The Double (2024)

Raise your glasses to the black bellied couple!

A drama I never had in my PTW list, never anticipated, never even heard of, and solely joined because the trailer looked dark, and some random familiar faces. Yeah, the drama drought brought me here.

Summing up 'The Double'

➣ 5 episodes of Anti- Mary Sue in her identity crisis era. Girly walks calm, eats collected and sleeps black bellied.

➣ 5 episodes of utter childish comedy that I am still sure we did not need.

➣ 5 episodes of queen bee attracting other bees (ohh!? The enchanting beauty with talent mess. huh~!?)

➣ 5 episodes of fl and ml screaming through the screen, " Yes, we are the hottest creatures on this planet. Our singles shots are steamier than your average steamy dramas."

➣ 5 episodes of " Girlies, Duke gege is on break. So no point waiting in a long line." (The audacity!? All we needed was some Duke gege scenes)

➣ 5 episodes of " Duke gege is back from break, but still in recovering phase" aka Duke gege flying in and out of house like Doraemon. Zoom

➣ 5 episodes of " Who turned over the vinegar factory? It smells sour!!"

Listing out the good and bad points.

✅
↬ Going on a serious note, the cinematography, ohh aesthetics were top notch. Number of screenshot you would find yourself saving.
↬Camera angles pretty well done.
↬ The script, yes exactly the troupe we all vye for, blackbellied couple, with their cunning idea aka the villainous couple. Going forth, it was a good example of 'out of Wattpad acting'. The charming Duke, the free looking, beautiful hairstyle of fl. The exact delulu costume drama dream, that you would imagine to script for.
↬The stage was well set up, the pacing was good. Hats off to the actors for carrying it well. Yes, WXY and WJY both did great job engaging to my delulu dream script.

❌
↬The repetitive arc of reputation ruining conspiracies by antagonists, fl escapes narrowly, and finally the face slap at antagonist that we all hope to see. It was interesting for long. But 27 episodes forward, this repetitive mess made the story draggy and tiresome.
↬Who the hell put those out of nowhere childish comedy!? The genre was supposed to be dark and political intrigue. A circumstances forced mature fl with her dark and cunning personality bowling down antagonists. Why did you bring up those dumb cheering fighting school kids scene for a 18+ year old girl(ofc if I am not deluding myself in a big misunderstanding), when we did not showcase that dumbness even in our 13+ ages.
↬How did the drama start dark and mature but ended fairytale? What went wrong'? Why are we back to the era of antagonist has been strong all along, but since it's time to end the story, let's feed the main leads a 'Luck inducing potion' to make it an easy peasy kill? I expected more of their endings considering the cunningness they shouldered throughout the drama.

Last but not the least ?????? ??? ?????????, ??? ??????? ????? ?ℎ? ???? ???????????? ?ℎ?? ????! And so yes, despite all the mess, I would still recommend, naah! BLACKMAIL you to watch this drama, cause yes, it's worth it! The ride throughout is gonna remind of thousands of times, about what you might have missed if you did not click on the play button.
Happy watching! ^^

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Gosh..! I’m so obsessed with DUKE SU …❤️

I first saw Wang Xingyue in Amidst a Snowstorm of Love. Although he was quite good at acting he didn’t catch much of my attention there as I was busy focusing on the main lead as well as I didn’t think he was that handsome. But OMG! He got me hooked after this drama. ???I’m totally obsessed with him and now i think he’s even better than Leo Wu…?. There’s something about this character DUKE SU that makes you get obsessed over him. ❤️❤️❤️

And OMG! The storyline is amazing it keeps you guessing till the last moment. There were few episodes in the middle that I thought was not necessary matter to the main storyline but even them you cannot help watching because you do not wanna miss what DUKE SU is doing…?. Trust me I refreshed the site multiple times a day to see whether the new episode is up yet. I’m glad it’s over now as I can finally focus on my studies…..❤️?.
If I rank the recent drams I watched I would put this just after Hidden Love above the Amidst a Snowstorm of Love on the second place. But it would top the list if we only considered historical drama.

