This review may contain spoilers
Almost PERFECT!
A story about a fictional monarchy is nothing new but it's overall execution made it standout. It's not perfect, but I had extreme fun, zeal and anticipation for every episode.Thank you to all who made this drama possible. It will be one for the books!
Upsides:
* awesome cinematography
* amazing soundtrack
* well matched characters (profile) to actors (portrayal was on key)
* undeniable chemistry of the leads (and their assistants!)
* cohesive storytelling (the plots were clear in every episode)
Downsides:
* the last few episodes felt rushed (at least 2 additional episodes could have made the pacing consistent)
* more screen time could have been given to show the second ML/main villain's perspective
* a montage of the transition of government could have made the last episode smoother
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I can't help but speak up.
I've seen a few comments about how slow, predictable and imbalanced the show was (some even from seasoned reviewers).Here is my take:
The pacing was indeed quite slow, but it was for the best. The story was told in a way that rarely leaves the audience wondering about backstories or how things came to be. It also gave me the chance to get to know the main characters, smile at their bickering and feel their sorrows and moral dilemmas. I even got to soak in the emotions from the actors' minimal gestures and microexpressions...kudos to ML and FL's amazing performances.
Others claimed that the story was predictable. Well, of course! This is a live adaptation of a novel, and it was praised for being able to follow the source material to a tee. Many (if not all) shows follow a certain pattern in telling a story. What matters most is if it is being told in the most engaging and visually appealing manner. No expense was spared in its production.
It was indeed a little off balance in the sense that most of the screen time was focused on the CP and I think it's fine. For one, the show really does revolve around the ML & FL so it's normal. Another is that telling too much about supporting characters without any significant contribution to the main story will be too overwhelming for many viewers. It was an easy watch and I loved it!
This show truly did the Princess Agents viewers a great service! Seeing Lin GengXin & Zhao LiYing on screen together again somehow tied the loose ends left by the aforementioned drama's cliffhanger ending. They still have an awesome chemistry and I would gladly watch them again in the future.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Unexpectedly good!
It was kind of slow at the beginning but then eventually picked up. After rewatching it, that's when I truly appreciated every episode. The leads were amazing and so are the supporting cast. Frequent laughs were a happy bonus! I decided to keep my logic under wraps and just gobbled up the premise of the story...and I enjoyed every moment. It is a drama with heartfelt life lessons. I appreciated even more how good of an actor Tan JianCi truly is while Li LanDi did what she could to portray a "not so attractive" girl. It may not have been her actual appearance or features but how she perceived herself (as unattractive or undesirable) because of how the people around her made her feel.Highly recommended!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Typical office romance trope but well delivered!
I have watched plenty of (office romance) dramas in the past few years so I had high expectations...and boy, it did not disappoint! Youtube simply suggested one of the episodes and it got me curious. After watching its trailer, I decided to give it a go. The lead actors were definitely good looking but their chemistry and portrayal made me beg for more. I checked out some of their other (separate) projects as a point of reference and I can conclude that this is one of their better dramas. It's funny that they acknowledged outright that the situations they were in were ridiculously drama-like! There were some cheesy lines but there were more comical banters and sweet dialogues. The gradual progression of the leads' relationship was well paced in my view. The character developments/changes are acceptable but subtle refinement won't hurt. I do not condone maltreatment in reality but it can give "spice" to dramas.Was this review helpful to you?
