What happened? So much promise….
Thirty or so episodes in, this was becoming one of my favorite c-dramas. It had all the elements - romance, friendship, politics, action, slight mystery and light comedy, The friendship between the FL and her best friend was so heart warming. I loved seeing the FL overcome her hardships and fight for justice. It was annoying every episode seeing the repetitive action of all against the FL calling for her removal or death, but that was really the only thing that irked me. The relationship between the FL and ML really pulled me in. The ML actor did a beautiful job of displaying his cold exterior yet silent yearning for the ML. Let’s just say the last few episodes took a complete and utter ridiculous turn. It completely ruined everything before that had been leading up to it. I’d rate everything before that a 9, but the last few episodes brought it down to a 7. So I’ll combine it and give it an 8.Was this review helpful to you?
Smart ML FL pairing
I like that there is a good balance of power and brains between the ML and FL. I am tired of dramas where the ML is the sidekick candy. ML is a strong character always played well by CZY and the FL is acted by veteran Wu Jin Yan. I have always enjoyed her acting and she brings depth to her character.I enjoy the decisiveness with which the bad guys are dealt with and although they are sinister (the baddies), the FL and ML are invested in over throwing them. I am still waiting for the latest episodes to air and can’t wait for the discovery of many questions to be answered.
Will continue to follow the series with anticipation.
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This review may contain spoilers
This could've been an email
The biggest problem I had with Royal Betrothal is that I never really felt like I was watching the story happen. I constantly felt like I was being given the summary of a story that could have been much better. Everything moves so quickly and the scenes barely connect. They can talk about going somewhere together or sharing a ride, and then suddenly the next scene has one of them somewhere completely different. There is no time for anything to settle or for a moment to actually develop before we're already onto the next thing. It made the whole drama feel strangely rushed, like every scene existed only to deliver a piece of information and then disappear.Because of that, I also never felt like I actually knew either of the leads. We see the FL doing things and going through hardships, and I genuinely liked her childhood story, but I don't feel like I know who she is beyond what the plot requires her to do. I don't know much about her inner thoughts, her fears, her aspirations or even what she really wants for herself. The ML has the same problem. He mostly exists in relation to the FL, and outside of that I don't think we get enough of his personality or his own thoughts to understand what kind of man he actually is. They both feel distant, and sometimes almost like they're just reading lines that were handed to them.
The romance suffers from this more than anything. Their childhood connection was such a good foundation, especially because he saved her life, and later he does so much for her. He changes rules, takes a beating, repeatedly stands up for her and remains determined to be with her even after finding out that she's the last royal blood of the Zhongween people. He clearly has very strong feelings for her, but somehow I never felt those feelings developing between them. There was no real tension or gradual warmth. Their relationship feels more like two people who have become very good partners and then suddenly we're expected to believe they're deeply in love. His confession in episode 24 was the clearest example. After waiting all this time, he confesses and the scene is over almost immediately. There was so little emotion or buildup that it honestly felt like the drama suddenly remembered it needed a confession scene.
The whole Zhongween storyline bothered me for the same reason. We're told that she's the last royal blood of the Zhongween people, but we barely learn anything about the people themselves or what happened to them. Her parents were killed, her people were killed, and the emperor's father was responsible for it, yet I barely felt any emotional connection between the FL and that history. I don't need her to spend the entire drama hating the ML for something his father did, but surely she should remember it and have some complicated feelings about it. The fact that she can apparently fall in love with the son of the man responsible for killing her parents and people should be a huge emotional conflict, and the drama barely touches it.
The bath scene made this even stranger. She sees the black bird tattoo and something is obviously supposed to click for her, but we never really get to understand what happened in her head. Did she remember something? Did she suddenly understand her origins? Did seeing it trigger a memory? I have no idea. She just rushes out of the bath and tells the emperor she wants to marry him. We don't even get a proper conversation between them about her origins or what she has just remembered before this huge decision happens. That should have been such an important moment for her character, but it felt like another plot point the drama needed to get through.
