I’ve watched two episodes so far, but I’m struggling to connect with the FL. They didn’t show enough of her life and personality before she entered the novel, so I don’t really understand who she is or what drives her. I think it would’ve made a big difference if we got more insight into her world before everything changed.
I made it through 12 episodes and honestly, it was just okay. The story had potential, but it started dragging and I gradually lost interest. There were simply too many episodes, this is a plot that could’ve been wrapped up neatly in 12 to 16 episodes, max. Stretching it out just diluted the impact and made it feel repetitive.
One scene in particular completely threw me off, there’s an accident, people are unconscious and dying, and the female lead’s idea of helping is to put candy in their mouths. Seriously? If someone is struggling to breathe or barely conscious, the last thing you do is shove something they can choke on into their mouth. It wasn’t emotional, it was just reckless and made no medical or logical sense. It honestly made the show hard to take seriously after that.
most dramas have obnoxious ML but if Female gets such character she instantly gets most hate. Watching 1st episode…
It’s not about “hating” female leads for being strong, it’s about calling out bad writing or inconsistent behavior that would absolutely be criticized if a male character did the same. There’s a huge double standard in the way male and female characters are judged in dramas, and pretending that it’s always men who get a free pass is just not true.
In fact, in most modern dramas, men are often portrayed as simps, bending over backward for the female lead, even when she treats them poorly or strings multiple guys along. That’s considered empowering or “girl boss” behavior when a woman does it, but if a male lead so much as talks to two women, he’s instantly labeled a “red flag” or “toxic.”
And yes, in many dramas:
Women are praised for having multiple suitors: “You go, girl!”
But a man surrounded by women? “Ugh, he’s playing them.”
Men get dragged for being emotionally unavailable or flawed.
Women get praised for being “complex” or “misunderstood” even when they’re manipulative or selfish.
There are tons of examples where male leads show emotional vulnerability or devotion, and people still nitpick them, while far more problematic behavior from female leads gets excused or even celebrated.
This isn’t about being anti-female leads. It’s about consistency and fairness. No character, male or female, should be above criticism just because they tick the “representation” box.
If we want truly good storytelling, then let’s hold all characters to the same standard, instead of constantly flipping the rules depending on gender.
I honestly don’t get why people keep complaining about the female lead getting close to guys and letting them touch or kiss her. Like, hello? This is literally standard in Japanese dramas. So if you’re shocked every time, maybe it’s time to reconsider what you’re signing up for before hitting that play button.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with it, but only if it’s with the male lead. Seeing her all touchy feely with every other guy? That’s a hard nope for me. But hey, welcome to J-drama land. Buckle up.
That twig can act and has good comedic timing. That's more important than getting some roid monkey who's never…
Oh wow, ‘roid monkey’? That’s original, straight out of the 2003 internet insult handbook. Look, I’ve got no problem with actors who don’t match the physique if the role doesn’t demand it. But when the character is clearly meant to be physically imposing and you cast someone who looks like they lose arguments with a stiff breeze, don’t act surprised when people call it out.
Also, wild concept here, bodybuilders can act too. I know your mind is blown, but some of us can lift more than egos and still hit our marks with timing and talent. Ever heard of Dave Bautista? Dwayne Johnson? Hell, even Arnold figured it out, and none of them needed padding to look the part.
So maybe instead of defending weak casting with tired stereotypes, you could raise your standards and expect both physicality and performance from a professional actor. Just a thought.
Have you submitted your review? We need critical and honest reviews like this with proper comparisons. Eloquently…
Ohhh no no, we’re not doing the 'if you gave it less than 7 stars you must be angry and biased' argument again, are we? Because let me tell you, a drama dragging a misunderstanding across 25 out of 32 episodes isn’t misunderstood brilliance, it’s a slow-motion script failure. And if someone calls that ‘watchable’ and still slaps on a 3? Honestly, that’s generous. That’s charity.
