The Substitute Princess's Love (2024)

A hot and cheesy mess.

Though hardly original, this drama's switched bride trope is well executed and entertaining. A very shady prime minister marries his illegitimate daughter Shen Keyi to Wen Ye, a prince and the country's God of War posthumously. As it turns out, Wen Ye is very much alive and full of suspicion when he discovers himself married to his enemy's daughter. Meanwhile Shen Keyi is tasked by her stepmother to steal a jade token from Wen Ye in exchange for her beloved nanny's wellbeing. Their early antics are silly but very funny. It was great to watch an older and jaded general fall for a lively, natural and utterly beguiling young girl. The leads have good chemistry and both actors deliver convincing performances. I also enjoyed the comedic banter between Wen Ye and his two sidekicks.

At twelve episodes this drama was hilariously hot and cheesy but by twenty-four episodes it turned into a hot and cheesy mess. The palace plot becomes increasingly convoluted and absurd and both lead's adorable silliness descends into stupidity and melodrama as they navigate multiple obstacles. Ultimately, the much simpler love story between the princess and the guard moved me more. The ending is a bit rushed but it was actually pretty good in the messiest way possible. All considered not the worst drama to watch to just pass some time. I rate it 6.5/10.0

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casually sweet

In all, the storyline and characters are ok. Cute, kind and honest FL off the streets caught by her father the Prime Minister, and suspicious handsome ML hunted down after the war with every reason not to trust her.
It’s not too silly or ridiculous, but it’s not too dark and ‘martial arts-y’. It’s sweet — maybe not the best, but I enjoyed the music. My favorite character would probably be Prince Jin’s guard Nan Bo.
Anyways, It’s worth the watch if you’re looking for a relaxing and casual drama, not too spectacular but not too boring, while you’re waiting for a highly-anticipated new drama to come out. (I highly recommend the 2023 hit drama ‘Mysterious Lotus Casebook’ starring Cheng Yi and Joseph Zeng, if you haven’t yet seen it :)

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