The same thing happens with her saying that she doesn't want to become empress. She says it more than once, but I never really saw her do anything with that conflict. If she genuinely doesn't want that life, especially considering everything that happened to her family, I wanted to see her seriously wrestle with what marrying the emperor would mean. Instead, she says she doesn't want it and the story continues toward exactly that outcome anyway.
I was also surprised by how little actual court intrigue there was. With an emperor, royal succession, political enemies and the last surviving member of a destroyed royal family, I expected the court to be full of schemes, factions and people trying to use the situation to their advantage. Instead, the political world felt strangely empty. There are officials and conflicts, but I never really felt like there was a living political system behind the characters. Even the investigations have this problem. We suddenly get evidence or discover something important without really seeing how they found it. I wanted to watch them investigate, make mistakes, connect clues and slowly figure things out. Instead, we usually just arrive at the answer.
I also struggled with the FL's characterization from the beginning. She's supposed to be an orphan who survived a difficult life, but she is incredibly confident and reckless from the first episode. She kills someone in public, chases another person with a knife and openly challenges the emperor, and I kept wondering why someone with her background wasn't more careful or calculating. I expected her to be quieter and more observant, someone who had learned to survive by thinking before acting. I also don't feel like she changes much throughout the story. Things happen to her, but I don't feel like those things really transform her.
The casting and styling didn't help either. I really liked the actress in The Double, but here I couldn't feel much of the character's inner life through her performance. Sometimes I genuinely couldn't tell what she was thinking, although I think the writing is partly responsible because she isn't given much to work with. Her chemistry with the ML also didn't work for me. The makeup, costumes and camera angles made it worse, and there were times when she honestly looked more like his aunt than his love interest. I don't mean that because of their actual looks, it was mainly the styling that felt rather cheap.
I actually found the second couple more convincing because their dynamic felt warmer and more natural. I was also confused by some of the deaths. Captain Di's death in particular made me wonder what the point was, and the ML's guard as well. If characters are going to die, I want their deaths to actually change something or carry some emotional weight rather than just being another tragic event added to the story.
The ending was probably the final nail in the coffin for me. The last few episodes felt extremely rushed, and then the final episode was packed with flashbacks. There was so much repeated material that it genuinely felt like the drama didn't know what to do with its remaining runtime.
And that's what makes this frustrating, because I can actually see how good this could have been. The childhood connection was good, the FL's background had potential, the ML's devotion could have made for a really compelling romance, and the history of the Zhongween people could have given the whole story a much deeper political and emotional layer. Even the conflict between her past and her relationship with the emperor could have been one of the strongest parts of the drama. Instead, everything is introduced and then immediately rushed past.
I think that's why I kept feeling so detached while watching. The drama keeps giving me the outcome without letting me experience the journey that leads to it. We're told they're in love without really watching them fall in love, we're given evidence without seeing the investigation, we're told three years have passed without ever feeling those three years, and we're told the FL carries this enormous history without really seeing how it affects her.
But After i knew that the director is actually the same from "Rebirth", it clicked for me why it's this bad. Also, stop adapting great novels to cdrama if you're not gonna commit to the same level, like the end was so good in the novel...why change it to something this vague? Nowadays, everyone is afraid of producing an end. I would chose a sad ending the whole day that an open one.
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Distinct enough in the beginning.
Honestly, i've read its novel and i'm greatly disappointed in how they adapted it. But I'll focus more on reviewing this drama alone without basing it on the novel.In my opinion, the plot alone was already more distinct than most dramas. More so the characters. The ML is a young emperor who strives to get a hold on his power and to fight for what he wants for a change. He was smart and determined. He knew his responsibility. And despite having feelings for FL, he didn't let his emotions sway him from what's more important.
FL is also a force. She's brave and smart but also reckless and impulsive. She's not perfect. No character was. And that was understandable from how she grew up and her past experiences.
Together, the two could be a power couple if done more correctly. If portrayed more in the script. I think it had lost its potential because they didn't get down that path. They didn't need to kill any of the supporting characters, for the leads alone already had a great impact if they just continued to shake the nation together about their romance.
This is the part i honestly believe they screwed up.
