The Princess Royal (2024)

Every princess needs a “fairy Godmother”

I struggled to give a suitable nickname for Pei Wen Xuan, Li Rong’s Prince Consort in The Princess Royal.

By right, he is the Prince Charming, with all the memories of 1st lifetime to do the 2nd one right again. By left though, the story kind of fell through midway with Pei Wen Xuan’s role got outshined by Li Rong’s empowered moments and second male lead “villain origin’s built up”, Su Rong Qing. This feeling, is in spite of how I’ve already skipped and zoomed past most of the scenes to focused on the interactions between Pei Wen Xuan, Li Rong and their servants at the princess mansion, as well as Shanguan Ya and Su Rong Hua. However, even taking Su Rong Qing’s heightened feature in the story aside, I feel the overall plot kind of weak. Rather than Prince Charming, Pei Wen Xuan feels like Li Rong’s “Fairy Godmother” whose focus is to fulfil the Princess wishes. I am not against female empowerment story nor highlight on 2ML arc. The Princess Royal just doesn’t string the plots in an enjoyable pace.

What’s positive about The Princess Royal is the story premise and main leads interactions. It features a 38 year old married couple going back to their 18 year old selves, recognising each other remembering their first lives, and still trusting each other, more than they’d like to admit, to do life again, hopefully wiser this time.

Pei Wen Xuan’s and Li Rong’s teamwork, rapport and interaction is lighthearted and fun to watch. Zhang Ling He and Zhao Jin Mai are a cute pair of onscreen couple - youthful and pretty, …and maybe a tad slightly petty (in a good way of course).

In short, one can tune in to The Princess Royal if they are on a drama drought and want a light hearted do-over / second chances stories.
…However, I’d recommend Go Back Couple, a modern K-drama of 38 years old married couple who find themselves back in their 20’s if one wants a more solid couple do over story. And for female empowerment ones, my recent enjoyable watch is The Story of Hua Zhi / Blossoms in Adversity.

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Imperfect But Rewarding Time Travel + 2nd Chance Romance + Palace Drama

*** INCLUDES MAJOR PLOT SPOILER***


Not a perfect drama but quite satisfying if the viewer likes the time travel trope and enjoys a lot of plot with their romance. I've observed so much resentment and anger that the SML character even exists and is getting screentime and I fear that some people are missing out on enjoying the story because they're too preoccupied with making it about a love triangle instead of a story about family, personal freedom, how power traps and corrupts people, and the ability to change. The relationship between FL and her brother the crown prince is very well done, so much hurt and healing.

Having a 3rd time traveler with a different agenda, who can't let go of the past, is actually an interesting narrative device! If the viewer can just accept it as a badass time travel story with a good romance on the side and a struggle to win the battle of changing the timeline, with a big cast of characters who can make different choices this time... then it's a very solid drama.

The 2ML is not ever someone who FL was going to pick, the moment that ML decided he wanted a real marriage and understood his regrets. 2ML being a real love rival was only PWX's insecurities. FL was ONLY ever with SML because ML and her split up (over another woman). 2ML was always the guy she settled for, when she thought she couldn't have and trust PWX. Some annoying background music due to 2ML's pathetic pining shouldn't distract us so much from the obvious. He's a pitiful time traveler who ruins his second chance while our leads do not. That's all the drama ever intends him to be.

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It could've been perfect if the production team understood the audience more.

Disclaimer that I have read more than half of the novel. I'll try to keep this mostly about the drama but there might still be references to the novel.

Let's start with my expectations of the drama.
I expected this drama to be about a second chance at life and a second chance at the leads' love story, delving into their backstories, motivations and relationships. I also expected there to be politics, which would be interesting as the leads are already seasoned politicians and are able to easily outsmart the old officials.

What the drama is actually about.
This drama is about the female lead learning that she was stupid in her past life, and struggling to choose between the male lead and the second male lead for the whole drama. Everything that I wanted explored about the main leads was explored about the female lead and the second male lead, leaving the male lead as more of a one dimensional accessory. The politics were okay, which was frustrating as they attempted to explore deep fundamental issues but fell short.

