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A Splendid Story; Fire the Editors

Overview:
Compared to how much I have ranted and raved about this drama, my rating is harsh; it aligns with my brain not my heart – let me explain. From the start, the audience can immediately tell that this drama is of a different standard, whether it is the cast, the story, or the camerawork. The first few episodes are entirely to build up the plot, making it relatively easier to understand. After that, the romance progresses slowly but steadily, leaving you on the edge of your seat, wondering what's next. But by around episode 30, it feels like the editors gave up and just started doing whatever. A mess, honestly. Now, the plot is still understandable, but it becomes slow, boring, and almost redundant. The scenes are sloppily placed around as if the editor threw a die to determine what they would edit next. If not for the outstanding acting of ALL of the cast, it could have gone much worse. 'A Splendid Match' is most definitely not a bad watch, but it will not meet the same expectations it created from episode one. If you don't want to end up disappointed or unfulfilled, you can stop watching at around episode 30 or just a bit after GJZ and CYY's wedding.

Context:
Originally, this drama had 36 episodes, but the editors got bored and let their imagination fly to the Vegas casinos. They really gambled and did anything yet also everything. So happy to be a mess. By editing the drama to become 40 episodes, they cut a lot of CYY's scenes, especially the ones with GJZ. In particular, there is a line where he says 'I don't care about anything except for my wife.' They had the NERVE to cut that out.

Some people have mentioned that this was done in favour of Winwin, as he has strong backing in the industry. Before anyone throws a fit, this isn't hate towards him; the industry is fraudulent and we need to admit it. It would make sense considering the amount of 'highlighted' scenes YX has, but to replace CYY's scenes with his is ridiculous.

Story:
The story in itself is wonderful, mostly. From the start, there is a clear understanding of what each character wants, but it doesn't categorise them into the good v. the bad. These characters are genuinely three-dimensional; they have fears, joys, angers, motives, plots, etc. You really want to see what happens next because this drama feels real. The characters have become alive, and don't act for the sake of the plot, but 'for themselves'. The politics is well-written, and it's noteworthy to mention FHL who embodied nuance. He really represents the fact that if you do something to such an extreme, you often end up on the other end of the scale. Even if he gambled on innocent lives, he believed that he did this for the good of Yan and its people. For once, the politic-centric plot is watchable and not the same 'good' v. 'evil' debate repackaged (though barely) with overly-confident leads.

It's a shame that the editors started playing Russian roulette 3/4s in. The final arch wasn't difficult to understand, but confusing in terms of progression and motive. It felt like the characters were just wandering with no sense of direction. Again, as I have barely mentioned, this is due to the editors cutting and adding scenes randomly. It's amazing how much editing affects the entire plot, because after losing a sense of direction, the audience then loses a will to watch it. Not to mention the ending is beyond underwhelming. It cuts with CYY carrying GJZ out of a burning mansion to the voiceover of a eunuch reading the Emperor's edict. You expect that there's another scene, literally anything, to give you some closure about what happens next, but no, that's the end. 'The end!' the editors happily say, probably.

While the editing may have been ridiculous, it must be mentioned that the filmmaking did not disappoint. In particular, the battle scenes in the last three episodes were amazing. They encapsulate the terror of war, and for once, the leads in a C-Drama are visibly, actively fighting their enemies. In particular, I liked how CYY made sure his enemies were completely dead but slicing their throats, even if they had already been stabbed. The need for detail was perfect.

(Take this with a grain of salt.)
Many readers of the original novel have also mentioned that the setting has greatly changed. For example, in the novel CYY had two children with his first wife: a son and a daughter. The son is CXQ and falls for GJZ, but she ended up becoming his step-mother.

Characters:
CYY – I think San Ye might be one of my favourite characters ever written. Granted, it may be thanks to Ci Sha's immaculate acting, but wow, he is just so likeable. Whether it's his intellect or his mannerisms, everything is just likeable. He proves to the audience that he IS a splendid match with GJZ, because he genuinely respects her. Instead of wanting to control her in the name of 'love,' he fulfils his promise of letting her remain free, even after marriage. A lot of MLs in dramas say that on the surface, but at the end of the day, they all end up controlling the FL, one way or another. But CYY isn't like the others. CYY thinks through all matters seriously and rationally, yet remaining enough emotion to balance out his rationality so that his decisions represent the best answer possible. He is a wise man, and that alone makes his likeable.

