A Drama Where A Fierce General And A Cursed Prince Fall Hard, Fast, and Forever
It’s an entertaining, well-rounded watch, especially for viewers who love romance-driven stories with devoted puppy male leads, strong female leads who fight for love, and a plot that prioritizes romance while weaving in action, humor, and light war politics.GYX, who I have only seen in soft roles, plays an army general here. The character she plays is both formidable and vulnerable, a woman who leads armies yet still longs and loves deeply. I like that she doesn't feel overly masculinized and her action scenes are incredible.
YZX plays a dual role with nuance. Early on, his character is pure devotion - a poisoned, masked prince whose world revolves entirely around the FL. Yes, he starts out as a devoted puppy, but it works because the story leans into that intensity. Once his memories return, his performance gains layers : internal conflict and heartbreak as he tries - and fails - to cut off his feelings
he chemistry is palpable and scorching between these two beautiful people. They look great together, and the romance is unapologetically front and center. The kisses are beautifully shot and intense.
This drama is romance heavy - War and political intrigue exist mainly as a backdrop rather than the main focus. As a romance junkie, I loved this choice. The stakes are high, but they never overshadow the emotional core.
Production Quality is high for a vertical drama. Costumes are rich and detailed, sets and scenery are stunning, fight choreography is well done and so is the OST.
Does it lack some narrative depth? Yes. The war and political elements are underdeveloped, and the ‘Gu-worm magic’ instant attraction limits the emotional complexity the romance could have explored. That said, for a vertical drama, I was ok with it being a bit surface level - and more importantly, it remained consistently engaging and entertaining throughout.
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Guo Yu Xin kicked ass + plenty of hot kisses
I miss watching Guo Yu Xin dramas. I had watched Yan Zhi Xian in mini dramas but not vertical dramas. After watching a teaser on reddit, I was intrigued and watched this drama within 24 hours of its release. I liked it but didn't love it.What I liked:
1. Romance - There were plenty of kisses in this drama and they were full of fervour. I liked that ML was protective of FL.
2. Acting - It was wonderful to see Guo Yu Xin kicking ass & performing stunts. I also liked Yan Zhi Xian's performance. Both of them are excellent kissers. Their chemistry was sizzling.
3. Action - Loved the fight scenes.
4. Supporting characters - I really liked the tanghulu-eating guy. He added fun to the drama. FL's soldiers were entertaining as well.
5. Supernatural - I loved the fantasy element from gu worm to the child.
What I disliked:
1. Intimacy - Good physical intimacy but the emotional pull between FL & ML was not enough.
2. Antagonist - Crown prince.
3. Plot - I lost interest during the middle of the drama because ML's arc did not flow smoothly.
Favourite scene
When FL had spring dream
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A handsome main lead, high-quality production, a good cast, and fanservice
This is a very decent vertical drama. Of course, a magnificent full-length adaptation of the same novel exists, but it’s not worth comparing them—the creators had completely different goals and resources. In general, Jiu Lu Fei Xiang's novels deserve all kinds of adaptations in all kinds of formats, and this vertical mini-drama looks very watchable.Granted, the plot turned out to be a bit rushed, but there are no major pacing drops or inconsistencies; it’s more about things being left unsaid. And honestly, I think it’s a good thing that the creators didn't try to cram the uncrammable. Instead of focusing on the intricate geopolitical relationships between the two states, they dedicated screen time to fanservice and artistic techniques popular in this format. Because let’s be honest: vertical dramas are not so much about the plot as they are about romance, aesthetics, and/or sensuality.
There is plenty of aesthetics here! You get close-ups emphasizing the leads' lingering glances, wide shots with falling snow, beautiful costumes, and decent sets. There is also a lot of romance, and it’s very aesthetic—kisses, gentle touches, and long looks. For the most part, the focus of the story is shifted precisely to the leads' love rather than war and palace intrigues. And I wouldn't say the story lost much because of it.
Moreover, the production values are excellent. Sometimes you watch these shows and cringe at the amateurish execution, but that’s not the case here. The production doesn't look cheap or half-baked. The framing, camera angles, lighting, and editing are all at a decent level for this format. I was especially pleased with the ability to handle lighting in the frame—something that is often ignored in vertical dramas.
But the biggest highlight of this drama is the cast.
Yan Zi Xian is a recognized star of short-form dramas. The camera loves him, and we, the female audience, love him too. He is great at acting out that devoted, lovesick gaze from the bottom up, and the director shamelessly takes advantage of this. His character turned out to be an amazing combination of vulnerability and hidden strength: one moment he seems loyal and defenseless, and the next, he is ready to do anything for the one he loves. Both of his images were wonderful—the naive, lovesick "supersoldier" in the first half, and the prince tangled up in his own feelings in the second half.
I liked Guo Yu Xin in the role of the female general. She is stern enough in armor and pretty enough in a dress. She doesn't display a massive emotional range, but this fits the character's personality perfectly. However, against the backdrop of the ML, she got slightly lost for me.
Wang Rui Zi fit the role of the third wheel in the love triangle perfectly. His Crown Prince looks moderately arrogant, moderately crazed due to his love for the FL, and moderately miserable because his love is unrequited. I especially liked that the line between obsession and sanity was well-maintained—without villainous laughter or theatrical monologues.
The musical accompaniment was also great—it didn't pull attention away from the story but only heightened the emotion of the scenes. The costumes are luxurious yet not overly gaudy. Pretty hairpins and guans with long chains—not entirely logical when it comes to the ML, to be honest, but highly aesthetic.
Another feature of this drama is its humor. Before the ML regained his memory, the way he hilariously demonstrated his loyalty to the FL was sometimes on the verge of absurdity. But it was funny, not cringey. Later, as it often happens, the humor gives way to drama. However, there is no heavy angst here, and subjectively, that is another huge plus.
An interesting fact for me personally: this is one of the few dramas where periods are mentioned. The ML’s care for the FL while she is suffering from "women's illness" looks funny but very touching.
Overall, this mini-drama is well worth the couple of hours spent on it. A handsome main lead, high-quality production, a good cast, and fanservice—this is more than enough to get enjoyment from watching.
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Patriot drama scam; it was common love story.
I watched this as someone who never watch long drama version so it based from my own experience. I watched this in the day drama was released.I was expecting a heroic female general's inspirational story, but I was wrong. Well, this drama still rely heavily on kissing scenes and i was quite annoyed on the kissing on first scene since FL as general should instinctively get her judo skill if she encountered danger?
Although, I quite like Guo Yu Xin, I felt she wasn't suitable for the role of a female general Her characterization didn't quite match of her as a patriot general. The plot had many holes, and the cause and effect were unclear. You need to get through the confusing beginning. For the chemistry between her and Yan Zi Xian, it was still passable to watch.
FL speech was contradicting from the action for the example she said to crown prince "I will never allow my future to be about fighting for a man," is followed by her suddenly borrowing 50,000 troops from the crown prince to attack a Gu sect and rescue the ML.
The switching between the young and adult versions of the ML's scenes is very smooth and natural. Patriotic tale is scam, it is actually a story of personal romance, and the ending completely disregards logical details.
Only for hardcore fans of the actors.
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