The positive aspects of the drama.
The acting. Zhang Linghe and Zhao Jinmai are not popular for no reason. They weren't just acting, they were living in their roles. You Jinwei, Zhao Peilin, Cheng Guo and Yi Daqian were all standout roles to me. You Jinwei perfectly communicating the loneliness and isolation of the emperor. Zhao Peilin had a much less significant role but her acting as the empress was also impressive, and it truly made me sympathise with her position and actions. Cheng Guo played Shangguan Ya to the tee, expressing all of her sides well. Yi Daqian was great at showing the personality of Su Ronghua. These six actors consistently gave an amazing performance in every single scene they were in. Most other actors had amazing moments, like Chen Heyi, Liu Xuwei, Karina Zhao and Chen Siyu.
The dynamic and chemistry between the leads. They always bicker like an old married couple, yet simultaneously always act like children around each other. Their scenes are always full of dialogue, whether it's playful and humourous or emotional and transformative. They care for each other dearly and their relationship spans decades. You can't miss a single scene with the two of them in it, it will always be either entertaining, or impactful. After 2 decades, I appreciate how the leads finally learn to openly communicate with each other.
The comedy. In a drama like this, the balance between light-hearted and serious is struck using the subordinates of the leads, and although it is not new, it is hilarious. Li Rong, Pei Wenxuan, Jing Lan, Jing Mei and Tong Ye are genuinely so funny and have me smiling and laughing aloud. They really seem like one family.
Pei Wenxuan. Pei Wenxuan is the best character. He's always unconditionally supporting Li Rong in any way possible, and he's always doing the right thing and caring about others. He has high IQ and EQ and he's also passionate about protecting those he loves. Zhang Linghe conveys a masterful performance.
Relationships. Something that this drama tackles is relationships, and all of the differences kinds there are. How relationships are influenced by power, how power can be used to destroy or protect relationships. How your relationships with others affects you: the decisions you make and how you think. It's really a deep topic and I applaud this drama for tackling it and managing to handle it well enough.
Li Chuan. Li Chuan is a complex character and it's unfortunate that his complexity was only shown in the last 10 episodes. It's bittersweet to see each emperor turn into a desperate tyrant driven to the edge of a cliff one after another in a never-ending cycle oversaw by the noble families. In my opinion, Liu Xuwei is not a horrible actor, but he just feels blank most of the time. He portrays the cute younger brother well, and I was struck by his acting when he tells Shangguan Ya that Su Ronghua is dead, but other than that he's very one note.

The negative aspects of the drama.
Su Rongqing. This is one of the aspects where the title of my review is the most relevant. The director, producer and others behind this drama fail to understand what makes a second male lead compelling and worth rooting for. They have to be better in some aspects to the make lead. This makes you think that they might be a better choice. But no, Su Rongqing is not better than Pei Wenxuan in any aspects. In fact, he's worse in about every single one. This drama dedicated so much screen time to Su Rongqing, much, much more then the male lead, for what? For us to feel sorry for his tragic backstory? For us to prefer him with Li Rong? For us to like him more? It's impossible. He's insufferable every time he appears on screen. His backstory never needed to be that deep, in my opinion. He's just an insufferable rich kid who thinks that he's the best because he shares some spare change, and that means that everyone has to bow down at his feet and respect him as the living angel on Earth. In terms of his screen time and scenes, the director made many changes from the novel, which made me even more frustrated. Chen Heyi did a perfect job if the purpose of the character was to make the audience want to kill him, but the problem is the purpose of the character is to be a tragic figure that we were rooting for. Chen Heyi does not do a good job. He looks sick and pathetic all of the time, and that makes the audience hate him, not sympathise with him.
Soundtrack. It's not so important, but it can break the immersion at times. There's barely any back track for the actual leads, and instead the only memorable track is specifically for Su Rongqing.
The wasted potential of Pei Wenxuan. I hate how the drama wasted his character. Imagine if they dedicated even half of Su Rongqing's screen time to Pei Wenxuan's backstory and his own dreams, besides supporting Li Rong. He just feels left behind and forgotten about. They dumbed him down a lot from the novel, making his ideas the ideas of other people and claiming that he doesn't know things that he actually should. Additionally, there's barely any buildup about the Pei family, which could have been such an interesting plot point, added to the relationships theme of the drama, and made Pei Wenxuan a more interesting and complex character with his own dreams and drive to do what he wants, not just supporting Li Rong.
How Li Rong's character was handled. Li Rong is such a complex character and there are parts of her character that I love and parts that I hate. Overall I really like her, but I disagree with some of the liberties the production team took from the novel. They made her feelings for Su Rongqing a lot more ambiguous, to fulfill their love for Su Rongqing. If they wanted to take liberties, they should have made her love for Pei Wenxuan a lot more obvious, rather then more subtle. She's just such a complex character who tries to do the right thing and cares about the people around her, but is always perceived as being heartless.

