to the acting and the production quality everything was satisfactory. Expect for the controversy regarding the Japanese clothing.The chemistry between the couples were good like even the secondary couples made me root for them. Would have liked more romance tho. Most of the characters being a shipper for the main couple. I like how no one is necessarily the villian, regarding the FL father, I genuinely thought he was downright evil but his relationship with the FL mother and main leads was so cute to watch. It's definitely not a serious show, the dialogue is witty which makes it a easy watch. I died laughing a couple of times.
The characters actually got some decent character growth, the FL started as a lovestruck girl and was oblivious to anything except the ML but she learnt to hold her ground with issues she cared about. Her smile and laugh is so infectious. I love how the ML fell for her without even realising, and he fell hard. The way he winks just cracks me up.
The OST is good and catchy, caught myself humming it a couple of times.
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So cute and funny
This drama is a comedy, I don't understand how there are so many people that can't get this and keep complaining about no historical accuracy or that the characters behave in a absurd and unbelievable way for royal standarts. You see, this is a comedy, absurdity is a great part of this genre as well as overacting and misunderstandings. And I loved how the humour was in the whole show, it's very common for cdramas start very humorous and suddenly change its climate and becomes very dramatic. In The Legendary Life of Queen Lau we don't have this, even in dramatic moments there is much comedy, the drama is light and fun from start to end.Even the controversy about the costumes I think are not valid at all because the story takes place in a fictional kingdom, with a lot of anachronical customs and technology, the mix of styles is something that I don't think it cause weirdness.The romance part could have been better, but I don't feel that this would discredit the drama. I'm very used to japanese dramas that have very little to none kisses and skinship, so I didn't found so strange the couple's lack of intimacy. Actually, I found they were very intimate, always hugging, holding hands and showing affection even without kisses. Differently from some I didn't feel that the Emperor was suddenly in love, it was very gradual and we can see his interest in her growing, the dreams and daydreams he have about her are so sweet and funny.
I loved all characters but the Queen is the indeed the owner of the drama! She can be considered ugly but her self esteem and confidence are beyond amazing. I became a Jackie Li fan and already want to see new projects of her.
There are a lot of editing problems and messy plots but this is sooo common in cdramas so I'm already used to it XD
My conclusion:
It is a amazing drama, very light and funny that made feel very happy and smile almost all the time. If you start it having in mind that this is a comedy first, a romance later and palace drama never, if you stop keep searching for logic and understand that the lack of logic is part of the fun, I think you will enjoy as much as I did.
PS: I really hope there will have another season with more antics, craziness and love between the queen and her husband! And who knows, even a child. I would love this so much XD
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A rare comedy with no villains and misunderstandings.
This drama is very refreshing to watch. Critics aside, this an extremely rare NO VILLAINS and NO MISUNDERSTANDINGS drama. Almost all historical shows (wuxia and xianxia) have very heavy political plots and focus on hardships of the couple. But this one is just light and peak comedy.I loved the FL so much omg. She stood up for herself yet was kind for the needy. She also never misunderstood the ML so their "fights" never lasted for a long time. Also, I never ponce though she was ugly because she has the type of smile that can immediately melt anyone.
And of course, Li Hong Yi looks hot as ever. That man is just really handsome. I was skeptical about his character first, but he showed more depth over the course and that was really refreshing.
Liu Scorpio and his wife are just one of a kind. I'll leave it at that. chemistry but
I see a lot of people complaining about the lack of chemistry but I disagree. Yes there aren't many intimate scenes but I think their little things and habits show love in a unique way.
Overall do not be swayed by the negative reviews. Watch it for comedy at the very least. This one also has some great OSTs as a plus. Really loved it!
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Interesting premise but nonsensical development
As a drama about a nontraditional heroine who still gets a traditional prince charming in the end, I wanted to like this. I really did. Her appearance were anything but what is expected of a heroine. She was at first considered unattractive by her husband, the emperor, but through the course of the drama, he learned to love her, become independent, be a better man, be a better king.I was glad that the FL is chubby while the ML was dreamy. That he ignored the traditional beauty SFL but can't help falling for the FL's personality. The leads chemistry is subtle but it's there. I can't choose a more handsome ML than Li Hongyi. He portrayed a believable slow but reluctant attraction for the FL. You can feel his confusion about his feelings but you can see that he's slowly falling in love. When he's jealous, you can immediately feel it just by changes in his eyes. Jackie as the FL was also a good choice to be a strong female lead. That she loved the ML at first, lost her love for him, then loved him again because she now knew him felt organic.
