MyHiguma

I'm someone who never gets invested in 2nd lead couples. There are only a few exceptions. But this drama doesn't just have a 2nd lead couple. it has a THIRD lead couple too. 😩 No wonder it's 36 episodes long.

This drama was never on my 'plan to watch' list, but it turned out to be such an unexpected surprise. Let's see if it stays this good for the remaining 30+ episodes.

This is a pretty typical modern rom-com, but the main leads' characters and personalities completely won me over. They got me so hooked on this drama.

No wonder the 2nd male lead always seemed so lifeless and robotic. I was getting so annoyed with the way he delivered every single line whenever he was on screen. Turns out... his face was AI all along. 😭

I was actually skeptical when I found out that he would be the new ML. Unexpectedly, after watching the first 2 episodes, he has done really well in this drama. I really liked Shin Soon Rok in the webtoon, so I’m glad he portrayed the character well. Young and mature ML.

Then maybe this drama just isn’t for you.
Maybe it simply didn’t have the things you were hoping to see or couldn’t give you what you were looking for & that’s okay.
Not every drama clicks with everyone.

That's actually high for douban score. 👏👏

Ohh… So Yiran has some issues with his acting in this drama? I was actually interested in watching it because of him. I caught a glimpse of his performance in Twelve Letters, and he looked like he did really well there.

But I’m also a bit hesitant because of the main actress. I watched her in Youthful Glory before, and her acting felt just so-so to me. I am hoping she will improve at least a little now. So now I’m kind of unsure. I think I’ll just wait until the drama fully finishes airing, then see the overall reviews before deciding whether to start it or not.

I ended up rewatching certain scenes again while waiting for the new drama release, and I’m seriously so glad they chose Cheng Lei and Wang Churan as the main leads.
Both of them are insanely gorgeous, and their acting skills really shine in this drama. They didn’t just look good on screen. They truly brought their characters to life.

That’s how much I’ve been anticipating this drama as an adaptation, and I can still find my own comments about it here from 2020, which was like more than 5 years ago. That’s how long I’ve been waiting.

I just really hoped it would be good. And if they wanted to change things, then at least make it better than the novel, like The Prisoner of Beauty did. That one actually improved on the original story instead of ruining it.

I honestly think 32 episodes is such a solid length for this drama. I’m not even sure how many episodes it was originally supposed to have, but this 32-episode version feels really well done. Not a single episode felt boring to me. The script is tight, the pacing is on point, and the characters are all properly developed.

And seriously, whoever handled the casting deserves a raise. Cheng Lei and Wang Churan delivered in both acting and visuals. They really carried their roles as the main leads, and you can tell they put a lot into their performances.

Prince Xiahou Bo is really such a coward. The truth was right in front of him, yet he refused to accept it and instead chose to blame the puppet emperor, who was also being tortured and controlled by the empress.

I agree with the other comments. Today’s 2 episodes were seriously so good. And with both our main leads’ acting, they made everything even better. Wang Churan and Cheng Lei really delivered here.

Your line really hit me: "shame, trauma, guilt, and fear all wrapped into one." It just makes everything about him feel so much heavier and more real. 🥺💔

I’m so happy we finally got some light and funny scenes in between all those heavy plot moments. It feels like a nice breather.
And since Younger Dan’s arc is already done, I can finally watch without feeling emotionally wrecked or traumatized by the storyline every single episode. 😭

For those who’ve read the novel and manhua, and also watched the donghua. How does this version feel to you guys? Did they follow the original closely?
This is actually my first time seeing a title where all the versions are out, yet people aren’t really comparing them or talking much about the differences.

Maybe I’ve seen dark-colored outfits before and just didn’t realize it, but in this drama it really stood out to me. It feels like the first time I’m noticing it in a Chinese period drama, and WCR pulls it off so gorgeously.
Usually the costumes are bright, but these darker tones suit her incredibly well.
And today’s outfit is just unbelievably pretty.

Young Dan’s arc was really hard to watch. Not because it was boring, but because I honestly wasn’t mentally prepared for it. Imagine living a peaceful life. Waking up, going to school, studying, laughing with friends, coming home with that innocent routine… and then suddenly getting thrown into a twisted world where people around you start dying one by one. Mentally tortured. On top of that, you have this power but end up being nothing more than a puppet. I really felt so bad for him. Thank goodness he is still sane.

Oh well, I can name one for now since my comment is still easy to find there.
The ML in BIA, Hu Yi Tian 😅.

Yeah, he’s actually really good at expressive acting, so I’m always extra happy when actors like him pick a good script.
Sometimes it’s such a shame when a great actor ends up stuck with a bad script or the other way around, when a not-so-great actor gets an amazing script. It really affects the whole watching experience for me.
Like the actor in Princess Gambit. He’s talented, but the script didn’t do him justice. And then there’s another actor (I won’t name him 😅) in a good script that I can technically watch, but I still feel uncomfortable and end up complaining every episode whenever his scenes come on.