A story about coming of age and the relationships that will shape you

I finished this almost a month ago and I still think about some scenes. This story is more than just a youth drama about romance, it is a story about life.

This is going onto my list of GOATs. One of the best shows I've ever watched (ignoring episodes 14-16 lol), this has the nostalgia of Our Beloved Summer and the spirit of Haikyuu in the best way.

It's a story about an unforgettable summer of youth - coming-of-age, looking forward and moving forward, with the deep camaraderie and friendships/relationships that will shape who you are as a person in the years to come.

I loved every single relationship and moment, so full of joy and nostalgia and warmth. I could write essays about Na Heedo and Bek Yijin's relationship. The ending was controversial yes, but their relationship moved me so much. It's my happy place. Regardless of how it turns out, the fact that they had such a relationship is what mattered the most.

Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk shone in their respective roles, especially Kim Tae-ri. It's worth watching just for her alone.

(Can't believe I found f/f kagehina in Ko Yurim and Na Heedo's relationship 🤣)

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Watch for the engaging story, not the romance

An adaptation of a novel, this was a surprisingly enjoyable drama (ignoring the romances). The politics/story was actually the best part. Consistent characterizations, engaging political intrigue. I enjoyed watching everyone maneuver around each other and the various sideplots.

The various romances were however a bit of a mess. It was not clear why she rejected some men, like the young Marquis and Lord Zhang. I had to read summaries of the webnovel to understand their characters and relationships, which is the sign of a poorly written romance. Jiang Xuening's romance with Xie Wei also didn't start till late episode 32 iirc (?) and it was rushed. There was debate about whether Jiang Xuening was being groomed by Xie Wei or she truly loved him. Imo if they had paced it better and developed it better, it would have been more satisfying.

I was however pleasantly surprised that the second half and the ending didn't flop and I didn't have to skip episodes or scenes. I also felt that Zhang Linghe overacted at points but his Xie Wei was consistent. Bailu delivers a reliable performance as usual.

PS check out the As You Wish variety show. That was SO good.

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sad ending but worth the ride

The first half of the story was fantastic. The focus on the characters coming to care for each other, the Liudao brothers' easy camaraderie, the warm and affectionate relationship between the main leads, the feminist themes and the mentorship between Ruyi and the Princess were all so enjoyable to watch.

Sadly I feel that the story lost steam halfway. The group took way too long getting to the An Empire, and once there, the introduction of LTG and Chu Yue (though I enjoyed their performances) weakened the plot and made it draggy. The script is best when focusing on the characters, their relationships and their growth. For some reason the scriptwriter or director lost sight of that and began focusing on politicking in the second half, making it a rather tedious watch.

Then there is the ending. There is a lot of debate about whether the ending was 'good' or not. I think it was a poor ending. The characters made decisions inconsistent with their previously very consistent characterizations, and some died in rather unsatisfying ways. I fast forwarded from episode 28ish onwards as the show felt very draggy and a bit of a mess.

Still, for the fun I had in the first half, I'm giving this an 8.5. IMO this show is very rewatchable before the sad ending for the funny shenanigans and the heartwarming bonds between all the characters.

Side note but LTG reminds me of every obsessed yandere abandonment issue disciple in every cnovel bl ever lol. He has Luo Binghe vibes.

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beautifully shot and acted but loses steam

This is beautifully shot and you can see how high quality the show is. The premise is interesting - it's based off real historical figures (I saw the memoir on my Goodreads). I was curious how this might have been dramatized and adapted. The real lady Ui-bin Seong was only known to history by her role to the king: her pregnancies, her children, her title as harem wife and her death. On the other hand, we have a full story of the king's life in childhood, politics, etc. The king's life is also very messed up and I wondered how they were going to zoom in to this one part of his life story and romanticize it.

However, the drama pleasantly surprised me by adding a feminist element. This is a story about love when it is complicated by power. It's about what love means to a man vs a woman.

As much as I enjoyed these themes, I found their back-and-forth "be my concubine / I love you" and "no I'm my own woman" to be quite tedious. The drama started out very strong and it is very well-acted (especially Lee Junho) but the increasing politics started boring me around episode 7/8. Had to drop this.

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Second cp stole the show

Love my toxic couple, Gong Shangjue and Shangguang Qian. I need more of them!!!! Every scene between them was peak tension and drama. Also this is the first drama that made me change my mind about Esther Yu (couldn't stand her character in LBFAD) but in this drama she was really good as quiet but sharp Yun Weishan. I love the scenes between Yun Weishan and Shangguang Qian, I wish there was more of their tense, 'keeping each other on your toes' dynamic and scenes.