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Completes your 2024!! Drama is satisfying and worth the wait!

This should be one of my 2024's best drama! The act of revenge, the schemes and the mind blowing scenes will kept u hook up! Out of curiosity, I watched this and didn't expect it to get better and better each episodes and was forced to subscribe just so can watch the latest eps.
Not to mention I got obsessed w/ Duke Su/Xiao Heng!!!!
Besides, the drama reminds me of the novel 'The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage' by Qian Shan Cha Ke.. same slow-paced romance, same revenge theme, same clever FL and cunning protagonists. Duke Su reminds me so much of Xie Jing Xing in the novel!
I would very much recommend the novel (available in Wattpad/Boxnovel.com) if you're into this genre.

Back to the drama, undeniably the cast's acting and editing is superb! Overall, i give this a 10 and will definitely rewatch! Kudos to all actors and director!

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"Evil Always has its Retribution"!! A Drama about Justice. Happy Ending!!

This is already the third time I'm rewriting my review on this drama, I wrote one when I reached episode 20, but just wasn't satisfy with it, then I wrote another when I completed episode 40, but upon watching the extra episode of "The Double", I decided to rewrite it one last time.

"The Double" is a wonderfully written and executed drama. Its captivating plot shouldn't go unmentioned. Plus, "The Double" is a drama that proves, "evil will always have its retribution".

Xue Fang Fei was framed and killed by her husband "Shen Yu Rong, on the eldest princess order. Xue Fang Fei suffered such great injustice. Duke Su's (Xiao Heng) father was set up by eldest princess "Wanning" brother "king Cheng", thus, leading to his wrongful death. While they're doing all these despicable acts, they must have forgotten about retribution.

They've forgotten, but their victims still remembers. As heaven would have it, Xue Fang Fei was given a second chance with a new identity "Jiang Li". Thus, she embarked on the journey of justice with Xiao Heng. Those two, eventually maneuvered their way through many dangers and life threatening situations, and was finally able to seek justice.

What I loved the most about this drama is that, every evil doers and villain of this drama got their rightful punishments and retribution. Wanning was killed by the one man she loved "Shen Yu Rong" , it's indeed karma. Shen Yu Rong commited suicide when he lost terribly. With those two dead and maimed as traitors, Xue Fang Fei, now Jiang Li finally got her long awaited justice. King Cheng who betrayed his master, Xiao Heng's father finally got his retribution by dying at the hands of the son of the one he betrayed.
Ji Shu Ran who framed the real Jiang Li for matricide, killed her mother, also got her own retribution.

What I loved even more about "The Double" is the happy ending. Although many died, and many blood were spilled in the quest of justice, its pleasing to see Xiao Heng and Xue Fang Fei, now Jiang Li have a happy ending.
The screenwriters of this drama did an excellent job in penning this drama premise and ending so well. The directors also did a good job in directing the drama excellently.
'The Double" is undoubtedly, one of the best drama of all time, and one of my favorite drama.

Also, Xiao Heng and Xue Fang Fei/Jiang Li's chemistry was exploding. They sticked with each other through thick and thin without letting each other down.

Overall, "The Double" is a drama that's worth every hour, every minutes, and every seconds. It's a must watch for fans of historical drama. The cinematography, visuals, character development, and most importantly, the acting are top notch.
Its a drama I'd call a "Masterpiece".

