MadelineMaureen

dude...also, because i have you here...how pumped are you that this directors next project is with Li Yun Rui? Same age leads...and the returners look promising for chemistry and costume/hair & make-up design.

Okay so it looks like I was right to question how Chen Xuan Qing will responsed to news that his uncle is marrying Jin Zhao. Been knowing that Ye Xian would physically react....but it's the quiet ones that I fear the most because their reaction is too unpredictable. Like is he going to hold in in more or is he going to be a bigger issue in the future. She's marrying into his family and so his future wife will forever be in the shadow of his first love...literally.

While watching A Splendid Match all I could think about sometimes when rewatching a scene is, I wonder how Li Yun Rui would perform under his direction. And I'm glad my vibes weren't off base considering he is staring in this(aka the director's next project). The ML role in ASM would have suited LYR, Ci Sha is doing great, but it's just something my brain thought about. I was enjoying the framing and cutaways to close ups of hands and was thinking, I hope Li Yun Rui works with him too.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Liu Xie Ning in a leading role and them being the same age they look very good together in the returners i've seen. I just really want to see grown people performing romance...yes that is shade at Rebirth...i'm still salty.

Zeng Qing Jie is one of the few directors that seems to actually pay attention to this and I think it mainly has to do with how he storyboards the shots he wants and knows during the wide shots what the close ups/cut aways will be and takes the time to direct that in the moment. Editors also play a big role in continuity, at least in post production, but they can't use what isn't shot and if the only good take has something out of place they are going to use the good take.
Though I love the close ups/cut aways and framing that Jin Xiong Hao does in his shows I did notice that most if not all of the thoughtful shots with atmosphere and lighting were already all compiled into the trailers. Aka a lot of the "in between" scenes aren't as cohesive with the moodier/artistic shots that made the trailer cut. We are getting the same shot/scene remembered multiple times rather than expanding on a different angle...again editing.
I'm about to nerd out a bit so you really don't have to read all this, but thanks if you do.
I keep seeing great opportunities for Chen Yan Yun to come behind Jin Zhao and embrace her or idk have a more dramatic entrance...okay, example....in episode 25 when Jin Zhao has her hand out catching the rain...a cool shot would have been lingering on her hand and have CYY's hand join hers from underneath to pull it from out of the rain. Have her exhale and lean back into his chest in relief....His ring would make it clear that she knows exactly who is behind her and her not turning/reacting until touched could show that she was in her own world or that she trusts him with her back turned....The exhale of relief that she does in fact feel better with him near her and that it isn't a dream etc. I get that a potential reason for maybe not having him embrace her without first making eye contact is because they aren't married and that would be taking too many liberties with her, but they've made out and secretly met up multiple times at this point...so Imma need him to not hold back as much once they are actually married when in comes to initiating physical contact for comfort. Romance and tension builds with small edits...an inhale, an exhale, a look, a hand twitch, a nervous tick that gets featured in a close up....also if they blast that mid 2000s modern pop ballad one more time during a romantic scene, imma lose it. completely wrong tone for this drama imo.

Anyone have the link to the preview? I can't find it anywhere.

and yet she persist in doing the most diabolical things

I just wish the continuity was better. literally the smallest of gripes, but the small detail of hand placement between shots in the edit. So like a close up of her gripping his shirt but in the wide shot her hands are half a foot higher on his waist and not gripping the cloth. that kind of thing. but I just notice those things more because cinematography is my jimjam.

Still waiting for the Gu family to realize that Jin Zhao knows a LOT of information that could end their entire household? I'm starting to understand more why the brother and half-sister have been having a redemption arc...because this is the only thing preventing her from burning that family to the ground. 20,000 stolen from his work that her mother was able to cover up with her own dowry...
They need to stop asking Jin Zhao to compensate them for her father's mistake. They are extremely lucky that she likes her 5th Aunt and cousin, & that she still has a soft spot for her siblings and even her idiot father.

nanny dies after being punished with like 40 or 60 strokes...she's carted off to the estate before dying. (she fucks more shit up as she leaves)
which leads to concubine's punishment...major major spoiler...Jin Zhao's mother dies in episode 14. After which her mother, Madame Ji, rocks up and punishes the concubine to the Ji family ancestoral hall(where they keep the name alters) to pray for Ji Han. So she's shipped off.
Half-sister and brother both fuck up but they both are working toward becoming better people and siblings. brother prior to mother's death, sister not until after.

midnight

I've never seen that show so I had no idea until they were being very pointed with cameo roles with actors that are normally lead characters in the last 2 episodes and my brain finally went...huh...what's that about and looked it up.

a moment but forever

no they already filmed an entire other show that came out before this show WITH those actors.

I love that i find out this is a prequel in episode 39 🙃

On desktop/browser for the page you can rate the individual episodes. And as you're watching on the app as well you can rate the overall show. it's the pencil(edit) button rating is under the episode counter.
Episodes you have to "write a review" and save it. You don't actually have to write anything you can just give a star rating and leave it at that, but it is only on the browser version/desktop version at the top of the drama's page. Next to "Details" which is the default pages open to.

Chen Xuan Qing is NOT going to take his uncle courting JinZhao well. That is going to be messier than Ye Xian finding out, I fear. Because Ye Xian was able to somewhat openly TRY to court her and vie for her affection. But Xuan Qing has suppressed his emotions and wants for so long that it is more like a pressure cooker without any ventilation. The resentment will build in a much nastier way than Ye Xian imo. Ye Xian at least has a violent outlet to release his anger in the form of his new job. Also love that his sister not only understands WHY he likes JinZhao now, but can fully see how that match wouldn't work, and would harm both of them in the end. Aka she is going to back Jin Zhao's choice and hopefully be able to reason with her little brother with the bigger picture.
I just need Ye Xian and Chen Yan Yun to continue to work in the shadows together toward their shared goal.

PS....I STILL can not tell with 100% certainty if Ji Yao has romantic feelings for Jin Zhao or if he truly just sees her as family to protect. He's so scholarly and closed off most of the time that I'm not picking up any major romantic vibes from him...just protective familial love. Anyone have any other insights in to this dynamic?

If she was better at thinking how manipulative people do she wouldn't have been poisoned for so long, or had her kid taken from her barely a month after giving birth. She wasn't scheming and she was a trusting person by nature.
At that point she was just giving her husband what he wanted and to get attention off of herself. As both maids came with her she naïvely trusted that she would look after the other. As the man can't keep his member to himself, I bet if anything, having Wu Ping serve the newest concubine would expedite her becoming his next concubine just based on proximity.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has an issue with the OSTs/score? It's too modern in places and too western classical in others. I literally had a "What in the Bridgerton is happening?" moment and it took me right out of the show. I'm really enjoying the story and acting, it's just some of the post production choices are leaving a bit to be desired.

Thank you! With work being insane keeping the finer details of all the shows im watching in my mind has been a challenge. dont have the time to sit and journal like I did prior to the busy season kicking off.

rumor says end of the month...dont know for sure yet.