Eleison

So who does our subscription money go to, then? 🤔

I love that Chae Jong Hyeop is getting more ML roles! I hope this turns out well for his sake. :)

I did start it. 😂

I agree with all this, and enjoyed reading your take on the actors and their careers and how they've grown (since I know very little besides the fact that I'm also a Lusi fan now; no female Kdrama actresses have ever captured my attention like Lusi has). I thought the last few episodes of LLTG felt rushed, and that totally makes sense. They resolved so much so quickly. I've noticed these long dramas have episodic eras of their story that bridge 5-8 individual episodes that feel like eras of the characters' timelines where you transition between groups of actors while following the leads from start to finish. A very different rhythm from Kdramas which still struggle with filler and haven't always nailed down the pacing despite being only 16 episodes most of the time.

Considering China is still very patriarchal, I wasn't expecting these super strong female characters (though the novels were written by women, I assume? Which I suppose makes sense 😂). Portraying women as men's equals has been a big challenge for cinema of all genres, and while we're making progress, I still think the West largely does a crummy job. They think they need to make women sexual libertines (like men) or kick butt fighters or tough physically (again, like men) to make them "strong females" and it drives me nuts. "Strong" women isn't going to look the same as strong men because men and women are different. I've been surprised and impressed with the female leads in LLTG and The Double. Not only are they interesting, and I look forward to seeing them onscreen, I think they are well-written and multi-faceted. I think this is paired with a level of political/social scheming and strategizing that I'm being largely introduced to for the first time in Cdramas. Kdramas have it, too, but much more toned down and more simplistic in comparison. They are so many moving parts in period Cdramas that it makes my head hurt sometimes, haha, (it feels like a massive chess game) but unlike Kdramas when there's political scheming, I don't get bored. Maybe it's because the scheming is so closely tied to relational motivations that it continues to pique my interest.

I'm at about Episode 25, and I do wonder why more people aren't raising their eyebrows at Duke Su and Jiang Li. He has her over to his house all the time, he's always around her, and they just seem so fishy. 😂 Is it because Duke Su is usually so aloof and so (seemingly) distant from most political scheming (and works his brilliance from the shadows until Jiang Li shows up), that no one thinks his sudden close engagement with her is suspicious? I've been shocked at how they've generated no scandals or and haven't been the subject of gossip about being an item. 😏

Also, WYZ's other dramas seemed to struggle besides Story of Kunning Palace where it seems he was a SML. Do you think that's because he does better with strong female costars or because of the director or writing? The Double seems to be the first big hit for him as a lead, and I thought he did really well. And yes, I'd love to see him opposite Lusi!

It seems Chinese is harder to translate into English than Korean, as I feel like a lot more is lost in translation when I read the subtitles. I know I'm only getting a fraction of the subtext. 😮‍💨 Sad!

I just looked it up (not super reliable sources on it from what I found) and she's had multiple scandals arise--I'd never heard about them before. It seems fishy allegations would surface multiple times. However, in my opinion, the screenwriter definitely has a style that you can see come up in each drama, so it seems unlikely, but, that said, sometimes I underestimate what people are willing to do for fame and money. 🤷‍♀️

Of course hoping it's not true, but I can attest many kids in school try to cheat a lot, so it's not unlikely many or most that tried as kids continue doing so as adults. In my experience, cheaters are almost always repeat offenders.

I agree about Zhao Lusi vs. this FL just comparing them in this vs. LLTG (sorry, I'm not as well-versed in Chinese actresses as I am with Korean, as I'm less familiar with Cdramas; the period/Fantasy ones with their stylized story-telling is a bit of an acquired taste, I think, so I've only seen a handful so far as some of the more fantastical ones I have a harder time getting into; the more pseudo historical ones like this I've like better), and I wonder what this drama would have been like with this ML and Lusi; I already like him better than Ling Bu Yi and I'm only halfway (I also like his acting better than the ML from LLTG; I know he was supposed to be stiff, but he was too stiff, in my opinion, and the main couple as characters I like better in this).

But I just thought Lusi was incredible in LLTG. I'd wondered what the fuss was about her (when I started Hidden Love I got hung up on her tiny baby voice, which at first drove me nuts, but then she completely won me over and she had amazing chemistry with that ML, too), then after only two dramas with her, I 100% get it now. She's adorable, has the most hilarious facial expressions, lands comedic moments and serious ones, has subtle acting with so much range, and just sells everything she does. I would have loved to see her paired with this ML, honestly.

