lol, I love SOKP. the romance was š! lol. anyway, romance comes in different form I guess. maybe put a suggestion…
Lol, I meanā¦ if that was romance, then I guess war crimes are just foreplay now? š But seriously, if emotional suppression, duty over desire, and choosing someone only after your first pick dies counts as a love story, then sure, SOKP delivered.
But you're right, romance does come in many formsā¦ even if that form is mostly repression wrapped in political trauma. Honestly, MDL should have a category like "dark romance" or "emotionally unavailable relationships with a splash of regret" so people know what they're signing up for. Wouldāve saved me 36 episodes of confusion.
Let me set the record straight, because some people clearly canāt tell the difference between disliking a story and disliking an actor. I have zero issue with the cast, they did their best with what they were given. My problem is the writing, plain and brutal.
Story of Kunning Palace served us a romance that was so emotionally bankrupt it felt like a contractual obligation. The FL never once showed genuine love for the ML, it reeked of āWell, I canāt have the man I actually love, so Iāll settle.ā And yes, she loved the SML, we all saw it, even if the script pretended otherwise. Her chemistry with the ML had the warmth of a tax audit.
Then Feud... where do I even begin? The main couple spends 25 out of 32 episodes locked in a misunderstanding so drawn out it became the actual villain of the story. By the time they got over it, the romance had already flatlined. Zero chemistry. Zero emotional payoff. If the drama is called Feud, then fine, feud away. But donāt toss in romance crumbs at the last minute and call it love. It was less āslow burnā and more āslow emotional starvation.ā Letās not confuse pretty faces and fantasy aesthetics with good writing. We deserve better.
Honestly, calling either of these a romance feels generous. In Kunning Palace, the relationship felt more like an emotional hostage situation, former teacher, cold vibes, zero build-up. Their chemistry was so stiff it needed CPR. And then Feud really said, āLetās wait until episode 25 to admit feelings in a 32-episode drama.ā Thatās not a slow burn, thatās a slow burial. By the time the romance kicked in, I was already emotionally divorced from the whole thing. Both dramas had potential, but the love stories? DOA.
Iām honestly disappointed in Bai Lu. Sheās one of the best in xianxia, but this script? A complete letdown. Thatās twice now, first Story of Kunning Palace, and now this mess. She deserves better roles than a couple flops dressed up in pretty costumes.
The title is feud and from the beginning their story was not about romance till the end.
Oh, sure, the titleās āFeud,ā so I guess āromanceā was just a cameo appearance scheduled for the final episode. Why rush feelings when you can have two dozen episodes of awkward silence and eye rolls? Itās less a love story and more a masterclass in how to kill any chemistry before it even starts. Honestly, Iāve seen paint dry with more passion.
Oh wow, what a bold creative choice, dragging out the central misunderstanding until Episode 25 of a 32 episode drama. Brilliant. Who needs romance in a romance, right? Letās just simmer in miscommunication for 80% of the show and then sprint to emotional resolution like itās a last minute group project. Honestly, the love story didnāt slow burn, it slow flatlined.
Iām a quarter in, and itās honestly laughable. You want a character built like a bodybuilder? Then cast one. Donāt insult the audience by dressing up a twig in oversized clothes and pretending we wonāt notice. Itās weak casting, and it shows.
I just finished episode 7, and I don't really like the FL. She shows no emotion and is always apathetic. The ML always tries to initiate conversations or intimacy, but she always pushes him away in one way or another or just shrugs him off. I'll watch it all, but i can't see the FL changing. That's just how she is.
But you're right, romance does come in many formsā¦ even if that form is mostly repression wrapped in political trauma. Honestly, MDL should have a category like "dark romance" or "emotionally unavailable relationships with a splash of regret" so people know what they're signing up for. Wouldāve saved me 36 episodes of confusion.
Story of Kunning Palace served us a romance that was so emotionally bankrupt it felt like a contractual obligation. The FL never once showed genuine love for the ML, it reeked of āWell, I canāt have the man I actually love, so Iāll settle.ā And yes, she loved the SML, we all saw it, even if the script pretended otherwise. Her chemistry with the ML had the warmth of a tax audit.
Then Feud... where do I even begin? The main couple spends 25 out of 32 episodes locked in a misunderstanding so drawn out it became the actual villain of the story. By the time they got over it, the romance had already flatlined. Zero chemistry. Zero emotional payoff. If the drama is called Feud, then fine, feud away. But donāt toss in romance crumbs at the last minute and call it love. It was less āslow burnā and more āslow emotional starvation.ā Letās not confuse pretty faces and fantasy aesthetics with good writing. We deserve better.
Honestly, calling either of these a romance feels generous. In Kunning Palace, the relationship felt more like an emotional hostage situation, former teacher, cold vibes, zero build-up. Their chemistry was so stiff it needed CPR. And then Feud really said, āLetās wait until episode 25 to admit feelings in a 32-episode drama.ā Thatās not a slow burn, thatās a slow burial. By the time the romance kicked in, I was already emotionally divorced from the whole thing. Both dramas had potential, but the love stories? DOA.