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A solid tale of revenge and new beginnings

~~~~ Contains very light spoilers, so read at your own risk ~~~~

Another great Chinese drama of 2024 for the books. I contemplated giving it a nine, but there were some parts that I found slow or I found myself more on my phone than actually paying attention. Despite this, I was emotionally invested in the characters and never thought that they hung up on one conflict for too long. Towards the end, I was afraid there was too much to resolve in a short amount of time, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it wrapped up. However, I didn't particularly like the slightly ambiguous ending with the couple.

Pros:
~ Chemistry: The slow-burn romance between the main characters was so fun and interesting to watch. Although it may have been a bit too slow in some aspects. But the main focus of the show was not really the romance, but the mystery and the revenge. I strongly disagree with those who said there was no chemistry, I felt it right from the start and it even got better later on. The physical tension between them hit all the right notes.

~ The hidden identity: The plotline involving the female lead's hidden identity was particularly my favorite part of the story. I do think the resolution for this part was a bit lackluster considering it was the main point of the show. I was expecting a bigger reaction then she got, such as getting in trouble by the king for lying to him or her family getting angry with her. But I was always on the edge of my seat whenever her identity was about to be revealed and when she interacted with her ex-husband.

~ Fight scenes. I was impressed by how well the fight sequences were done. It looked real especially during the war and final episodes. The only minor flaw was the blood, which sometimes dyed the characters' skin and clothing pink, but the blood splattering effects were super cool.

~ Music. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Chenle in the ending song but the opening was pretty to listen too also. No surprise because Chinese OST’s are almost always amazing.

~ Angst. I enjoy angst, and this drama was heavy on it. It was portrayed well, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea. At times, it was a bit too dramatic and extra. The drama could pass as a soap-opera, especially in the beginning. Another problem was that Jiang Li was killed off so soon she barely interacted with the FL. Her reaction to Jiang Li's death and how much she cried for her in the future was not very realistic.


Cons:
~ Missed chances. When it came to the romance, there were times when I felt the writers missed out on some cute interactions or tropes. Sometimes I thought something would happen between them and then I would be disappointed that it didn't happen. It might be because of Duke Su's personality, as he's more of an observer than a doer, but still, there were so many opportunities for them to interact in a more physical sense rather than just staring at each other for hours.

~ The trauma dumping. I found it annoying how often the female lead cried and repeatedly shared her story of betrayal. Despite being highly intelligent, there were moments when she seemed helpless and whiney. Her personality seemed to change at moments like that. An example would be when Duke Su shared his story about how his dad might have been killed unjustly, and instead of cheering him up or something, she tried to one up his trauma by ranting about hers… At least it felt like that to me.

~ Fillers. Fillers are destined to be in a drama with such lengths, but I lost interest during her trip to her family and the mother with her shenanigans. Also on that note what’s with everyone going crazy whenever something happens to them? Three different people went off the rails… Anyway, The first and last 10 episodes definitely improved my overall rating, I was so excited for the drama after watching the first episode.


I recommend this drama for those who enjoy angst and a very slow-burn romance. The cast and acting were outstanding. The plot had its flaws but it was enjoyable for the most part.

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A drama ruined by troll YuZheng

My first time writting a review.
I went into the drama not expecting perfectly designed drama but at least enjoying the vibe. Soon enough it was obvious that biggest traction of it except for the revenge storyline was the ML character gloriously incarnated by a WXY on fire. Unfortunately, during the time of the making of the drama YuZheng most probably had zero trust in his actor and underestimated the collaboration between Wang Xing Yue and Wu Jin Yan. As a result the ML's screetime and importance were dramatically reduced in the drama and the ending (The novel had a clear HE) was a joke. The romance and its development between the leads was sacrificed as a result -the intimate scenes between the leads were a joke.