Let’s not pretend that just because a drama is shiny and has flute solos every ten minutes, it suddenly deserves critical immunity. Feud was visually stunning, I’ll give it that, but gorgeous cinematography is not a substitute for plot, pacing, or palpable chemistry. I came for a slow burn and got slow emotional starvation instead. By the time romance kicked in, I’d already sent it a breakup text.
And this idea that ratings need to align with some mythical fairness scale? Nah. Reviews are human, yes, but so are standards. If people felt misled, emotionally scammed, or just plain bored by episode 24, they’re allowed to express it with stars, or lack thereof. That’s not bias. That’s feedback.
So while I fully support everyone forming their own opinion, let’s not dismiss critical viewers just because they didn’t drink the fairy dust. Some of us love a good fantasy, but we still expect it to come with logic, not just eyeliner and angst.
Have you submitted your review? We need critical and honest reviews like this with proper comparisons. Eloquently…
Ahh, finally, someone with critical thinking skills who didn’t get hypnotised by dramatic stares and pretty lighting. It’s like we watched Feud and actually paid attention to the writing instead of just frothing over slow-mo sword fights and recycled OSTs.
Because let’s be real, that 25 episode long misunderstanding wasn’t deep or layered, it was emotionally exhausting. I’ve seen better communication in a group chat full of introverts. And the so called romance? It didn’t burn, it barely flickered. If they were feuding, great, go all in. But throwing in some tragic flashbacks and calling it chemistry is like microwaving leftovers and serving it as fine dining.
And you nailed it, those perfect scores for story and plot? I'm convinced some folks watched the trailer and reviewed based on vibes alone.
So thank you for speaking up. We might not be the loudest in the sea of simps, but at least we’re not giving standing ovations to a romance that needed CPR and couples therapy from episode 3.
Let’s keep telling it how it is, because fantasy drama or not, a weak script is still a weak script, even if it’s wearing celestial robes and whispering about fate under the moonlight.
We might not win the popularity contest, but at least we’re not clapping for mediocrity in slow motion.
what a waste of the actors. I cant tell if its the plot or the director that failed them.
Exactly this. The talent was right there, and yet somehow it all got lost in the fog of endless misunderstandings and emotional cold fronts. I honestly couldn’t tell if it was the script, the direction, or both, but either way, the actors were definitely better than the material they were handed. It felt like watching a luxury sports car stuck in first gear. All that potential, completely wasted.
I really don't understand some of y'all what does FEUD have to do with SOKP, if you dislike SOKP why can't you…
Ohhh I see, so we’re gatekeeping forum discussions now? My bad, I didn’t realise I needed to apply for a permit to mention another drama in a discussion thread.
Let me clarify for those clutching their pearls. I brought up Story of Kunning Palace because both dramas starred Bai Lu, and both, in my opinion, suffered from the same problem, emotionally disconnected “romances” that felt more like strained alliances than genuine relationships. It’s called drawing a parallel, not hijacking a thread.
It’s actually very normal (and useful) to compare a current drama to a past one when you're critiquing a performance, script, or tone. Viewers do it all the time, not to merge genres, but to reflect on patterns and expectations. If you don’t like the comparison, that’s fine, but yelling “go rant somewhere else” like this is a private fan club meeting? Cute. 😌
Also, yes, Feud wasn’t meant to be about romance, and that’s totally fine. But when a drama hints at romance, markets it with romantic visuals, and then gives us 30 episodes of murderous miscommunication, people are going to talk about how that felt flat. It’s called critique, not sacrilege.
Yes a couple of love triangles.
I don’t know why people are lying to you.
One scene in particular completely threw me off, there’s an accident, people are unconscious and dying, and the female lead’s idea of helping is to put candy in their mouths. Seriously? If someone is struggling to breathe or barely conscious, the last thing you do is shove something they can choke on into their mouth. It wasn’t emotional, it was just reckless and made no medical or logical sense. It honestly made the show hard to take seriously after that.