GJZ – For one, Zhao Jie's character development is perfect. While she may act irrationally and stubbornly at the beginning, you literally cannot blame her, considering she is still a child. But after the death of her mother, she is forced to become more mature, no longer letting her emotions get the best of her. She learns to take care of things in a more sophisticated and well-rounded manner, and her tasks have far extended business and family matters. The change between these two time periods is evident (must mention that Ren Min portrayed it very well). At the end of the drama, her growth is immeasurable and GJZ shows that she is indeed a splendid match with CYY. They quite literally complement each other.

YX – There is a lot of debate of this character, and I can see why. Similar to GJZ, he also goes through a strong character development arc, but he is forced through it slightly later than her. At the start, his irrationality really gets under your skin. Especially in the scene where he whipped GJZ, I didn't think that anything the writers did could ever make his character redeemable. Yet somehow, he IS likeable by the end of the story. Personally, I believe it has to do with the contrast between an emotionally unstable YX v.s. a YX who is forced to shoulder responsibilities as the head of his family after his father's death. Once he starts realising that his actions have consequences, he acts more clear-headedly. Some people may criticise his hot-headed behaviour in comparison with CYY, but it must be mentioned that YX is around 10 years younger than him.

CYY & FHL – Personally, CYY and FHL reminded me of two different ends of the trolley problem. CYY would rather sacrifice one person he knows to save the trolley full of people, while FHL would sacrifice the 5 innocent people he doesn't know. Technically speaking, CYY would want no one to be sacrificed, but he is still not written to be a character of 'goodness,' making him so much more likeable. FHL in general is just a character of nuance. He has humane sides to him (e.g., his love for his wife, the reforms for the country, etc.), but they're convoluted by his ever-increasing need for control. Simply put, you can't deem him as entirely 'good,' nor entirely 'evil.'

CXQ & GL – Their roles seriously reversed. At the start of the drama, I thought it wouldn't be bad if GJZ ended up with CXQ, because their love really was just puppy love. It was cute, it was simple. With GL, everything she did was infuriating. The schemes she would get into along with her mother to argue with GJZ's mother were beyond redundant. But somewhere along the line, CXQ revealed his true colours as a narcissistic, self-obsessed, maniac. I couldn't help but roll my eyes whenever I saw him preach about his so-called 'love' for GJZ. On the other hand, GL really matured after her mother was sent away to the monastery, and she was forced to recognise her situation in the Gu family. It's nice to see how she moved on from believing that marriage is the only way out for her, to rejecting the proposal of a respected family because she wanted to live for herself.

Cast:
Can you believe that not a single person in this cast let me down? I can't, and I'm overjoyed.

Ci Sha as CYY – Ci Sha's acting has never failed me. No matter what scene it is, he is always able to perfect it. Especially in scenes which require great detail, this man always delivers. He really makes you believe that CYY walked straight out of the novel. Acting involving his eyes seem to be a strong point for this man. After the first battle when they carry YX's body back to the military base, Ci Sha acts out CYY's multiple layers of emotions SO WELL. Words cannot describe what CYY was feeling, yet Ci Sha's acting can. I know I'm really putting him on a pedestal here, but I am beyond impressed.

Ren Min as GJZ – Again, Ren Min did spectacularly. At first, I wasn't sure about this drama because I have not watched her dramas before, and I didn't think her demeanour suited it so strongly. But I was proved to be terribly mistaken by how well she portrayed GJZ.

Dong Sichen (Winwin) as YX – Winwin really outdid himself here. I have watched a bit of his acting in 'Perfect Match,' but never properly finished as I didn't like the storyline, so I wasn't sure about what to expect from him. Often, when an idol starts pursuing acting, they are rightfully criticised; the industry provides them with so many resources, yet these rookies can barely act. However, this is most definitely NOT the case for Winwin. While I have mentioned that the industry may be biased towards him, he lives up to his name of acting well. YX's character cannot be an easy character to portray considering how many different emotions he must show. Whether it's the innate frustration he has for his weak body, his anger and helplessness towards the world, his love for GJZ, etc., Winwin grasped the situation well. Compared to the impression I have of him based on previous memories (NCT, variety shows, etc.), he completely changed in his portrayal of YX – which is a good thing because it shows he can act! I am genuinely and pleasantly surprised by him, and I look forward to his future projects.

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Interesting plot with sub-optimal execution.

