Interesting
The drama started off slow for me, but I later came to enjoy it and then towards the end it felt abit draggy due to the focus on the political intrigue and not the romance, I was pissed at Xie Yongers death, very unnecessaryOne thing I don’t understand in these wuxia dramas is how when there’s a war or some fighting, the main leads choose to be romantic in that moment 😂, like hello, arrows are flying, swords are clashing all around you and you choose this moment to kiss??? What if you catch a stray arrow or sword or something, is this put for dramatic effect
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Just another in-book universe
I must be honest, Cheng Lei is what pulled me to this drama. I usually don't end up liking the "travel inside a book universe". Why don't I stop watching them? Because they almost always include my favorite actors in their cast.Which was the case for this drama too.
I must also admit that I liked this drama, very much (YAY) but I do have some issues with it.
We follow Cui Ha as she has to complete a novel for work but while reading it she finds herself transmigrated into the story itself as Yu Wanyin, the demonic consort. With vague memories of a story she skimmed through, she plots to better her character's storyline but in order to do this she must change her entire character. Thankfully, she discovers she's not the only outworlder in this book. The emperor (Xiahou Dan), whom her character is destined to assassinate, appears to be a transmigrater too and together they set out to change their narritives and hope for a better outcome.
The show is funny, quirky and uses an otherwise dark script to make viewers feel everything. I didn't expect to be so immersed but I found myself ugly sobbing when one of the major characters died but found myself laughing at something the characters did only moments after. It's a perfect emotional rollercoaster like that. I ended up feeling for characters I initially didn't like, hated characters I initially liked and was really into the series. The characters are fun, well-written and layered.
What I truly liked about this drama is:
- I loved the friendship between Wanyin and Xie Yong. I was relieved to see Xie Yong wasn't used as a comic relief character after the girls became friends.
- The difference in character of Xiahou Dan. He's so goofy and kind when he's with Wanyin but he's this all powerful tyrant whenever he has to play the emperor. The amount of aura Cheng Lei can build in characters like these is beyond words.
- I loved how strong Wanyin was throughout the story. She doesn't take bullshit for an answer and, even without any real power, she makes sure she reaches her goals.
- Characters I thought would be boring additions to the inner circle became very interesting.
- I knew Tang Xiao Tian from "Story of Pearl Girl" and didn't believe that the cutie from that drama could produce a convincing villain but DAYUM did he prove me wrong.
The issues I have with this drama are (mostly due to lost subtext/context during chinese to english translations, I think) that some of it really didn't make any sense.
The inclusion of the "Zhang San Diaries" as an extra story didn't make any sense because (I believe) we didn't know that was Xiahuo Dan's real world name and the actor playing him as a child is the same actor who plays his son in the main timeline. I thought it was about the crown prince and the first two episode only confused me more. I skipped the third only to find out in the fourth that it was about young Xiahou Dan.
The ending didn't make sense because how can someone, who's been inside a book universe for over a decade, funtion normally within the real world? Or is it like a subconciousness thing? That a part of him in inside the book? It just leaves me with a lot of questions.
A lot of stuff in the last couple of episodes happened off screen which turned some situations random. They were explained later on but it made it seem rushed and haphazardly put together.
Another major issue I had was the end credits. Without warning they plopped up and spoilerd in a big way. It literally shows one of the last scenes of the last episode and tells you how the series will end. Scenes that should have put me on the edge of my seat didn't anymore because I knew it would turn out some type of way.
I kind of wished they would've made it into a story without using the pretense of a book universe. Wanyin hardly knew anything about the major plotlines because she skimmed through the book and Xiahou Dan was already integrated into the story so much he had forgotten most of his previous life. I know it was a bigger theme within the story, that both of them came from the real world but I believe the story could have stood on its own.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
good but got lost at some point
I started How Dare You expecting a light and emotionally comforting romance, and honestly, the beginning delivered exactly that. The chemistry between the leads was natural, the pacing felt fun, and the story had that addictive “two people who truly understand each other” energy that makes you keep clicking next episode.But for me, the drama lost momentum once the ML lied about being an actor. The frustrating part is that the conflict felt avoidable. Instead of lying, he could have simply said he would explain when he was ready. That would have preserved both the mystery and the emotional trust between the leads. Since the show spent so much time building emotional understanding between them, the deception felt more irritating than dramatic.