Overall it's an enjoyable drama. The strengths are the dynamic and chemistry between the leads and the acting while the weaknesses are the highlight on the wrong characters, misunderstanding their audience and their half-hearted attempts to delve into complex concepts.

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Twisted tale of politics and love

This tale involves a paronoid emperor who ends up killing his son with the crown prince eventually killing his sister amidst palace political intrigue and tragedy.

The main story is about the politically savvy eldest princess, the Princess Royal Li Rong and her consort, Pei Wenxuan, who were stuck for 20 years in a loveless marriage. They both were killed and were ‘reborn’ to when she is 18 and he, 20. This gives them a 2nd chance to change their outcome in life and politics. But no matter how much they tried to right things, life seems inevitable to repeat itself. However, their relationship improves as past misunderstandings are resolved revealing their love for each other. It wasn’t until later that they discovered another person, the Princess Royal’s trusted childhood friend, Su Ron Qing, was also ‘reborn’. Su loves Li Rong but not enough to prioritize her over his family’s interest, Su also tried his best to change his and his family’s tragic destiny with his schemes running counter to that of Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan, thus undoing much of what the couple tried to achieve. Su is out for revenge for what happened to him in his previous life and scuttles many of Li Rong’s schemes by rationalizing he’s just protecting her. All this happening in a court where the powerful and corrupt nobles are colluding for selfish interests and an emperor who has a deep distrust of his own children and empress. A wrong step in the emperor’s eyes could mean death for his children. I find myself looking forward to every episode to see how LiRong and Pei Wenxuan would deal with the deadly situations dished out.

Because of all the palace political shenanigans, this drama needs good English subtitles to be enjoyed fully. Both male and female leads as well as the SML did a good job with their performances. The costumes and accessories are beautiful with great cinematography. This is a female centric drama and it is interesting to see how the Princess Royal dresses as an official in court. She is portrayed as a strong, intelligent and capable courtier, more suitable to rule than her brother, the crown prince.

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My thoughts after dwelling on comments and eventually watching...

My hesitancy to watch this drama started with a quick look at the comment section. Many people weren't happy with the plot, screen time, and characters. I commented on my uncertainty and received replies that were fighting each other. So, I logged off to watch in peace and came back to write a review after completing it.

MY ADVICE: If the synopsis interests you even a little bit, give the drama a try without dwelling on the comments. It seems like a hit-or-miss drama. Yes, it has flaws, but it is not as bad as some people may say.

First, I have some remarks about Rong and Wenxuan's relationship. Their misunderstandings were solved quickly, and I liked how their relationship changed for the better, compared to their past. What got me rolling my eyes most of the time was how Wenxuan could not stand up for himself when it came to Rong, and how Rong was not communicating her trust and love for Wenxuan. Yes, their arguments were solved quickly, but it felt so unnecessary to begin with at such late episodes.