Overall:
Apparently this is controversial compared to existing reviews, but this drama is only worth 6-6.5/10, in my opinion. Whilst the plot pulls you in at first, it becomes dull extremely quickly, and only pulls you back in for the ending. Truly a loss. Furthermore, quite a few characters are unlikeable – especially Xin Mei which is an issue considering the amount of screen time she is given. However, Lu Qianqiao is an interesting and easy-to-root-for character who holds much more depth than XM. He has an interesting backstory which fuels his ironclad resolve to 'fit in', somewhere or another, through whatever means possible. This motive makes it easy to follow his intentions, and even easier for the audience to reel themselves in and root for him. While his backstory is described, it wouldn't hurt to have focused more on him instead of XM. If such was possible, the rating could be much higher as the plot does hold potential.

Story/Characters:
At the start of the drama, this plot is quite intriguing and motivates you continue watching, but that only lasts until Xin Mei's revenge arc for Lu Huai ends, with the beginning of her amnesia. The revenge is refreshing and really sets expectations for what Xin Mei's character is like: stubborn in her own morals. It is especially compelling considering her introductory 'detached' character which only seeks to marry a death-row prisoner. As she goes on a killing rampage, the audience feels a need to root for her to clear out these corrupt officials who wrongfully accused an innocent man to death by a thousand cuts. But that's about as much as her character goes. With the start of her amnesia, she grows to become a dull, stubborn, selfish, and self-righteous character who centres the entire world around herself. Bold claim, perhaps, but when she is blinded by her confidence and stubborn morals, she becomes unlikeable. From injuring Lu Qingqiao because she found out about his identity as a War Ghost to lecturing the sect disciples about good v. evil, she somehow has this unwavering confidence that she is always correct, therefore others must listen to her. It is exactly this unwillingness to consider the perspectives of others that makes her unlikeable.

Lu Qianqiao is an interesting character. He seeks to become human because he wishes to fit in somewhere, after living his entire life as neither this, nor that. It is exactly through this that we can understand his character and what is to be expected from him. His mother and father were spies from opposing forces who came together to create LQQ, meaning the fragmentation of his identity is inevitable. He is constantly forced to choose one side, yet he cannot, because he cannot belong entirely to one. Thus, he begins on his quest to truly become a human – it is this motivation that makes the audience want to root for him, becoming interested in the plot. What a pity that the drama decided to (arguably) give more time to XM instead, although even that was poorly-executed.

While this is disputed, I enjoyed A Sheng's character. Whilst she was not likeable, you could understand why she acted as she did, thanks to her entire backstory. This, in clear contrast to Xin Mei who has no explicit backstory aside from a couple lines about her being the only one left in her family, makes it easier to gravitate towards A Sheng. A pitiful child yet cunning child who turns the tables. Even as part of the main character group, she commits her own evils, especially towards Jin Lun, showing that she is not perfect nor does she have to be. She grew up in an environment where you either kill or get killed, so it's no wonder she's so heartless. Again, this ruthlessness and imperfection makes her character interesting. Not good, but interesting.

Overall, the plot has potential. I don't expect much depth nor nuance from idol-dramas, so this plot did exceed my expectations. The introduction of various determinants of good v. evil have the audience unsure about whose side to take. An ally today may become an enemy tomorrow, and vice versa. A clear contrast between the beginning, where the sect disciples are hunting down our main character group, and the final fight, where the sect disciples have allied with the main character group to retaliate against the final evil, the sect leader. It is impossible to fully determine what is good and what is evil, and this plot manages to touch upon that grey area. So much better than a plot where the villain is clear from episode 1, and they are evil for the sake of being evil. However, the middle of the drama drags on and the pacing is a bit odd, making them feel like filler episodes instead of actual plot. Scenes which could have progressed much faster are filled with the characters conversing, even when arguing during action/battle scenes.

Acting:
To start off with the male lead, Ren Jialun as Lu Qianqiao, his acting was fitting for this drama. He is able to accurately create the gradual change from War Ghost to human, as LQQ slowly begins to acquire a more humane understanding of the world. Whether its his childlike wonder for food, or his curiosity about the human experience, the subtleness is there and well-executed, making his character interesting. His range of emotions is the best part about his acting because he doesn't use the same expression or face for sadness, happiness, anger, fury, disappointment, disgust, etc., and actually creates some nuance. To be human is to feel multiple feelings at once, and he portrays that. While this may be the entry-mark to acting, to do so well is difficult, and the bar is considerably low nowadays.