At the end of the day what could have been an unperfect but highly entertaining show has become a frustrating experience for me.
The acting all around is good. OST is fine. I have no issue with the close-ups and I liked the color of the drama.

The Double or the case of producer that is a troll.

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Allow me to convince you to watch this!

The more I like a show, the harder I find it to talk about it. I just have so much to say! I'm gonna push through though. So my initial rating mark for this was 8. Then it was raised to 8.5 and I was worried that I would later lower it because so many shows lately start well but digress in abysmal ways until you end up hating them and reading everyone else's reactions, I was so scared that I would be bored by the last ten episodes and end up hating the show by its unsatisfying end. Thankfully that was not the case at all and I ended up finishing this show on a pleasant though super stressful (those last 10 minutes omg) note. I decided to give this a 9, instead.
This show is just really good in many ways. The plot is emotionally stimulating, the aesthetics are unique, dark, and mysterious. The acting is great by the principal cast and good enough by the supporting ones. The music is lovely and the show avoids a lot of tropes that are typical pet peeves. And when it plays into tropes, they do it in a way that isn't too offensive and manages to be dignified. There were some hiccups in the quality but nothing I couldn't look past.
So the plot follows Xue Fangfei, the talented wife of a simple official who is framed by her husband's family for adultery and buried alive by her husband. Confused and heartbroken, she comes back to seek revenge by pretending to be the daughter of some grand minister and whatnot. On her quest for justice, she meets the formidable Duke Su who is equal parts suspicious and fascinated by her.
I'll just list some of my favorite things about this show:
1. Unlike most shows, this is not about a virginal young girl, inexperienced and cute. The story follows a woman who has had a married life and that is already so fresh and liberating that I can't praise it enough. Moreover, the show doesn't shy away from expressing how happily in love she was in that relationship. This helps deepen the grief from the betrayal and fuels the motivation for revenge. It's also just refreshing to see a second-chance plot that is REALLY a second-chance plot.
2. The show has many instrument-playing scenes, in almost all of which sans one, the movement of the actors matches the music being "played". It's just deeply satisfying to see actors actually act as if they're playing an instrument instead of just moving their hands around wildly.
3. The plots don't get dragged out and although there's plenty of drama and petty acts of villainy, arcs wrap up nicely and the story moves at a good pace. I was never bored or utterly frustrated by the characters being obtuse just for the sake of dragging out misunderstandings and elongating the runtime of the show.
4. Though the villains are black-hearted and do many extremely evil things in the story, none are overpowered. It's common for dramas to have villains who achieve levels of villainy that should be out of their logical capacity and it's so frustrating as it almost seems like the villains are superhumans. Here, we had the grand princess who operated from a position of extreme power and yet, she was constantly held back by technicalities and thwarted at every turn. Similarly, the evil stepmother does evil things...but within the boundaries of a stepmother. She tries to ruin her stepdaughter's life in ways that a lady from a powerful family would think of and not as some freaky sadist god.
5. There's no unnecessary misunderstanding between the leads or unnecessary love triangles. With potential love rivals being treated as what they are: momentary obstacles. Where there was potential for unnecessary male rivalry, the trope is cleanly avoided in favor of giving us a supportive and lovely side character.
6. The story takes detours but ultimately stays on course and the revenge plot is delivered very satisfactorily.
7. This show also had an amazing darkening arc for its main villain. It was subtle and precise. So delicious! This show might just have one of my favorite villains of all time.
There's probably more stuff I liked but I'll cut it short.