Also, LLTG is a larger production than this, yes? I've heard people mention things about Cdramas being in tiers of production level, and only about one drama a year is as large-scale as something like LLTG (something about an "S" drama? 🤔 Or something like that? 😂). Am I understanding that correctly? It was through comments on the LLTG thread that I learned about the massive historical set in China that they use to film all these dramas (and at the same time, which is one of the reasons they dub the voices (but also due to regional accents throughout China?) because it's too noisy on location (!)), and I was absolutely floored. I was so confused by how many historical buildings seemed to still be intact to film this stuff since I couldn't imagine it could all be a set. But even crazier was finding out it's all a permanent set! Typical China, though, I suppose. Go big or go home! 😂

P.S. I really like Tonge'r in this, too. And she's so young! I was shocked to see that she was only 16. 😲

Who is competition for Xue, though, honestly? And I suppose she knows it, haha. She's by far the smartest, most cunning girl around who also happens to have a deep compassion for people who are wronged and exploited. I think I still prefer Zhao Lusi as an actress (as a female lead I found her a bit more captivating than this FL, who is still great), but the FL in this as a character is pretty awesome. Loving her. I am enjoying the meeting of the minds between her and Duke Su, and love seeing how much her cleverness and intelligence attracts him. The way he trusts her to always be stellar and never underestimates her abilities is really cool. Liking that about him so far! He has "saved" her a bunch in this, as other dramas have their MLs save the FL, but in this, instead of the useless damsel being constantly plucked out of danger, it still feels way more like a partnership between them (a equal give and take) despite how often she's saved. 😂

She's a great example of a person with confidence in themselves without being a narcissistic or egotistical.

What script(s) did the screenwriter plagiarize?

Okay! So, keep watching, essentially. :) Will do!

I'm in Episode 14 and in the last episode after the banquet at the palace, I was so confused by the conversation between Shen Yurong and Princess Wanning (who is disgusting; she's so icky); what did he mean about protecting her and how he couldn't keep her safe forever? Was that to placate her so she stopped trying to investigate Jiang Li so he could actually protect Jiang Li (not Wanning)? I thought it was Wanning he was scared of; isn't that why he "killed" Xue and is kowtowing to the Princess and letting her walk all over him like he's a bug?

Also, why is even the Emperor/King scared of Wanning? Where does her power come from?

Thanks! I see I'm not alone in seeking your insights; I enjoy all your posts. Always knowledgeable, thoughtful, insightful, and helpful! ☺️

This back and forth helps me understand why the subtitles sometimes just do not capture the conversation, since I didn't even see amy notes or explanation for this stuff you're describing. It's frustrating! 😐 Sometimes I'm like, "What? This cannot be what they're saying." I've seen this sometimes in Kdramas too, where I can feel that the translation is not coming through, and I lament that I know nothing of the language.

I was starting this in Netflix but I wonder if Viki would do better with subtitles and notes about them?

The Thai version doesn't make it seem as bad with the bullies for that scene (the ML never forces himself on her in any way in the Thai version), and some bullies rough her up in the Kdrama, yes (but again, much like the Thai version), but the ML separately does force a kiss on her, but more like a mocking gesture than a violent one and it's obvious he had no intention of going farther. That was not cool, but a forced kiss, while definitely bad, isn't as bad as attempted rape. I just felt like the other versions toned that down but the Jdrama even addresses it in dialogue which I did NOT like. I haven't seen the Cdrama, so I'm not sure about that one.

She was lovely! Tong'er is so cute, too! But is the younger Jiang Li in the cast list? I didn't see her.

Who is the actress who plays the original, younger Jiang Li?

High School Return Of A Gangster

You think it was because of this drama? Interesting! I have noticed that it's becoming more common, and people are migrating to Cdramas for their romcoms instead of Kdramas because of it. It does seem like a lazy way to fill 16 episodes of a romantic comedy rather than writing, you know, a good romantic comedy to fill that run time.

You're probably right that we see things differently; that does seem accurate so far. Regardless, I hope you enjoy it and happy watching! ☺️

It is a bit annoying to watch the ML endure that, but also, this is a Kdrama. Relationship drama, love triangles, lack of communication and misunderstandings are the bread and butter of this genre...

Also, if you're still not sold on it after the first few episodes, then I doubt it will get more enjoyable. If by 8 you're not sold, you will definitely not enjoy the rest.

She dates the SML only for an episode or so, and it's her younger self that does, not her older self (it's confusing, and hard to explain 😂). It does kind of sound like this drama might be a little too fluffy/silly for you. And that's okay, it's not everyone's cup of tea. :)

Sheesh, that sounds dreadful! Was it because of the censured BL drama that just finished airing, I wonder? That comment thread was/is rank with toxicity and mudslinging. Kept my distance!