The political issues were intriguing enough that they didn't feel boring. The characters were portrayed so greatly that you would feel annoyed at them. That only means that the acting was very effective.
Okay. I'll give this an 8 because i still liked 2/3 of the drama. It could have been a 10 if they just... but they didn't. And despite everything, i don't care much about how obvious it was that their makeups aren't balanced or any of the cinematography. I like the costumes though.
And I'm more focused on the plot and character development, the entire story. That's all.
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A solid 10/10 ?
Well well well... M done🥹🥹🥹First of all, I gotta say, how dare C-netizens give it 5/10 on douban.. It's a 1000/10 😩
It takes me back to the good o'days of cdrama nd kdrama historical drama vibe with goooood plot, and not just focus on face card.. 😅
It seems people r now used to idol dramas they've forgotten why many fell in love with these dramas in d first place 😩
Now I can proudly say I've finished a CZY drama 😂 I lovedddd that it's not a romance themed drama, and it didn't have people doing anything for the sake of love 😒😏
It's literally a drama u can watch with your family in peace and bond over...without fear of any steamy scenes, inappropriate scenes.
Wish I could give the actors flowers 😂 they did well tbh.. M proud of them 👏
Did I cry? Almost, did I love it 💯, did I want to beat some people in d drama, ofc 😂
But it's a solid one..
For the first time ever, I decided to open a MDL account so I can comment here, cus pple b hating 😒😂😏
If you're considering watching this and you're a fan of dramas like Empress Ki (kdrama), Royal Feast, Princess Agent (cdrama), well.. What r u waiting for? 😁 💃
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This review may contain spoilers
A mature and great story
The fact that people are mad about the ending seriously he finds her after few years you see them ridding off in the desert that was enough for me. Leads def have strong chemistry could fell through the screen both strong actors in their own right. I loved how they spoke about the struggles females running a business, being forced into marriage , trying to go to school. I loved all 3 couples. Im sad about nian and hung bo deaths ive watched enough cdramas to know sometimes i favs characters die in the drama. I just think its how actor whole played villian the double did again in this drama. I def recommend this drama ignore the reviews i def rewatch again.Was this review helpful to you?
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Poor Pacing
Good story , great selection of characters and storylines nice costumes, sets and some beautiful scenery . I felt however that the pacing was bad . The ending was rushed and there could have been easily another 2 or 3 episodes following Meng Ting Hui's return to her homeland and the liberation of her countrymen. Better still reduce some of the earlier episodes and storylines so that more time could be given to expand the ending. All in all a good drama with a less than satisfying ending .Was this review helpful to you?
Good actors, low execution
I really tried to like this, I really did. Actually the first episodes were great, but after episodes 8-12 I couldn't stand the show and I dropped it.Most of the actors did their job amazingly and they portrayed their characters as if they were alive. I have no comments on that and I applause their effort!
I started watching this drama because I love strong female characters who want to get into politics ahead of their time. Unfortunately, at some point the story went somewhere else and the plot wasn't focusing on the FL's ascension to glory. There were a lot of unnecessary scenes. I appreciated they wanted to portray feminine struggles of that era and maybe some of the subplots could have been interesting later, but there was something in this show that felt uncanny.
I mean I thought I was watching an AI drama or a poor-budget vertical drama a lot of the times. I've heard that they've had some problems with the budget, but also the script felt really weird. The dialogue didn't feel natural. Even the cinematography seemed inspired by those short AI dramas and there were a lot of static breaks between the scenes. A few parts were cinematic and I cared about what happened to the characters, but most of the time it couldn't interest me.
I'm disappointed because I wanted to find something like the Legend of Lu Zhen again but this was not it.
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It feels like another recycled historical drama, borrowing too much from recent productions.
I've liked Chen Zhe Yuan ever since Hidden Love, but it was Fated Hearts that truly made me admire him as an actor. So, of course, I wasn't going to miss Royal Betrothal.And Wu Jin Yan is simply beyond praise. I love her performances, especially in Story of Yanxi Palace, and she was absolutely magnificent in The Double.