The acting is of course amazing. Wu Jin Yan might not be the most ethereal Chinese beauty but her acting in my opinion outweighs almost all of the rest of the Chinese acting scene. She's always so natural and there's just something about her acting that makes you feel like she doesn't just do what she's told. She actually thinks about how she wants to deliver her characters. She manages to play an older, wiser woman pretending to be a young girl really well. You can tell she's not as young and inexperienced as she pretends to be but she's good enough at pretending that in-universe people fall for it just enough for her to get away with it. Her occasional emotional outbursts perfectly capture the trauma her character has experienced and that makes her performance that much more moving. I think this was Wang Xing Yue's best performance yet. He did a really good job in Kunning Palace too but I think this is the first time I believed he had what it takes to be a leading man. He just had such charisma and gravitas, he looked hot and it wasn't just because he's pretty. He managed to carry his character in a way that was dark and captivating and I loved that....he also looks hot but that's like a bonus. I would like to say that most actors did a great job here. Chen Chain En and Li Meng being standouts; with Li Meng starting sort of weak with overacting but then in the last 10 episodes she stepped up and her character was just so well-rounded by the end. But the award for best supporting role goes to Liang Yong Qi who was freaking brilliant! This man needs more roles. He was so subtle, so obsessive, so humiliated and yet you could practically feel the rage pulsing under his skin...man...he just knocked it out of the park! He really matched Wu Jin Yan step by step and I have to admit I liked watching them interact just because of how good he squirmed in an invisible way when his character was around hers. Just brilliant. Su Ke also had a standout moment by the end...had me sobbing.
Production, music, and set design all was so good. That's the thing about the evil who shall not be named. He may be a jerk but he knows how to make a good show, that's for sure.
Negatives: So, the show is not perfect. There's a very distinct aesthetic at the beginning of this show, very dark and moody. And it sort of holds onto it for the whole series but a lot of that also fades as the story changes locations to the capital city. Humor gets its pound of flesh and a lot of color interrupts the dark blues and browns of the beginning and it's not bad, I still like it but I also think they could've maintained the aesthetic a bit better with a bit more effort. There also seems to have been a budget issue...some of the fight scenes looked sparse? Like there weren't enough extras to fill up the scene. I also think the show (like many Cdramas) was written for a longer runtime but they had to cut it down to 40 episodes (for the better) but it does leave me wondering if some scenes...were shown at double speed?!
Overall: I recommend this. It was such a fun show and the first full-length Cdrama I could finish in a long long time. I appreciate this a lot and I think it's definitely one of the "worth watching" ones out there.

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How could the white pear blossoms be so hauntingly beautiful?

The Double is a lamentable tale of love, betrayal and revenge that’s wrapped in countless layers of intrigues. Each character carries an unspeakable fate of their own making.

PLOT & CAST:

Xue Fang Fei lives a humble yet blissful marriage life until she’s framed and buried alive by her own husband. She somehow survives and assumes the identity of Jiang Li who died of an equally wretched fate. What ensues is an intricate revenge plot as Xue Fang Fei seeks justice for both her and Jiang Li. I fell in love with Wu Jin Yan’s exquisite portrayal of the femme fatale FL. Given her experience with palace political dramas like Story of Yanxi Palace, she’s able to deliver the intensity of Xue Fang Fei’s resentment, grief and desperation as well as expressing her grace and elegance. While not having read the novel, I know Xue Fang Fei is supposed to die and reincarnate into Jiang Li’s body. However, the drama has decided to go with an identity swap instead, possibly due to censorship. I quite like it this way since it makes the machinations more interesting and thrilling to watch. Yang Chao Yue is also a perfect fit for the old Jiang Li. Her innocent and lonely image under the pear blossoms leaves a haunting yet unforgettable impression in my mind.

On the other hand, Duke Su is more of a spectator to the tragic play. He likes to watch and manipulate his chess “pawns” from the background. However, as time passes, he can’t help but get involved in Xue Fang Fei’s quest for vengeance. Wang Xing Yue definitely has the charisma and finesse to play this ML. It’s a refreshing take from his goody-two-shoes roles in Story of Kunning Palace and Admist a Snowstorm of Love. Admittedly, it took me a few episodes to warm up with his character, especially the costume styling and eyeliner. I was genuinely surprised to see how young Wang Xing Yue is as well, given his mature and refined characterisation. I love the tension between Duke Su and Xue Fang Fei. Their scheming and banter have a certain rhythm to them, like a roundabout poem or tango. It’s enjoyable to see how the FL often outwits the ML.

