At first, I only checked this out because it was so popular, but it completely took me in after awhile. It was slow to start, though, for me. The settings were extremely beautiful, the leads were also beautiful, and the action scenes were well choreographed. I still didn't get completely engrossed, because I thought the character archetypes of smart but impulsive troublemaker as foiled by a cold, rule abiding genius were too stereotypical, so I started caring only about after episode 15 or so.

This is because as the story went on, it made much more sense to me why the producers and writers did what they did. Two pretty boy singers were cast, because the plot revolves around using music to both heal and harm. The two male leads' dynamic also made me happy. The behind the scenes for them made me happy too, and I know most of the fans are pretty obsessive about shipping these two, both in character and in real life. But since I don't usually listen to Chinese pop, and am arguably new to Chinese dramas, I didn't know them until now, and also didn't know that Wang Yibo is very popular and has a built in fan base even before he starred in this drama.

It was both puzzling and surprising who the mastermind was, at the end. The philosophies about how public opinion can change in a very fickle manner, the things people would do for power, and their motivations to obtain power in the first place are well thought out. I understand why this was such a popular novel.

I was also impressed by the way animals are used. Animals and children are the hardest elements to direct with, because they're both unpredictable, but the cuteness pays off, and in every case, serves to soften the feel of the characters. Wei Wuxian was a typical smart but tactless character to me, until he saved the innocents from the so-called enemy side, and then we met the child Yuan.

Aside from the character archetypes that I thought were stereotypical at first, I thought the pacing was weird. It was much more slow moving at first, in the flashback sequences where they were talking about the past. The atmosphere also seemed much darker, sadder. But maybe it could serve the plot in that, it was perhaps a dream, and one of the protagonists had a major traumatic event. I also thought the character Jiang Cheng was so annoying, but maybe he's meant to be like that.

I very much enjoyed it overall. The behind the scenes were enjoyable too, the shipping is enjoyable as well. So is the music. I would watch again.