However, my biggest concern reading the comments was Rongqing.
- Does Rongqing have a lot of screen time (compared to Wenxuan)? No, **IN GENERAL**, I wouldn't say so. Wenxuan has plenty of screen time, especially in the first half of the drama. The only part of Rongqing's screen time that confused me was the last couple episodes, especially his scene in the last episode.
- Did Rong love Rongqing? Hard question to answer, but I'd say maybe at some point in her past life, she did. HOWEVER, in their current life, she always worries for Wenxuan, cares for Wenxuan, and loves Wenxuan. What I can collect from watching her interactions with Rongqing, she definitely has lingering sentiments for him. Probably because he stayed by her side during the days leading up to her death in the past. But that is really it. She loves Wenxuan, and I never doubted her love for him. Did I get annoyed because of her soft spots for Rongqing? Yeah, it was annoying, but I guess it's understandable if you consider her past.

I personally thought the drama started out really strong—I was captivated up until maybe episode 30. I almost completely lost interest after episode 30, but kept watching for the main couple. They started bringing up the past (which I could care less about), and Rongqing's story (which I had no sympathy for), so I was just trying my best to watch until the end.

This drama has flaws, which is disappointing since the budget seems to be so high. There are things I wish they could have added, changed, or removed. Despite that, there were a lot of moments that I liked.. I can list some below:
- Wenxuan said, "If I admitted I liked you, it would feel like a form of surrender."
- Wenxuan confronts Rong when she assumes he still likes ZhenZhen, and Rong runs after him to clear up the misunderstanding even more
- Rong offended the whole Pei family because they hurt Wenxuan
- Rong writing countless letters to Wenxuan while everyone is telling her he's dead
- Wenxuan picking up Rong with the umbrella in this life (Rongqing did it in the previous life)
- Rong worries over Wenxuan in many instances

I'll stop here. Even if the drama isn't perfect, I'll still give it a 9.5/10. Stop hating on the drama; it scares potential watchers. The hate almost scared me away, but I'm glad I gave it a try. And you should too.. if you ended up reading this before watching :)

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Very in-depth Villain but superficial Male Lead.

Review contains spoilers! Youve been warned!

Storyline: Very well written! Su Rongqing is such an interesting character. He loves Li Rong just as much as Pei Wenxuan does, but he doesnt trust her as much as PWX trusts her. Unfortunately, their life circumstances make it hard for them to be together. He just doesnt trust her enough to know that she'd be able to prevent his family's death. I cant blame him though, poor guy is traumatized. Not to mention the power struggles, there's no way the king would let them be together. That aside, I love the mystery around finding out what happened in the past. I also really enjoyed the reveal of SRQ. We got to hear the story from his side that made us completely understand why he did what he did. His death was unavoidable though. I like that, even though PWX and SRQ were enemies, PWX didnt want SRQ to die either. UNFORTUNATELY SRQ has so much more depth than PWX. PWX was just a puppy at the commands of LR. He's cute! But he's boring. But I did love the couple banter! They really are like an old couple! Two old souls and yet they still act like children and still get butterflies around each other. One of the goals of the drama was to melt LR's stone heart. Which it achieves; she goes from cold and independent to a damsel in distress. You can be a strong independent woman but when with your husband, you soften and he takes care of you. I didnt like it tho.
Casting: the pick for SRQ was good! His face is so innocent and yet so full of sadness. He portrayed SRQ so well! I just wanted to give him a hug!
I also wasnt a fan of Zhang Ling He much. I've watched him in Maiden Holmes and Love Between Fairy and Devil but DAMMNN he was such a good actor in this drama! I got butterflies!!
I'm honestly impressed with Zhao JinMai. A young but really good actress!
Overall enjoyable drama with really good side couples too

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A Captivating Journey through Love and Redemption

The Princess Royal is a remarkable historical drama that immerses viewers in a world of love, power, and redemption. The series shines brightly, thanks to the exceptional performances of its main leads, Zhang Linghe and Zhao Jinmai, who bring depth and authenticity to their characters, Pei Wen Xuan and Li Rong.

What I liked:

1. Outstanding Acting: The chemistry between Zhang Linghe and Zhao Jinmai is palpable and captivating. Their performances are heartfelt and nuanced, making their characters' journey deeply engaging. Chen He Yi also delivers a commendable performance as Su Rong Qing, adding complexity to his character.