The acting was not a problem. I blame the script for my disappointment. As a romcom, it was funny in some instances but mostly the jokes felt flat. Most of the time I felt like the FL and her father were pushing the court to accept her. In other dramas, the FL's antics would have surely landed her in jail, but she was always tolerated because her father essentially holds the power more than the emperor. She frequently used the palace's PA system to air her displeasure for the emperor or to show off her talents.
I admit that I quite enjoyed the first few episodes and I tried to gave it a chance but show keeps trying to make me accept character reactions that made no sense. The emperor had diarrhae because of her cooking but she got away scot free? I think it was when she taught a Bollywood like dance and people supposedly enjoyed it that I gave up on understanding this drama.
The SML also did not help. He was not swoon worthy enough to sway my heart. I found him whiny most of the time and he kept on preening like a peacock.
Aside from the leads, I liked the grand chancellor, his villain-not a villain stance gave this drama it's unpredictability.
All in all, this is a good enough drama, the kisses and longing looks were fluttery. Just be prepared to throw away your common sense and accept events as they are.
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put your brain away when watching
Everyone would know that this show is gonna be comedic through the poster.. The FL is not drop dead gorgeous like your typical FL and the show revolve around how she wins the heart of people in the palace & ofcourse the ML (aka. the emperor). I truly enjoyed the first half of the show, it really made me laughed out loud. Li Hong Yi is also one of the main reasons why I started this show and given that he chose this kind of script/storyplot i was really looking forward to it (and c'mon, i can look at his face everyday!) .THE GOOD:
1. ML is very good looking
2. Not a stressful show ( no villians in this show and even the most 'evil' person if not exactly a bad person too.)
3. Funny plot and FL (FL does not try hard to make people like her which i like)
THE NORMAL:
1. illogical plot (and given FL's behavior she would not have survived or atleast gained 10x more enemies.)
2. Their intimacy scenes are very sweet although the chemistry isn't there completely
THE BAD:
1. Lack of chemistry between FL and ML maybe because i don't get to see how ML fall in love with her also.. it came rather randomly.
2. Show does get draggy towards the end .. could have ended at 20 episodes
3. Plot is about how the FL made the palace more lively but i don't think it was portrayed well enough. it felt like people gave in to her eventually only.
FINAL VERDICT: recommended if you want a good laugh, can fast forward most of it after 20 episodes. brainless show, good if u don't want to stress yourself out.
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TL2QL Overall
From the epi 1 I already fall in love with the drama bcoz of FL different from other as the theme song Queen is Arrives it's beyond my imagination how Jackie can bring the roles of FL so impressive. ML also really matching with FL no words I can express how good they are. What more catching my intention during that time have broadcast system under Prince Longsue it's really beyond times. I really recommend who what to watch it ur day will full of laughter..how FL helping her husband to solved all the problems that occurs.Was this review helpful to you?
WELL WRAP! FL WAS THE BEST! I NEED MORE LIKE HER!
MUST WATCH! I'm just binge-watching dramas that put humor on my life and I found something precious. Eps never failed to make me laugh and the comedy was not that nonsense or something irritating. Super lighthearted after I watch this. Never got bored!And oh! The portrayal of a villain was complex and nice. Who would think scheming and deceiving would be advantageous, not cruel and evil? What a nice plot! I love how it disappoints me *because it was in a good way!) Let me explain, some characters might choose to go bad and become someone you wanted to behead but they did not! It was a nice nice feeling that they chose to become like that and had a happy ending. Others may see that as dumb for not even having a thought of going bad, insecure, and jealous but ya know, human still has a nature to go good.
What I like about this story is the FL! GHAD, WE SHOULD HAVE MORE STORIES LIKE HER PERSONALITY AND QUIRKINESS! EVERYTHING! Maybe in the future, the emphasis on one's physical appearance should be eradicated just because she was "different" from society's aspects of portraying FL. It's lame and shits that society always portrays and emphasizes beauty standards. C'mon, this FL was a legend in her confidence and her perspective in life! They should treat FL like this like how they portray other FLs that people thought cute, and shoot to their standards. But I still like that they not making fun of this bllshit difference because I really adore the FL here! What I liked the best was ep 28 and Beyond. FL wraps up things that I want to see in every FL or couple in other series. She wrapped up misunderstanding really well like almost she was talking to other annoying and angsty series hehe (this was just my opinion huh. she never did that). But you'll know that I mean if you watch this. And what she said to ML about protecting her, THAT WAS NICE AND WELL SAID. ML should not jump to the conclusion that the FL needs to be shielded. THEY SHOULD ASK AND DISCUSS IT WITH EACH OTHER. GHAD! That was the foundation of trust! ML should not assume that they were something great when they protected the FL because honey, that wasn't that nice, reasonable, and romantic. They should not also assume that all FL do dumb things *staying even knowing they will be killed, being emotionally argh etc. Some FL might be stubborn to stay by their side. That's okay BUT don't drop things like sacrificing shits and stuff (argh this always frustrates me because sacrificing not really leads to happiness and saving peace and all GHAD! Like, is there satisfaction when one dies because of protecting the other half? Hell, none! That is why Romeo and Juliet was made TSK. THAT'S THE LESSON BABY!). Then some FL might agree to ML-- to run as fast as they can and that was okay! That's not abandoning or being a coward. They trust their partner and use their brains so that they might not become bait or something, and things become messy. Brainy FL knows when to flee and when to fight! The point is, shitty misunderstanding was solved! Okay, that's enough rant for me.
