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Mature Romance, Immature Villains
This is a true enemies-to-lovers tale. This isn't about harsh looks or mean words. The leads were ruthless with one another—they whipped, stabbed, and bit one another. Then, the drama deftly gave the viewer flashbacks that explained how they each came to be so combative and hard.
The Good:
• Kudos to the writer for giving me villains with understandable motivations. They were despicable and did unredeemable acts, but the drama made me mourn the waste of their lives.
• The drama subverted my expectations. The siblings didn't hate one another. The ML and FL were equals in intelligence, ability, and commanding power. They trusted and protected one another. When the FL was faced with an act of noble idiocy, she only considered it briefly, which was a huge relief!
• The princess was a mess, which was unexpected. She careened from one stupid decision to another. I had to remind myself that she'd been coddled and protected all her life. She had no practical experience outside her ivory tower. She'd never felt repercussions from bad choices. Her father and brother had protected and indulged her. Spoiled princess needed a reality check. And she got it.
• And now, a word about amnesia, that frustrating bugaboo of Asian dramas: this has BOTH the ML and FL experiencing memory loss. But wait, it isn't frustrating and meaningless like most plot Band-Aids. The first bout of amnesia with the FL was handled beautifully. She was understandably off kilter and suspicious of everyone, but she handled her condition rationally. Rather than detract from the drama, her memory holes added another layer of suspense. The second bout of amnesia was short-lived, thankfully, and bearable.
• There were beautiful visuals throughout the drama.
The Bad:
• Do we really believe an ill Emperor was left alone for hours?
• If a person destroys a woman's life and aspirations (someone who has proven she is capable of murder), wouldn't it make sense not to allow that dangerous person near? Just sayin'.
• Why do rotating Klieg lights appear every time there is a kissing scene?
• Why does the camera do the cha-cha-cha for dramatic moments? Forward, back, freeze, blur the background—so dramatic.
• The lighting and filters made the second prince look like his face was made of melting ice. I loved his character; he deserved better lighting and makeup.
• As often happens, the drama frayed a bit towards the end.
I added a half star for a capable ML and FL, well-fleshed out villains, and an amnesia story that actually worked.
The Good:
• Kudos to the writer for giving me villains with understandable motivations. They were despicable and did unredeemable acts, but the drama made me mourn the waste of their lives.
• The drama subverted my expectations. The siblings didn't hate one another. The ML and FL were equals in intelligence, ability, and commanding power. They trusted and protected one another. When the FL was faced with an act of noble idiocy, she only considered it briefly, which was a huge relief!
• The princess was a mess, which was unexpected. She careened from one stupid decision to another. I had to remind myself that she'd been coddled and protected all her life. She had no practical experience outside her ivory tower. She'd never felt repercussions from bad choices. Her father and brother had protected and indulged her. Spoiled princess needed a reality check. And she got it.
• And now, a word about amnesia, that frustrating bugaboo of Asian dramas: this has BOTH the ML and FL experiencing memory loss. But wait, it isn't frustrating and meaningless like most plot Band-Aids. The first bout of amnesia with the FL was handled beautifully. She was understandably off kilter and suspicious of everyone, but she handled her condition rationally. Rather than detract from the drama, her memory holes added another layer of suspense. The second bout of amnesia was short-lived, thankfully, and bearable.
• There were beautiful visuals throughout the drama.
The Bad:
• Do we really believe an ill Emperor was left alone for hours?
• If a person destroys a woman's life and aspirations (someone who has proven she is capable of murder), wouldn't it make sense not to allow that dangerous person near? Just sayin'.
• Why do rotating Klieg lights appear every time there is a kissing scene?
• Why does the camera do the cha-cha-cha for dramatic moments? Forward, back, freeze, blur the background—so dramatic.
• The lighting and filters made the second prince look like his face was made of melting ice. I loved his character; he deserved better lighting and makeup.
• As often happens, the drama frayed a bit towards the end.
I added a half star for a capable ML and FL, well-fleshed out villains, and an amnesia story that actually worked.
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