2. Emotional Depth: The series excels in portraying the emotional struggles and growth of its characters. Moments like the intimate boat scene, where Li Rong rests her head on Pei Wen Xuan's shoulder, beautifully showcase their evolving relationship and emotional connection.

3. Visual Excellence: The cinematography and production design are top-notch, creating a visually stunning backdrop that enhances the storytelling. The attention to detail in costumes and sets transports viewers to the historical period, making the drama an immersive experience.

4. Complex Characters: The drama masterfully develops multi-dimensional characters, allowing viewers to empathize with their motivations and struggles. This complexity adds layers to the narrative and keeps viewers invested in the characters' journeys.

Some people may not have understood li rong and pei wenxuan, and felt like they didn't like each other. Li Rong loves Pei Wenxuan as much as he loves her. Li Rong also slowly fell in love with Pei Wenxuan again. She was very insecure about relationships, so she slowly opened her heart until Hua Chuan admitted it, which gave Pei Wenxuan peace of mind. Pei Wenxuan was actually so jealous because his wife was taken away by someone else in his previous life, and he lived alone for more than ten years. In short, the two of them would subconsciously care about each other. After all, they always cared about each other subconsciously. In fact, both of them were very gentle and kind people.

The main reason why he didn't dare to divorce was not Su Rongqing. He knew that Li Rong loved him in this life and would not be taken away again. But because of the things in the previous life, he still had hidden worries in his heart. The main reason was that he understood Li Rong's heart in this life. If he agreed to divorce Li Rong without hesitation, she would probably lose faith in his love again and lose Li Rong again. He couldn't afford to lose her for the second time. He couldn't bear a life without Li Rong!

I think he was also afraid of changes. It was not just a question of whether Li Rong liked him or not, but also a royal marriage that depended on the emperor's words. What he wanted was Li Rong's love and a legitimate marriage, which was very important to him. He could not accept losing Li Rong in reality or in appearance. His attitude of "not being able to drive her away" made Li Rong more aware of their feelings for each other. Nothing could separate them except the interests of the country and life and death.

What could be improved:

1. Screen Time Distribution: One notable issue is the uneven distribution of screen time, with the second lead, Su Rong Qing, receiving more focus than the main characters at times. A more balanced approach would have strengthened the overall narrative.

2. Unresolved Plot Points: Several minor characters who played significant roles in the development of the main plot were left without proper resolutions. Their storylines were either abruptly ended or not given enough screen time to conclude satisfactorily.

3. Music: While the soundtrack includes memorable themes that enhance key scenes, it could benefit from more variety and standout pieces to consistently elevate the emotional impact of the drama.

Overall Experience:

Despite its minor flaws, The Princess Royal stands out as a beautifully crafted drama that offers a compelling and emotionally rich viewing experience. The strong performances, intricate character development, and visual excellence make it a must-watch for fans of historical dramas. I highly recommend "The Princess Royal" for its engaging storytelling and the captivating journey it offers through love, power, and redemption.

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I think Everyone needs to watch this Masterpiece!!

Su rongqing! Su rongqing! how pitiful! I felt so bad for you...you could have become a better person but you chose to be bad in your two lives...how can they give you a second chance to life and you still chose to be bad...you deserve death! I wish you could choose another path...living a better life but without the princess.
li rong if I were you, I would also choose Pei wenxuan the second life...infact I would choose him all my lives...they are just the perfect couple..
I cried for Su rongqing and the King...I pitied both of them.
it was a wonderful story....I think people should watch it without listening to the bad comments...after finishing it, I didn't see anything wrong with the ending or the drama....as a matter of fact...I felt emotions for every single important character in the drama....I believe it was written beautifully....SRQ is the first villain I pity but still wanted him to die because of the path he chose...
I give it a 10/10...the fact that I started it for Zhang linghe and stayed for the story.... because he is the only character I am familiar with in the drama....
I will miss them all...I wish I could erase my memory and rewatch it...it became so serious and overwhelmed me with so much emotions.

good job to the novel writer, script writer, directors and most especially the actors and everyone involved in the production of the drama.

thank you for the wonderful story.