Another thing that weakened the story was the darker turn involving the deaths and constant danger around the MC. The drama started off feeling playful and comforting, but later it began to feel like getting close to the main character automatically leads to suffering. That shift changed the atmosphere in a way that didn’t fully match the tone established at the beginning.
I also wish the flashbacks had been longer and more emotionally developed. Some later plot points would have hit harder if the emotional groundwork had been explored more deeply earlier on. I mean before the ml lied about being an actor his past could have been developed more and not after, cause i feel like it would have hit differently.
Overall, I still think the drama had a strong premise and genuinely enjoyable early episodes. The leads had chemistry, and there were moments that reminded me why I started watching in the first place. But the unnecessary secrecy and tonal shift made the second half less enjoyable for me. I watched until episode 13 and then skipped to the ending.
Was this review helpful to you?
Hilarious comedy
Wang CuiHua transmigrates into a drama she was tasked to improve, only to find herself cast as the villain in a Xia kingdom palace. Worse still, her character does not have a happy ending. Deeply in love with Prince Duan, she is instead offered to the emperor by her ambitious father, who hopes to climb the ranks through her.The emperor is known to be a ruthless tyrant who does not hesitate to kill his consorts. Brought before him to serve, CuiHua is nearly cast aside and buried until she begs for her life. To her surprise, she discovers that he is also a transmigrator.
Armed with only a skimpy knowledge of the drama—having rushed through the script—she must now not only save herself, but also the emperor, who was assassinated in the original story. They begin to suspect that there may be other transmigrators as well. It is a precarious situation: both of them were villains in the original plot, surrounded by enemies. If others know the story, they would likely try to eliminate them. Worse still, as they plot their course, the story begins to change and deviate from the original, leaving them uncertain about what lies ahead.
This drama appears to be a remake of a similar 2025 production, which was rated much lower at 7.5 on MyDramaList. I nearly skipped it on iQIYI, as I usually avoid dramas rated below 8. Fortunately, a second search led me to this newer, better-rated version. Having not watched the earlier one, I cannot make a comparison. Also, the trope of being drawn into a play and becoming a character is all too familiar—another reason I almost passed on this drama. As it turns out, it is well worth watching.
The drama is both hilarious and comical, yet at the same time intense. At its core is a three-way power struggle among Prince Duan, the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor. The Emperor begins as the underdog. Transmigrated at a young age, he was raised by the Dowager as a puppet, with no real authority or military backing. In contrast, Prince Duan controls the military, while the Dowager dominates the court. The arrival of CuiHua, however, shifts the balance. With a capable strategist by his side, the Emperor finds himself in a more advantageous position. How it all unfolds keeps the tension high.
Wang Chu Ran's and Ryan Cheng's on-screen chemistry is excellent and carries the story effectively. While the second leads also perform well, Una Jingru You, a support lead, deserves special mention for convincingly portraying both male and female personas. She plays in one of the most heart-rending moments - the death of a comrade, who, longing to see better days for the kingdom, succumbs to illness on a snowy winter day before that hope can be realised.
The music, however, feels somewhat monotonous. Many tracks share the same sweet, sentimental tone and are not particularly memorable, though a couple do stand out does stand out a little more.
Overall, this is a well-produced drama—with lovely costumes especially for the main leads, realistic CGI, excellent acting, and an engaging power struggle. It is certainly worth the time: entertaining, intense, and filled with moments of genuine laughter.
I debated between an 8.5 and a 9, but ultimately decided on a 9.
Was this review helpful to you?
