Sunbath12

This is a beautifully produced period drama that includes all the great things I love about period dramas: a little romance, a little revenge, a lot of game of thrones, and a pithy script that explores all the highs and lows of human and nature. As expected of the main writer and director of this drama, this is a worthy though heavy story to savor slowly. Additionally, Bai Lu and Cheng Lei give perhaps some of their best performances of late, a welcome respite from the myriad idol dramas they have been in these recent years.

However, in the season of summer when one might want something more blockbuster-y, this drama may be a little too sad and pedantic at times to really soar. The rousing final act with its action-filled climax is overshadowed by a prolonged denouement, as the script struggles to balance the multiple antagonists.

Still, this is probably one of the best period C dramas this year and is a must watch for all period drama lovers. It's ultimately a story about coming out of darkness, out of your haunted past, and forging a better path forward. A path not riddled with putting down others so that you can thrive, but a path of cultivating truth, light and justice.