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Surprisingly the romance between the lead kept making me coming back for more

I thought this series will be boring, since the story mostly revolves around royal family political struggle. However as the storyline evolves, surpsingly I kept waiting and wanting for the ML and FL romantic scenes.

I love Zhang Li He acting here, I don't know why I could not connect to him in Journey to You. It did not move me at all, but here, his acting is perfect in this drama.I'll look forward to his future project.

One thing though that irk me so, is it me or I felt that he has fewer scenes overall, if we compare his scenes with the villain. I rarely seen him.

Too bad I can't say the same praise to the female lead. I think for a powerful person, she's very stoic and lacking how to say it? that bad ass feels. Eventhough I appreciate how the drama kept promoting women empowerment, but it's literally like every romactic chinese drama I watch nowadays is all about promoting women.

Although the ost is good, but the musical background during many pivotal moments in the drama has got me really annoyed at the musical director, because the music basically ruining the moments. Dude, wtf.

I'm binge watching this drama, 10 eps to go, anxious with the finale. Hope the finale like a plane about to land, will be able to land smooth sailing. Cross my fingers. Prayers.

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If I put coffee and cake next to each other, it doesn't necessarily turn out to be a coffee cake.

Anyone who has read the novel (including me) knows that it starts as a romantic story, but very quickly turns into a complicated political drama. This is a serious political drama that spans two lives, and the writer makes it "easier" with 2-3 bickering lovers.
Unfortunately, until the 30th episode, the film seems to follow the novel completely, thus retaining all its faults.
- if you like the leading couple and want romance, you can watch it with a small jump (I call it a cookie)
- if you're interested in politics, you'll get a decent strong story (that's what I call coffee)

If you want a romantic story with character development, growth, and some political complications, you will unfortunately be disappointed.
The political and love threads do not intertwine. The complicated, multi-lifetime political intrigue is too long for the cat-and-mouse romance to not be protracted, boring and repetitive.The love story is like a board game, you find yourself at the start field again and again.

My personal opinion: It might work better with a different cast. The biggest problem is with the dynamics of the story, not with the work of the actors.

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Don't read the novel before watching :)

This show was the general trope of rebirth with a second chance.
The nice part was that both leads returned, so the growth as a couple was worthy to watch.
Personally, i would have rated this show in two parts:
1-30 epis or so- 9.5
and 30+ epis - 8.0

Haven't read the novel, but many times many things were confusing and one actually needed people who read the novel to come and explain. Worst was LR's slight penchant for SRQ was different in novel and in the show. Personally, though i believe LR loved PWX, still her feelings for SRQ was confusing till the end of the show. and no please dont come and tell me to read the novel to justify LR's feelings. The show should have been a separate entity on itself, we cannot rely on the novel to makeup for the mistakes done here.

SRQ as a character was confusing. He loved LR and yet he did not do anything, he was completely blind in his revenge. from start till end, that was all he cared about. Prevent LC to become the emperor. he was uni-dimensional and didnt have any arc as such.

PWX was supposed to do great things and he did too, but we never got much scenes about how he did anything. He was just a lovesick puppy (cute one though, and i loved all his scenes too) for LR. his love for LR was unconditional in the rebirth track. He's definitely one of my favorite male characters.

About LR, what to say. She never introspected about anything unless and except when PWX actually was angry or hurt and rebuffed her acts. One felt that she loved him only because his love was pure and he was always there for her. But internally and subconsciously, her heart looked for SRQ. at least i felt this many times. Dont our parents always say "to stay with the one who loves us most than with the one we love". got same feeling here, she loved him yes, but because of many reasons.

Storywise- the political plots could have been better given and made more exciting.

Rewatch value- only watch till Concubine Rou is exposed. Afterwards, it's a bit messy.

Giving 9/10 only for the leads. Both did their best, so for their hardwork, i wont penalise them due to the liberties taken by PH which made one confuse LR's feelings for PWX.

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