For the ML, he was nice. His character development is nice, thanks to FL. Not much about him especially the title gave away who was the star of the show. But I appreciate his changes and realization. That was golden too.
And the 2nd character! I'll always include them in my review as usual. One of the best! Well except that I remember, he really loves his appearance or this might be another cover and tactic for FL. 2nd chara was nice and great till the end. He accepted the decision well done and it's obvious that he will find someone too! Touched to his gesture and intentions towards the FL. That was nice nice!
OVERALL, This was a comedy with content! It caught things that I want the FL to have. GHad, she become my standard when it comes to watching drama.
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Messy, inconsistent drama that was exhausting to watch
Firstly, I dropped this show after 20 episodes and this is my impressions up to that point. I might be swimming against the tide but this is my honest opinion.Secondly, I wanted this show to succeed. I was enticed by the synopsis and the idea of a more realistic FL in a sea of pretty clones.
To be fair, the first few episodes do deliver. It was zany and breaks the mould of a typical historical drama. The FL is certainly full of vivacity and largely worked without a filter which is good. However, as a whole, it is poorly written and executed. Some of the acting is patchy and the Show suffers from an identity crisis.
I know this is harsh but I exhausted myself trying to like it and this is why;
1) It doesn’t really have a plot up to this point. The ML doesn't want to be a puppet king and the FL wants to be accepted and loved. That’s nice but the story telling is messy and contrived. This is back-of-a-napkin writing with time wasting fillers.
2) The FL didn’t become a better/proper Queen but more or less browbeat the court into submission. I don’t mind that the FL is unconventional, I welcome it but her plot is just a series of cliché trials or watch her steamroll through everything else. I was looking forward to her growth in statue and abilities so that she can be the rightful Queen. So far, she is turning the palace into her whacky playground (square dancing anyone?). It's fun for a bit but where's the growth after 20 hours? Similarly, the ML has shown little aptitude of being a good king. He could have been a typical scion from any costume drama. He has the visual but not the gravitas unless you count being stony faced.
3) Very few of the secondary characters behave consistently. You have to question their personality or even their IQ.
4) Mel Brooks once said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into a sewer and die.” That resonated with me as I wrote this. Most of the Show’s humour is bold and loud but there is little witticism nor nuances. To be fair, the FL has good comedic timing and an expressive face, so she did a lot of the heavy lifting. This also means that we expect something "funny" every time she is on screen. That’s a lot to ask of one character to sustain for 36 episodes. Most of the support casts are just cannon fodder during slapstick routines.
5) The OTP will fall in love and have a HEA ending, the drama gods have spoken. The show created every cliché situation to throw them together. Nevertheless, and it pains me to say this, there is little chemistry between the two. Kiss scene felt flat. There are dream sequences, piggyback race, they behaved like lovesick puppies and on it goes. Unfortunately, just like some of the comedy, it doesn’t always stick the landing.
6) I know the Show is not historically accurate, but it is an awkward mash-up. There is little chance of immersion due to constant hints of modernity. The costumes are a hotchpotch of styles/epochs and some have distinctly Japanese feel. The palace protocol goes from overbearing to non-existent. Want the royal couple to have a cat fight in the middle of the palace, sure, why not! Ditto the tone of the show swings from moment to moment. It spans genres with no firm grasp of any of them.
The sad thing is that the potentials are there. The production quality is generally good, the sets are lush, costumes are rich. No doubt the FL was giving us her all. But . . .
In the end, quirky is good, funny is good, support diversity is very good, but good components still need a decent script and good directions to tie them together. We need plots that are meaningful and characters you’d care for and want to ship. Alas, this show is like trying to herd sheep with a cat.