Great cast with a decent plot
Although the drama has been primarily promoted as a comedy, and while I didn't dislike it in that aspect, I feel its strongest moments are undoubtedly the most serious. The conflicts and obstacles are quite simple and predictable; the tension never quite explodes, and the stakes don't feel entirely convincing.However, its greatest strength lies in the casting and character development. Both the main and supporting characters are very well-developed, which makes a script without too many surprising elements stand out more than one might expect within its genre.
Up until episode 10, I was enjoying it, but it didn't strike me as anything exceptional; I kept watching mainly because of the performances of the main cast. From then on, I started to connect more with the story, although not all parts interested me equally, and it never completely captivated me. And since that's important to me, it's the reason I only give it a 7.5/10: as much as the characters and their performances fascinated me, they don't quite compensate for a plot I consider somewhat weak.
I want to especially highlight Wang Churan, the only member of the main cast I hadn't seen before, and who completely captivated me; every time she appeared on screen, my attention was drawn to her. In contrast, the Empress as the antagonist struck me as unconvincing, almost cartoonish, while Prince Duan seemed a much more complete and better-developed character.
Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting storyline with suspense and a little funny.
This has a transmigration-into-a-novel storyline, which I’m not particularly fond of. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I did enjoy the leads. I thought it was good—it held my attention and moved along at a nice pace. The novel they entered could have been stronger. The cast was solid, and the side stories drew me in, though they could have been developed more. There’s court politics between princes and palace harem infighting, with well-acted drama that also includes some funny moments. Amid the leads trying to figure out how to survive the novel’s plot, there’s a bit of romance, which for me always makes a drama more enjoyable.With this drama being fantasy it did blur the lines between what could be believable or not.
That being said the drama was carefree viewing. There were some hard choice tragic moments that will break your heart, but you move on quickly.
One thing that is unclear to me is how the antagonists knew so much about what the leads were dong.
All in all liked the leads and the drama and gave it a fair score.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A Breath of Fresh Air
Finally writing my review!At first I was not particularly into the drama, but I found it very funny and light, and it ended up being a pleasant surprise.
A rare and healthy romance
I am not a fan of friends-to-lovers romance developments, but here I really loved it. Because I like intense romance, I was not especially obsessed with the couple at the beginning, but when they started showing softness and attraction toward each other it was so cute. And it feels really good to see a healthy relationship like theirs, I think this is so RARE and it feels quite refreshing. Especially in cdramas, where we often see misunderstandings come out of nowhere (like characters are perfectly rational all along, and then out of nowhere they fail to grasp something that would obviously make sense to them), so it was nice that there were none of that here.
The beauty of diverse relationships
What I loved the most is the diversity of relationships shown in this drama: friendship, romantic love, an almost filial bond between Mr. Bei and the little girl, fellowship, respect for an enemy, caring for the people and their opposites. All the characters have a precise role, either as individuals or as a group (like the concubines), and I enjoyed most of them.
Light but not shallow
I liked the fact that it gets heavier at times and then lightens back up. Overall, this is still more of a comedy than anything else. Unlike Yu Wanyin, I also kept in mind throughout that this was all a story and did not get too attached, but I think the fact that the drama shows us this is even more of a testament to what a great story it is, especially when we know the original plot and see how everything ultimately unfolds with the two main characters and Xie Yonger's actions.
A plot that serves its purpose
The plot may be the least interesting element here, I had no particular expectations and was only moderately captivated by the overall story and schemes. But I think this is precisely the intention of the producers, or at least the effect they would naturally provoke in viewers. This is well illustrated through the character of Yu Wanyin, who at first just wants to save the emperor and herself, but whose heart gradually softens through the wonderful people she meets. I also liked the fact that when it comes to her father from the book, she always refuses to see him so that he can remain just a character in a story. I was already a little protective of him because he was so sweet and was being targeted by the court.
Props to the on-screen team
The costumes and makeup, especially Yu Wanyin's and the concubines', were SO beautiful! The acting is very nice too.
Conclusion
Most of all, there was not really anything that upset me. I think most of the drama was smooth and well done. A drama that does not make you absolutely passionate can feel refreshing in its own way, and this one managed to be exactly that.
