Cioran

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pwB9BgCp5M&list=RD_pwB9BgCp5M&start_radio=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqnYugTJ03I&list=RDKqnYugTJ03I&index=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwK2HLGaWJk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDR0h_nfdwg&list=RDkDR0h_nfdwg&start_radio=1 (this track has been reused; it previously appeared in another drama with the same ML: Love & Bid Farewell ).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpqjNbXu7Go

You can watch the first 4 episodes for free (and legally) with English subs here:
https://w.mgtv.com/b/788882/24244644.html The rest requires payment.
Mango should start uploading the drama to their official YouTube channel soon. It’s not available on other usual free streaming sites yet, but it’ll probably show up with subs somewhere soon.

In this drama, there are quite a few passionate scenes that we appreciate so much, and Deng Kai drenched and standing alone in the rain 😉

It seems like Deng Kai is actually the good guy here, while that missing husband is the shady one. Though ML’s obsession with FL is genuinely unsettling.

He’s one of my favorite characters. Whenever he’s in a scene, he completely steals the viewer’s attention. His comedic timing is perfect, but there’s always this sad, tragic edge to it. He portrays so well someone who ended up in power completely by accident, by some twist of fate, and who is utterly unsuited for it. He’s a good-natured emperor, but cowardly.

Wish I could say yes, but nope. The editing is still trash and the plot becomes even more brain-dead.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHgnXLWgcG8

From what I remember, those were full episodes that had already surfaced online beforehand. In the case of Go Go Squid!, right in the middle of the drama’s run, the complete set of the remaining episodes appeared all at once on pirate sites. The ending is the peak monetization period, so the financial loss can really hurt. Once the viewership data becomes available, we’ll find out whether the leak actually did any damage. As of today, there’s still no clear drop in viewership visible.

In the world of C-dramas, full episode leaks before the official premiere have happened before. For example, it occurred with Go Go Squid! and The Story of Yanxi Palace. Paradoxically, those pirated leaks actually helped boost the popularity of both dramas and viewership on legal platforms ended up increasing even further as a result.

Allegedly, the case Go Go Squid was reported to the police and they were looking for an internal leak source. And that’s it. After the leak, viewership on legal platforms actually went up, and the drama broke viewership records. There have been several similar cases before.
A very similar situation happened with The Story of Yanxi Palace. Piracy + leaks definitely helped the drama go viral outside of China. It’s quite possible we’ll see a comparable effect here. Especially on Netflix, the viewership might end up increasing even more because of this. Streaming platforms make the most money from accelerated/premium access packages, so financially they do take a hit. However, even before the leak this series was already a massive financial success. So either way, they’re still going to make very solid money from the drama. I suspect it’s mostly the loyal viewers and the fandom who are taking this much harder than the producers and distributors.

Yeah, they'll probably take a financial hit in the short term. But in my opinion the chances of breaking viewership records haven't been ruined at all. I feel like the platforms are probably prepared for this kind of thing since leaks like this have happened before and usually haven't killed off a major hit. If anything they've often ramped up the buzz and boosted global viewership even more. I'm betting they'll weather this storm just fine and it won't damage the drama's overall success as badly as some people here are predicting. Of course these are just my guesses, we'll see how it actually plays out.

They’ll probably suffer some financial losses, but the drama has already brought the producers massive profits. The show’s popularity is unlikely to take any real hit because of this. Paradoxically, the leak might even boost online interest and increase viewership. A hit remains a hit. The hype is already there, the fandom will watch it legally anyway and use quality sources. The illegal versions are only in Chinese so far, and since the drama has strong international appeal, everyone else will just wait for the English-subbed versions (e.g. on Netflix). It’s also worth remembering that many people who watch pirated copies wouldn’t have paid for it anyway. So overall, no real tragedy here.

On illegal Chinese websites, all episodes are available with Chinese subtitles.

I also really like this track, it's so unusual. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RM2VZHoMBU&list=RD6RM2VZHoMBU&start_radio=1 Instrumental version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spzcy2q-dGs&list=OLAK5uy_kAR_WZyYfes2FYhKVOhJZliRarlT6G6To&index=6 And here's the entire OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpvG_XC3gVM&list=OLAK5uy_kAR_WZyYfes2FYhKVOhJZliRarlT6G6To&index=1

Thanks for sharing your different perspective. When critical opinions dominate, it’s refreshing to read comments from people who like the drama and find pleasure in watching it.

Can I ask what you like about it? I’m genuinely curious about a different perspective than my own. Honestly, I can barely find anything good in this drama myself. If anything, I tend to overrate things rather than look for flaws. I’d be really interested to read your reasons.

What I especially love about this drama is that every actor, even those playing very minor roles, gets their own moment to shine and can really show off their acting skills, grabbing the viewer’s attention. The director doesn’t treat anyone as merely a plot device or just a tool to move the story forward. Instead, he allows each character (and actor) to truly exist and stand out. Excellent direction of actors.

The strangest thing is that even visually, this drama looks so "poor," as if it was shot on a shoestring budget. The costumes, makeup, and sets are extremely modest and sloppy. C-dramas (including short-form ones) are usually known for being aesthetically polished above all else. Here, there's neither decent form nor substance. Nothing blooms here at all. The director seemed absent from the set; the actors are basically directing themselves, and the scenes often feel like they follow each other randomly. Zero tension or sparks between the FL and ML. And yet four screenwriters "slaved away" over this outdated plot, which basically boils down to the ML hiding the truth about her family's fate from the FL "for her own good," preferring her to hate him rather than burden her pretty little head with matters of state importance. It's scary to think they'll drag this out for 24 episodes. Abysmal production quality overall.

That’s exactly why I pointed out that I’m “spoiled” by short-form dramas. I’ve probably become so used to scenes like this that they no longer create any dissonance for me, unlike for viewers who haven’t been exposed to them as often. In mini-dramas, this is pretty much the norm. However, it seems that bolder erotic scenes are appearing more and more often in full-length dramas as well, and this might be a new trend, which I enthusiastically support.