I don’t hate the show. I just feel exhausted from trying too hard to like it. I am dropping this for now so that I can clear my head. Peace out.
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Storyline is a mess
I wanted to love this, because I love the ML actor, but I was disappointed in the cohesiveness of the story. Things seemed jumbled, out of order, or it seemed like there were entire scenes missing. There was supposedly assassination attempt that we never saw, but only saw that the ML was hurt because of it. It seemed very odd that our ML was all of a sudden in love with the FL with no lead up to it. Chemistry was lacking between these two. I felt like our FL had more chemistry w/ her male best friend.I don’t think any of the actors are at fault, they were fantastic! I’m looking at watching other shows/movies these actors have been in.
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gem
this is my first time writing a cdrama review. this is my personal opinion, and i appreciate everyone else's, even if it differs from mine.let me start by saying that I absolutely like this drama in every aspect. It has a soft and sweet taste. this will be one of my therapeutic dramas. the story is excellent. It's not your typical story. Their love story is truly one-of-a-kind. The female protagonist is strong, which makes it more appealing to me. the lead chemistry is too strong. they will give you lots butterflies. the casting is excellent. Jackie and Hong YI, as well as the other actors and actresses, were excellent in their roles. everything is awesome. everything about this show appeals to me
This is one of the must-watch dramas of this year.
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Searching For A Heart of Gold
Going through Li Hong Yi's playlist I stumbled upon The Legendary Life of Queen Lau. What a find! This is so much more than a story about a country bumpkin girl meeting a preppy flower boy.Summary
Liu Jin Feng (Jackie Li) is living a simple country life with her mother until she's summoned by her father, the Grand Chancellor Liu Xie (Wang Dong) who lives at the imperial court as guardian of the late emperor's son, Duan Yun Zhang (Li Hong Yi) He forces a marriage between his daughter and the young heir apparent, and Yun Zang plays along under the motto Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Enemies Closer.
As he meets his bride on the wedding day Yun Zhang is surprised by her appearance. Liu Jin Feng turns out to be a small but sturdy country girl, courageous, spontaneous, easily fooled by the courtiers. It beats him why Liu Xie chose this unrefined girl, Liu's lovechild, in stead of Liu's official daughter who's famed for her finesse. The Grand Chancellor claims it was the dying wish of Yun Zang's royal father. So Yun Zhang decides to share his sleep quarters with his wife meanwhile observing her and testing her loyalty towards him and her father.
Jin Feng is oblivious to all of this, and completely swept off her feet by her husband's looks. She's putting all her energy and focus in meeting his standards, and she's stubbornly blind to his passive aggressiveness. Wreaking havoc with all her good intentions she angers Yun Zang in such a way that he spills the ugly truth. Heart broken Jin Feng leaves him alone and demands a legal separation. Now that she's gone Yun Zang begins to miss her. Can he re-evaluate his priorities, and will he finally win the power struggle for the throne without losing his wife in the process?
Acting/cast
The strongest point of this production is the cast. The role of Yun Zhang fits Li Hong Yi like a glove; I like his Soft Ice look in contrast to the Powder-Your-Face-With-Sunshine, Jackie Li. I hope she sets a trend with stars like Wang Peng. They are the shining examples of authentic looks that may become mainstream. A breath of spring in the land of mass plastic surgery where faces scare the hell out of me, or become indiscernible at best. Take Li Hong Yi's face f.e. compared to Wang Yibo's. That brings me to the subject of The Untamed and two actors who play in this series as well. Guo Cheng (Lan Lingyi) is the crown prince's brother who's interested in the other Liu sister, and Qi Pei Xin (Jin Ling) is guest starring as the imperial physician. Kudos for Wang Dong as Grand Chancellor Liu Xie who maintains a believable balance between the dark and good sides of his character.
The Bad
Although the cast performs well, I see some flaws in the production. F.e. there are too many storylines, repetitions, slowing the flow of the story and leaving loop holes in the plot; there's a misbalance between romance, slapstick, and sentimental scenes; serious dialogues are abruptly followed by odd social media sounds that are somehow deemed appropriate for romcoms. Also the emphasis is on looks and appearances, in stead of character traits and inner growth.
The Good
Still, the emphasis on authenticity vs duplicity is a very good one, especially in the character writing of the leading couple. It gives this light romcom a deeper layer and some food for thought. Yun Zhang and Jin Feng get some real life lessons along their way.
Overall
So, if you like romcom combined with a coming of age story, this is for you. Enjoy the legendary life of the cinderella queen and her prince, searching for a heart of gold.
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