There is one thing I have been thinking about that I don't think we ever got an answer for: which period of time was Xie Yonger from? Is it an alternative future? I did some research and Beijing has always been fairly well known, so I'm not sure what to make of it.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Almost Perfect
I like to give 10/10 for dramas I like. I tend to be generous even if there are flaws. I really want to give this a 10, but can't because of two things.First, what worked really well:
1) Sismance, or enemies to friends. The show is clear about how horrible it is to be in the harem--how the women have no choice but to backstab each other for survival. I love how the FL turns competitive consorts into friends. It was such a breath of fresh air to see women lift each other up, instead of the norm in c-dramas of women backstabbing each other.
2) Relationship between the FL and 2FL. Not only do they go from enemies to best friends, but I thoroughly enjoyed their joint scheming.
3) The FL saves the ML multiple times--whether it's his life, his heart, or his mind in becoming a good leader.
4) Female empowerment. The story always centers around the FL. Of course, the ML is also prominent, but she is the central axis. It was so satisfying to see an empress rule alongside her emperor. I also liked how she started the schools for girls.
5) The other strong female characters--even the ones you loved to hate.
6) A really great twist.
7) The scenery and sets are gorgeous.
8) The costumes are beautiful.
9) Even the villain is eye candy.
Why I couldn't give it a 10:
1) The ML was downright cruel in two separate incidents: when he punishes her by punishing her loved ones (the secret guards); and when he allows her to keep thinking that he is dead. She forgives him way too easily. Also, him drugging her was gross. I'm sick of male characters doing awful things to female characters supposedly because they are trying to protect them. The women shouldn't need protection FROM the men they love. There are ways to be good partners without doing messed-up things.
2) Death of Consort Xie and no mention of her in the present timeline. Did the death in the novel mean a death for her in real life? It would've been great to see her in the end, even briefly as another passenger on the subway.
If the two things above don't make you angry, I'd recommend the show.
Was this review helpful to you?
How are you? I'm fine, and you?
I was bored when I started watching the series and didn't watch it for a while. Then I started again and watched it with interest and curiosity. It was an interesting series. A different subject was chosen, and the events developed around it. I didn't like some parts. But I liked the idea. Its uniqueness intrigued me.The cinematography was good, the direction was good, the actors were good, the costumes were good, and the makeup was good.
However, when it deviates from reality, the interest in the subject decreases. The fact that the same young actor played the king's son in his childhood created confusion. I had to struggle to understand whether these scenes were from the present or the past. It was confusing. I didn't like it.
Besides, these flashbacks, jumps to clarify certain issues, and long conversations became tiresome. Because there were too many, it reduced the effectiveness of the series. When the possibility of the king and queen dying at the same time came up, the queen said she would trade her life. How is that possible? There are such nonsensical and unrealistic things. Like becoming king with a face mask. Like a face transplant. Impossible things were made to happen. I didn't like it. The scenes of the mute little boy poisoning the queen felt contrived. It didn't work.
The queen finally disbands the harem. That is, she frees the king's concubines, setting them free to remarry and do whatever they want. Has there ever been a monogamous empire in Chinese imperial history that disbanded its harem like this? Or has there ever been one that disbanded its existing harem? I understand some people saying they should reduce the number of wives, or have only one or two wives. But this is the first time I've heard of one disbanding an existing one. It has no basis in reality.
I liked the actors. I especially liked Ryang Chang. She beautifully blended good and evil, sympathy and cruelty, imbuing them with meaning and portraying them successfully. She's a very comedic actress. She should be given more opportunities. Wang Chu Ran was very well-suited as the queen. She played the role well. I don't think Tang Xiao Tian was a suitable actress for this role. But she played it well, gave a different image, I'm not saying anything about her acting, but I didn't like her in this role. I didn't find her suitable for the role. I sensed tension in her scenes with Wang Chu Ran. I might be wrong, but they weren't compatible. They put on a performance with a "let's just get this over with" attitude. Hu Yi Xuan was very good. She was very successful in her role. I liked her. Cui Yi was very successful. I liked her. Louis Fan was also very successful. He was especially good in the action scenes. I also liked the other supporting roles, even the younger actors. They were all very good. I recommend it to anyone who wants to watch it.