Unfortunately, after seven episodes, this drama still hasn't lived up to my expectations. An intense plot, a powerful male lead, a clever female lead, revenge, political intrigue, and a struggle for power—on paper, it has all the ingredients for an outstanding story. So where does it go wrong? Why does nothing about this drama captivate me?
I've been asking myself that question, and I've come to one conclusion: this is yet another repetitive story, too similar to countless dramas we've seen in recent years.
Not even Wu Jin Yan's remarkable acting can save such an unappealing female character. Despite her tragic past, her determination to survive, and her relentless pursuit of revenge against a cruel and unjust world, she leaves me emotionally untouched. I feel no empathy for her shattered soul or her broken heart. The hardships she has endured have turned her into someone cold, harsh, and manipulative, making it difficult for me to connect with her.
As if that weren't enough, her styling is simply awful. The pale makeup and pinkish eye contour make her look tired, swollen, and much older than she should. The costumes do her no favors either. She appears far too mature for the role and noticeably older than her male counterpart. So far, there is absolutely no chemistry between her and the emperor.
I'm honestly growing tired of seeing the same formulas repeated over and over again. I'll give this drama a few more episodes, but I'm not sure even Chen Zhe Yuan's charm will be enough to keep me watching.
What a disappointment.
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Don’t miss this drama
I started watching this series for Wu Jinyan. Having really admired her performance in *The Double*, she certainly didn't disappoint here. Some people have criticized the classic "older female lead/younger male lead" dynamic, but I disagree, as this is a common trope in many Chinese dramas; besides, the pairing doesn't feel awkward at all. I really enjoyed their acting. It was a particular surprise to see the actor who played the villainous Shen Yurong in *The Double* appearing as a good character here. Furthermore, Chen Zheyuan is a striking actor, and I believe his chemistry with Wu Jinyan will only grow stronger as the character Meng Tinghui advances in her career. All in all, while the series might not quite reach the same level of impact as *The Double* or *Story of Yanxi Palace*, I can say that I enjoyed it.Was this review helpful to you?
Very Good One of the Best dramas this summer...
I only watched up to 13. Immediately, you can see that the budget for the drama is rather low compared to, like, a drama that just finished airing, like Blossoms of Power. The story's plot is very interesting to me. It feels like I just watched every episode really, really fast. It was one of the best dramas this summer; compared to all the dramas I've watched, it is one of my favorites so far. FL's acting is SOOO good, and the ML has that emperor gaze; his acting is really good. He has those microexpressions, and you can see he's trying not to feel jealous or anything. It's just really good acting. Even though the opening was definitely AI, I was kind of sad, actually, but the story is so good compared to Blossoms of Power. The beginning had a really strong start, and then around it got so slow it was just the ML chasing the FL. :(I HAVE FINISHED IT
I just finished it. I watched up to 30 and watched around the end of 32, so it's not so bad. I consider it a Happy Ending. It was really good in the beginning. It did go a little downhill around the very end. I skipped episode 31 because I just think, based on what I've seen already, it's a lot of annoying writing, so I skipped it and just watched up to the end of 32. It was pretty good. I considered happy ending. The beginning was so good. I loved everyone's friendship. I will miss them. I hope in the future, dramas will have more depth, especially in people's friendships. It's very important to me, and I hope future drama is the pacing will have better pacing instead of squeezing everything in at the end. Please make it make sense at the end. I hope everyone enjoys this drama as I did. ❤️🥹
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Watching because of FL and ML
I have loved Chen Zhe Yuan and Wu Jing Yan since Fated Hearts/Hidden Love and The Double respectively. Started watching purely because of leads and will push through.I do feel that the production value is low and sometimes the scenes seem rather abrupt, not sure if it’s an editing issue or just how the screenplay was written.
Though both ML and FL are good actors, I’m still struggling with their chemistry. Maybe it’s still early in the episodes as Cdramas are all about slow burn but I felt the chemistry between Wu Jing Yan and Wang Xing Yue much earlier in The Double.
Also somewhat disappointed that the ML voice over wasn’t done by him as his voice sounds way better.
Last but not least, the subtitles on Mango TV are absolutely atrocious. ML’s name translates to Hal?? 😓
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