In fact, in most modern dramas, men are often portrayed as simps, bending over backward for the female lead, even when she treats them poorly or strings multiple guys along. That’s considered empowering or “girl boss” behavior when a woman does it, but if a male lead so much as talks to two women, he’s instantly labeled a “red flag” or “toxic.”
And yes, in many dramas:
Women are praised for having multiple suitors: “You go, girl!”
But a man surrounded by women? “Ugh, he’s playing them.”
Men get dragged for being emotionally unavailable or flawed.
Women get praised for being “complex” or “misunderstood” even when they’re manipulative or selfish.
There are tons of examples where male leads show emotional vulnerability or devotion, and people still nitpick them, while far more problematic behavior from female leads gets excused or even celebrated.
This isn’t about being anti-female leads. It’s about consistency and fairness. No character, male or female, should be above criticism just because they tick the “representation” box.
If we want truly good storytelling, then let’s hold all characters to the same standard, instead of constantly flipping the rules depending on gender.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with it, but only if it’s with the male lead. Seeing her all touchy feely with every other guy? That’s a hard nope for me. But hey, welcome to J-drama land. Buckle up.
Also, wild concept here, bodybuilders can act too. I know your mind is blown, but some of us can lift more than egos and still hit our marks with timing and talent. Ever heard of Dave Bautista? Dwayne Johnson? Hell, even Arnold figured it out, and none of them needed padding to look the part.
So maybe instead of defending weak casting with tired stereotypes, you could raise your standards and expect both physicality and performance from a professional actor. Just a thought.
Let’s not pretend that just because a drama is shiny and has flute solos every ten minutes, it suddenly deserves critical immunity. Feud was visually stunning, I’ll give it that, but gorgeous cinematography is not a substitute for plot, pacing, or palpable chemistry. I came for a slow burn and got slow emotional starvation instead. By the time romance kicked in, I’d already sent it a breakup text.
And this idea that ratings need to align with some mythical fairness scale? Nah. Reviews are human, yes, but so are standards. If people felt misled, emotionally scammed, or just plain bored by episode 24, they’re allowed to express it with stars, or lack thereof. That’s not bias. That’s feedback.
So while I fully support everyone forming their own opinion, let’s not dismiss critical viewers just because they didn’t drink the fairy dust. Some of us love a good fantasy, but we still expect it to come with logic, not just eyeliner and angst.
Because let’s be real, that 25 episode long misunderstanding wasn’t deep or layered, it was emotionally exhausting. I’ve seen better communication in a group chat full of introverts. And the so called romance? It didn’t burn, it barely flickered. If they were feuding, great, go all in. But throwing in some tragic flashbacks and calling it chemistry is like microwaving leftovers and serving it as fine dining.
And you nailed it, those perfect scores for story and plot? I'm convinced some folks watched the trailer and reviewed based on vibes alone.
So thank you for speaking up. We might not be the loudest in the sea of simps, but at least we’re not giving standing ovations to a romance that needed CPR and couples therapy from episode 3.
Let’s keep telling it how it is, because fantasy drama or not, a weak script is still a weak script, even if it’s wearing celestial robes and whispering about fate under the moonlight.
We might not win the popularity contest, but at least we’re not clapping for mediocrity in slow motion.
Let me clarify for those clutching their pearls. I brought up Story of Kunning Palace because both dramas starred Bai Lu, and both, in my opinion, suffered from the same problem, emotionally disconnected “romances” that felt more like strained alliances than genuine relationships. It’s called drawing a parallel, not hijacking a thread.
It’s actually very normal (and useful) to compare a current drama to a past one when you're critiquing a performance, script, or tone. Viewers do it all the time, not to merge genres, but to reflect on patterns and expectations. If you don’t like the comparison, that’s fine, but yelling “go rant somewhere else” like this is a private fan club meeting? Cute. 😌
Also, yes, Feud wasn’t meant to be about romance, and that’s totally fine. But when a drama hints at romance, markets it with romantic visuals, and then gives us 30 episodes of murderous miscommunication, people are going to talk about how that felt flat. It’s called critique, not sacrilege.