Was this review helpful to you?
Enjoyable escapism
This drama is good cotton candy. If you are in for the plot, you'll be disappointed. There are some plot holes and loose ends nothing major and the drama makes up for it in bunches thanks to its great acting, comedy and visuals. Chu Ran was made for this role where she can be silly and showcase her comedic talent. She was giving off some young Julia Robert vibes. On top of that she looked so beautiful in those dresses. As the lead couple, Chu Ran and Ryan cannot be more photogenic. Their chemistry and banter is what also keeps you in the drama. I particularly enjoyed their lines where as transmigrators, they talked about pop culture and how to identify if someone is from the modern era or just a character who only exists in the book.For the plot you have to be more forgiving, although it does have some twists and character reveals that were not telegraphed so it was not all completely predictable. The side characters, in particular the ML's bodyguard, were also fun to watch. With regard to the secondary leads, Yi Xuan from Unforgettable Love (2021) is lovely and radiant as always (I never get tired of her beaming smile) while Xiao Tian from My Little Happiness (2021) always does a great job even though the script didn't offer him much to chew on. The same goes for the Empress who was another antagonist that could have used more of a backstory to give her depth. Nevertheless, the shortcomings are not too significant when considering the drama for its visuals, the chemistry between the leads and its bright and colorful cinematography.
The ending is great, full of positive vibes, and it was beautifully shot. In sum, while the plot and character development are not top-notch (I did fast forward here and there), the selling point here is the beautiful and charming Chu Ran, along with the great casting, comedy and the visuals. These alone make the drama a good watch for carefree and enjoyable escapism.
Was this review helpful to you?
Loving this!
I am enjoying this drama so much. It has me watching every episode without skipping or forwarding. The two main leads have great chemistry and super sweet eye candy! Great plot with interesting twists, everything is orchestrated very well. This is one I will rewatch again! I highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good transmigratory drama that has a better plot.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A breath of fresh air
I just finished watching the 10th episode. I have to say that this show is honestly a breath of fresh air. I feel like most Chinese historical dramas these days always focus on the revenge plot line or just a super serious plot, and while I do like those storylines as well, it does get old. For instance, the drama that is currently airing alongside this one is called Jade wind. And that one seems to follow along the same type of plot that we have just seen over and over so I'm not really very into that show much even though I do love the actors. However, this show is very fresh and fun. I know the whole (falling into the book)has been done before, but somehow this is being done in a fresh way and I love how the leads were together from literally the first episode and we didn't have to build up to it. There's just a mutual trust between them which I think is beautiful. It's not too heavy and depressing like a lot of the Chinese dramas these days. There's humor in there. It's kept very light-hearted, most of the time, and I don't know there's just something about it that is really fresh. Not to mention the costumes are beautiful.Especially the female leads costumes.They are 10 out of 10 for me.You can tell this was a big budget drama and I am loving it. The male lead I have seen in many other dramas and always loved him. But I really think that after my journey to you, this is his next best performance. I love how he is basically playing 2 characters. The serious king and then the goofy partner of the female lead, he switches up so well and I love that. Yeah, I just really have nothing bad to say about this drama at all. Every episode has me hooked and Honestly, it's rare for me to feel happy when watching a Chinese drama because like I said, usually they are more revenge plot based, so I'm like so invested in the characters getting their revenge and killing the bad guys, etc. So I wouldn't say that I feel happy while watching those dramas while I do love them, but with this one i feel happy while watching and then waiting for the next episode. The last show that mademe feel like that was "yummy yummy yummy" that was my comfort drama while it aired lol But yeah , this drama just feels lighthearted, fun and fresh , and I can already tell this will be one of my top favorite dramas of all time. 😊Was this review helpful to you?