The pacing is super uneven - starts off slow, drags like crazy in the middle with the boring back hill/three tests arc, and intense and heart stopping in the last big battle arc. That ending hurts me, S2 please 😭 did my girl SGQ lie about her pregnancy like she lied about almost everything else or was she telling the truth?!

This is also one of the most visually beautiful shows! Almost on par with the films I used to analyze for film class.

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A surprisingly good xianxia

Wow, a female lead cdrama that doesn't make me want to tear my hair out from sheer rage. Whenever I watch historical cdramas with a woman as a protagonist, it's always an exercise in frustration, always so disappointing. This is happily half a step towards a strong female lead.

Fantastic acting from everybody. Yang Zi killed it in this drama! I found her previous roles quite bad (cough Ashes of Love that I dropped halfway) but she was excellent in this. Maybe it's because her character isn't a total damsel in distress? She gives some good, solid acting in this show, delivering serious tearjerker performances multiple times. I stayed up till 2am to watch the reveal of her hidden identity and cried alongside her. I was that riveted.

Zhang Wan Yi's Cang Xuan was really good at playing the ruthless strategist politician with intense emotional eyes (I thought he had a bit of a baby face but he grew on me). And special shout-out to Tan Jian Ci's Xiang Liu. This guy can seriously act. He was really charismatic, regardless of whatever persona he was playing - playboy Fangfei Bei or cold and stoic Xiang Liu. He really grew on me and stole the show.

Deng Wei's Tushan Jing was a bit weak. He's supposed to be one of those gentle scion of a noble house with a very astute and sharp mind, but came off as a bit of a puppy and looked quite angsty and lost most of the time. There was a big disconnect between how the other characters talk about him and how he carries himself and acts in the scenes.

The first half was, as always, the highlight. Yang Zi's character was badass. The second half was about political machinations and the love quadruple (love web by the end). I shipped Xiao Yao and Tushan Jing at first (lol it's quite fun to pick a ship) but got a bit bored of the 'will they won't they' between them. By the end of the show, I was firmly on the 'so close they're codependent' powerful sibling duo Cang Xuan and Xiao Yao. Love how they'd kill for each other. That's the drama I live for.

Great fun, can't wait for S2.

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An exploration about what it means to be a mother

This show does something special. It goes beyond just telling a story, but it shows you what it means to be a mother and to have a mother. This is one of the GOATs of TV shows, up there with the likes of Go Ahead and My Mister. This show is a longform essay about mothering and motherhood, and is wonderfully nuanced and poignant in its commentary about social issues. But at the heart of it all, it's about the love story between a lonely woman and a lonely child, how they became mother and daughter to each other, and how they chose each other over and over again.

(I need a Father counterpart now please 🙏)

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A good second chance love story

I'm kind of undecided whether this is a 3.5 or 4 stars (out of 5). On the one hand, this is quite a well-made character introspection narrative/drama about two people coming together and trying again. On the other hand, the middle part really drags and I wish this was 12 or (at the maximum!) 14 episodes, instead of the current 16. I stopped at around 11/12 coz of losing steam.

I like that this is very character focused and really tells the stories of the two leads and the side characters. The palette is so nostalgic, like Hatsukoi and Makanai san, and the school days segment gives me the feels for Someday or One Day (I'm not over that heartbreaking ending 😭). I think the skillful use of flashbacks and character voiceover narration actually works to the show's advantage because it feels like a diary at times, and I love the glimpse into the character's inner lives.

My gripe is really the length. 16 episodes is really way too much. Where the first 8-10 episodes feel better paced in terms of introducing the characters, their motivations, angst, and their perspectives on the break-up and their lives, by episode 10-11 it feels like the show is just dragging it out. (Also Kim Ji Woon's angst is just. So. Well written!!!)

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Warm and slow-paced slice-of-life

Kore-eda brings his signature warmth and humanistic focus to a story about two teenage girls making their way in the geisha world in Kyoto. This is a show for when you are in the mood for something super slice-of-life, warm friend group/family vibes, food, and fluff. There is no drama, tension, and conflict, which gets boring if you are not in the mood for it. The food portrayals never fail to make me hungry, and I loved the glimpses into the craft of being a geisha/maiko/geiko (e.g. the ichi-go-ichi-e phrase) and the glimpses of Japanese culture. It was also fun to spot Kyoto in the background.

