Born to Die (2025)

Time Filler

Not all mini-dramas are bad but this one is just another one of them. The plot was fine but riddled with holes and 'twists' that were either really sudden and ill-foreshadowed or were really predictable. With such short episodes, it's really hard to write a script concise enough to protray the plot without feeling rushed. Another flaw many mini dramas suffer is the overdramatic acting. Many actors are new or C/D/F list actors that have little practice or fine control of their expression. This drama, unfortunately, also falls victim to this with many of their actors lacking subtlety when protraying emotions.

Fine to watch as a time killer but there are better ones out there.

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Everything good , but do we really need these many characters ???

A story about a female general wrongly executed for treason—along with her entire family—should’ve been a recipe for epic greatness. And to add fuel to the fire? A long queue of backstabbing ministers and bureaucrats (allegedly including the ML himself) were all part of the conspiracy.

But fate gives her a second shot—she’s reborn six months before her execution and vows to dodge her bloody ending like a pro.

At first, the plot feels solid—suspenseful, with a decent pace. But come episode 12, the narrative suddenly decides to chug five Red Bulls and spiral into chaos. Characters begin pouring in like it’s Black Friday at Walmart—those involved in the conspiracy, a hostage prince, his betrothed princess, guards, eunuchs, courtesans, courtesan’s sister, censors, painters, writers... I swear, the only people missing were Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Jokes aside, the cast is way too loaded for a short-format drama. It starts feeling more like a census report than a character list.

Now, let’s get into the cast.

Hu Yi Yao nailed it. Her role is eerily similar to her character in The Secrets of Shadow Sect, except this time she could actually strong I mean physically like a lady general.

Sun Chen Jun, our ML, was... fine. Acting? Passable. styling .. needs improvement especially the hairstyling, the fake- ness of wig was more obvious than kardashians curves.

The standout? Her right-hand man Yuan Xiao. Loya and dependable. Watching a female general with a trusty male lackey? ICONIC

Now, the music... let’s just say I skipped most of it.Costumes and set design were just ..well as expected of a short format drama.

Should you watch it? Yes— don’t mind keeping a character tracker handy. It’s worth checking out, and continuing... only if you feel like it.

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