The antagonists are portrayed very well too. I like how they have a certain level of complexity and duality to them. Princess Wan Ning, Ji Shu Ran and Jiang Ruo Yao (Jiang Li’s stepmother and step-sister) were, to a certain extent, the unfortunate products of the arranged marriages and restricted lifestyle faced by women in Ancient China. However, unlike Xue Fang Fei, they decided to materialise their own misery into a cascade of sufferings for others. Xue Fang Fei’s ex-husband, Shen Yurong, is also indulged a twisted love. He’s adamant on being righteous. But when split between his family and wife, he prioritises being filial over romance and justice. The villains are deplorable and loathsome yet somehow also pitiable.

PRODUCTION:

The cinematography is simply gorgeous. The experimentation of colour schemes, light and shadow really highlights the romantic versus tragic moments throughout the drama. The beautiful background gardens give a certain sense of serenity yet loneliness to the characters, especially when Xue Fang Fei is in the Jiang family.

The use of the white pear blossoms as a changing metaphor is genius. This is well complemented by the poignant soundtracks.

At the beginning, when Xue Fang Fei dances with Shen Yu Rong under the full blossoms, they express blissful and dream-like romance. The next time is when Xue Fang Fei being buried alive under the fallen blossoms, they signify the devastating end to the beautiful yet short-lived romance, truly fitting to the fleeting beauty of spring.

When Fragrance Falls, Pear Blossoms Turn White (芳菲落尽梨花白) by Mi Liang
“Pear blossoms shattered all over the ground…
Every word you’ve said is floating in the air, unable to withstand a single blow…
Even the moonlight can’t bear to be mischievous.
Watching me hopeless and miserable.
Who’s the one who’s giving up and making the story all sad?
When the flowers have fallen to become ripples, one blow dyes the entire world.”

Perhaps the most memorable is the young Jiang Li’s last scene under the falling white blossoms, symbolising the loss of innocence but also the freedom to travel in the wind beyond the Zhennv Hall where she’s been confined for most of her life. The blossoms are elegant and breathtakingly beautiful but also carry with them a sense of haunting loneliness.

Withered (凋零) by Huang Shifu
“Withered flowers are pure white and flawless.
Where does it want to go paint yearning.
Bid farewell to branches and cut off worries…
I want the sunset to help pass me a message.
If I meet a flower, then I tell the flower.
I’m willing to go home with it.”

When Xue Fang Fei beats the Dengwen Drum under the blossom-like snow, they represent the harsh injustice suffered by the people and the cold yet determined resolve of the FL.

Snow Watching (观雪) by Cyndi Wang
“The falling snow is bitter cold…
The snow falls eternally
Who can escape the humiliation of time.
My anger is hidden beneath the fallen blooms.
How can I stand against so many obstacles…
I accept all the gifts from sorrow.
I can’t let down my regrets.
I won’t admit defeat.
I slowly chew on the bitterness of life.
The fragrance remains the same after the bleak winter.
Awaiting spring to colour the way back home.”

FAVOURITE QUOTES:

“Just be happy no matter if it’s your [Xue Fang Fei’s] current life or the past. Never compromise to become another person for someone else’s sake. Including me.” Duke Su

“You [Duke Su] told me we would face the same end. On one hand, I know you are responsible for your kingdom and on the other hand, you care about my safety. Right now, I’m willing to enter this set-up of yours. I’m not a liability. I want to help you.” Xue Fang Fei

“You always like pushing all the blame to other people. Shen Yurong, You are used to being the perfect scholar. Everything you did was forced. You did nothing wrong. You are pititful. Even you believe that… Since you could mention your love, why couldn’t you express your guilt?” Xue Fang Fei

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Typical revenge drama but very enjoyable!

The recycled revenge drama script continues to be the trend. It's one of the better ones though at as the production quality is very nice. It gives off a darker vibe with vibrant colors. Make up / costume design especially unique. Lots more dark reds right down to the makeup & wardrobe of the ML. Compared to a similar drama like Story of Kunning Palace I think this drama did a better job in terms of storytelling, casting, & production. So even if the script is nothing new, and lots of unbelievable scenes, it's still a great watch!

FL/ML pairing works nicely IMO. Both are equally mysterious and calculating. The acting's convincing especially the FL's crying scenes.
FL : I am not familiar with her prior works, but dancer background brings that special grace that non dancer background actors can't fake.
ML: I watched some of his prior works and he can act but in terms of characters, this character is the most interesting thus far
Killer Ex husband: His acting is outstanding. Character is more complex than the ML.

Slow romance:
Their encounters were not overly forced, and the development of the relationship is slowly brewing which I am enjoying. Ep 9 on the leads finally starts to have more interactions. The chemistry becomes more evident in ep 11!

Ending..... UGHHHH honestly the last episode was NOT needed. Did they REALLY need to send ML away for yet another battle? Really could've ended before that.

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Tremendous Improvement in the ML's Acting!

I'm really excited watching the ML in this drama!

In his previous work, 'Snowstorm of Love', filmed the same year as this drama, his acting was unimpressive. In my ranking, he was the second worst. But in this one, despite the similar character personalities, his performance is much improved!

Both characters are solemn and calm, but in 'Snowstorm of Love', he was so stiff it hurt my eyes. It was annoying watching him try to be cool and unnatural. But in 'The Double', wow! I have to use the Chinese proverb 刮目相看 to praise him! He's made such progress that I can no longer see him the same way. He is charismatic in 'The Double' and I can't get enough of his screen time. I can watch him endlessly, always excited to see what his role will do next, without getting bored. It's amazing how my feelings toward him changed so drastically! (I finished 'Snowstorm of Love' less than a month before starting 'The Double'.)

I think I have to praise the director the most for the ML's performance. There's no way he could improve this much in such a short time between the two dramas without great directing and guidance!

('Snowstorm of Love' was filmed from Jan-May 2023, and 'The Double' from May-Sep 2023. This also reflects poorly on the director of 'Snowstorm of Love.' Remember, the ML was second to last in that drama, and the last was the ML himself.)

Apart from the director, I have to praise the plot. The story is great and complex, and it unfolds logically without recklessness.

To be honest, the ML and the director's work aren't perfect, but their flaws are minor compared to the ML's tremendous improvement.

One obvious flaw is that the ML looks much younger than the FL. His acting is on par with hers, but his appearance is obviously younger, even though he plays a role much older than hers.

For the director, I love how he dares to use a lot of subjective shots where actors make direct eye contact with the audience while delivering their lines. However, there are also instances where the director overdoes it with the visual art, making scenes feel forced. For example, in certain dignified scenes, the director's visual art overshadows the natural flow, making the scenes laughable instead. An example is the student competition scene where the FL and her three friends put their hands on their waists and walk intimidatingly toward their opponents. While the FL's friend and her brother effectively convey pride, the FL and her cousin look more like they're on a catwalk, which feels out of place and out of character. This scene comes across as ridiculous instead of impressive.

Moreover, many scenes aim for beautiful visuals without any meaning. For example, the cast would flick their robes into the camera while the camera moves backward, creating a grandiose sense, but it's actually a scene without any grandiose point. This exaggeration makes me feel their art direction is empty and meaningless. Another example is a scene where two rival characters accidentally meet on the way home without any other meaning for the story. The scene is just for the visual of them walking away from each other in opposite directions under a rainstorm to symbolize their rivalry. There are a lot of forced scenes like this scattered throughout the drama, which annoy me more and more as time passes.

By the way, the FL has also done a great job with her acting, but it's not perfect either. Sometimes, you can tell her facial expressions are choreographed and not genuinely felt. For example, when she tries to look femininely cute with the ML, it looks so fake -_- Since her personality is wise, experienced, and dignified (and her mature face can't hide that she's already a mature woman), when she shows a naive/innocent expression, it comes across as fake.

As for the ending... I have to deduct 0.5 points after the last episode. I don't like when a series uses the trick of unnecessary death to play with the audience's feelings. It's always ok if the death is reasonable, but the unnecessary one is unforgivable. And this series uses that lame trick.

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Personal Enjoyment [+]
Anyway, I have no boredom watching each episode. I really enjoy it. It reminds me of how I felt about 'Nirvana in Fire'. Although I really like this drama, it hasn't reached the same level that 'Nirvana in Fire' made me crazy about it. That story was very dignified, wise, logical, and heart-wrenching. All the cast also made their characters perfect.

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