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A very well-done time travel story

I don't know what to say because this was a lot. One of the best time travel stories, up there with Reset and Dark (but with less mindfuckery incest than Dark), and such a moving portrayal of grief, first love, highschool summer romance, while also being a bit of a coming-of-age story and a story about depression. Saw someone say this is what Kimi no Na Wa tried to be, and I totally see that, and I also think this is what jdrama First Love tried to be. Last episode, last scene had me ready to start sobbing 😭😭😭 I'm just. Not ok. I should have known time travel doesn't end well. Absolutely amazing performances by the cast, especially the two main leads. There is a huge hole in my heart now 😭😭 I watched this to get over Under the Queen's Umbrella, now I need to watch something to get over this (also when will Letterboxd add Alchemy of Souls etc??)

*Humor is unfortunately sometimes very not funny (fatphobic, transphobic) and I wish Huang Quan Sheng's storyline was resolved properly. Also Li Ziwei's second chase of her was low-key rather like harassment?? And what is this weird thing with age gaps lmao...

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Heartwarming and family-centric

😭😭😭 Dramabeans' review-recaps summarized everything I might have wanted to say, especially the ones covering the last episodes: www.dramabeans.com/2022/12/under-the-queens-umbrella-episodes-15-16/

I think the main cast just really stayed with me: their poignant moments, their warm and rich relationships, and their complex characterizations. IMO one of the best uses of death of a loved one as a motivating force. The flashbacks of the previous Crown Prince's warm and playful moments with his mother and his brother that are flashed to the audience at just the right moments never fail to make me feel emotional. I do also love the complexity of the revenge political plot in the ending, although the ending was rushed. Not without its flaws but I LOVE a middle-aged woman as a protagonist (like EEAO), and the focus on mother-son relationships. More please 😭

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A pure shot of dopamine

Suuuper cute and fun in the beginning but sadly fizzled out by the end. Full of tropes and cliches, but self-aware and doesn't take itself too seriously, the show is an absolute delight in the first 5-6 episodes. I literally almost squealed and laughed out loud on PUBLIC TRANSPORT multiple times while binging this. It's like a pure dose of joy and sunshine.

The second main pair grew on me sooo much and I felt more invested in them than in the lead couple. Young-seo and Sung-ho are just 🥺🥺🥺 so precious 🥺🥺🥺

Sad that the second half of the drama became like a conventional kdrama (just like Extraordinary Attorney Woo), losing much of the liveliness and character of the first half.

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Zhao Lusi carries this show

Cdramas always have this problem whereby the ending is such a mess. That aside, Leo Wu and Zhao Lusi (and many other side characters) were very good in this one. I started watching this to fill the huge hole Alchemy of Souls Part 1 left in me (Mu Deok 😭😭😭) and Zhao Lusi's hilarious and lively Shaosheng and Leo Wu's taciturn and competent General Ling Zisheng (he has the most expressive eyes) left me a bit obsessed and I binged it in 3 days.

Part 1 focuses on the troubled mother and daughter relationship between Shaosheng and her badass and tough mother. Part 2 focuses on court intrigue as Shaosheng settles into life in the palace.

As much as Shaosheng and Zisheng's storyline is romantic, sweet, heartbreaking, (frustrating), and poignant, equally as moving and precious to me is Shaosheng's relationships with the mother figures in her life, and the complex and quiet background triad of the Emperor, Consort Yue and Empress Xuan. Empress Xuan's love for Shaosheng and Shaosheng's joy in this newfound nurturing mother-mentor figure is so touching. Shaosheng blossoms in this relationship, learning to understand her complicated relationship with her own prickly and harsh mother a lot more. The complex triad of the Emperor, Empress Xuan and Consort Yue is as fascinating and subtle as any main romance. There is jealousy and resentment, but mainly there is camaraderie, companionship, and love. (Also I love Consort Yue).

I enjoy complex character dramas and I liked that most characters are finely drawn, with complexity and nuance. Shaosheng is her own worst enemy in relationships and constantly acts out; Ling Zisheng is not much better and compartmentalizes the different parts of his personality. Both live under the long-reaching arm of childhood trauma. Somehow two damaged people come together to form a healthy (codependent?) love lol.

Poor scriptwriting is still obvious (and becomes more obvious the closer we get to the finale lol) and characters started acting stupid and the plot starts to flipflop between ridiculous exaggeration or melodrama lol.

Anyway, this was not bad and I'm quite sold on Leo Wu's performance (was kinda meh about his character in The Long Ballad). Zhao Lusi continues to bring that special liveliness to her roles.

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