Wang Herun as Xin Mei has absolutely no appeal. I am unsure whether this is a result of her poor acting, XM's confusing character, or both. When I watched the first episode, I had to double check who the female lead was as I felt absolutely no interest towards her; she simply felt like a guest character, no main character sentiments at all. The only time I was even vaguely compelled to focus was the shift from detachment to absolute fury XM faced when Lu Huai was unjustly killed. Such contrast created an actual incentive for me to focus on the story as we watched her unleash her wrath. However, even throughout that storyline, the actress was still lacking that final fit of rage. This feeling of lacking something continues with the rest of the drama, because it seems that she has three expressions: happy when she's with LQQ, sad when something happens, and an inexplicable overconfidence when she is lecturing others.

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The Beauty of It All

'To the Wonder' is so hauntingly beautiful and different from the rest. The beauty of its simplicity is unparalleled. It makes you want to laugh, to cry, to shout, to scream, to do almost everything, all at once.

In a world where the focus is to do everything faster, with more efficiency, and make more and more and more money, this is a breath of fresh air. We are pulled back into life without such strict constraints and rules beyond recognition. This drama, from the plot to the actors to the setting, everything is beautiful. It isn't an extravagant type of beauty that takes you all at once, forcing you to gape at it in awe; it's the simplicity in itself and in the lifestyle of the people. The contrast between the ever-changing, fast-paced world we live in, and the life of herders and culture. In the mundanity of life, we often forget to appreciate the culture passed down from our ancestors and the self-sufficiency of nature. Our current climate continues taking and taking until the greed becomes insurmountable, yet the destruction is felt by the exact life source we thrive off from.

This is a drama that makes you think. Not a single detail is simply 'there', yet nor is it deliberate – it is representative of real people, real lives, real cultures. What beauty that we live in yet don't feel gratitude towards.

Even if the ending is debated upon by many, I believe it is the best. Happy endings only exist in fiction; reality differs. The humane aspect of this drama is what touches everyone, because it is raw and unfiltered. We can see ourselves in the characters despite living largely different lives. Nothing is easy in life, yet we must move on; even if we stop, the world continues without us, so we must learn to live with the pain of it all, until it no longer aches your soul.

Truly beautiful.

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Strong Start, Questionable Ending.

Overall:
A worthy watch if you only care about romance, but if you even care just a little bit about the actual politics, then don't bother or you'll get annoyed. It really depends on your personal preference, at the end of the day. Some characters are better-written than others, the plot is overall average, but the music is arguably strong.

Plot:
With a considerably different concept to most dramas, 'Perfect Crown' had a strong start in engaging audiences. The concept of reimagining Korean history to have maintained monarchy even to our present day is the exact key point of intrigue which many viewers were pulled in by. What if x never happened, or what if y did? The curiosity and suspense only broadens the spread of the word. Such a hook did well in capturing our attention at the start, but whether this curiosity continues is up to the screenwriter – who ultimately did not succeed.

While it is different from most, the politics of an entire country cannot be well-written if the writers only wanted 12 short episodes with a focus on romance. As a result, the characters start contradicting themselves as the plot becomes insensible. However, it is worthy to mention that the romance aspect was well-written. Even if it did take the usual K-Drama formula of crushes back in high school or a couple of convenience, you cannot deny that it is so easy to root for the main couple. You WANT to see the poor prince succeed in getting together with the mistreated heiress.

Characters:
Seong Huiju is an appealing character. Her personality shines through and she almost has no faults; to be perfect is impossible. You understand her intentions well because of her simple yet impressionable backstory as the child of a mistress in a chaebol family. By contrast, Prince I-an is slightly more confusing. His intentions (other than to love Seong Huiju) are never clear in the sense that you simply don't understand what he is doing. He is sick of the royal life and the supposed prestige of it all, yet it feels that all of this is just a sad backstory for the ML instead of being something real or almost-tangible. Prince I-an as a character lacks depth; his only purpose seems to be for romance, or for Seong Huiju. Unfortunately, this is often the issue for many dramas where character depth is ignored to emphasis the romance between the leads.

Prime Minister Jeongwoo is similarly confusing. While you can argue that everything he does is for Seong Huiju, the motive is still unclear. Such excuse for his blatant disregard towards his duty as the prime minister of a country is deplorable. Even if he says that 'everything is done for the good of the country,' does anyone believe him? Does he even believe it himself? The PM has become such a caricature whose only purpose is to serve as a villain for and because of romance. His character would have been more interesting if they gave him more depth through backstory, e.g., what was his father (previous PM)'s impact on him? The scene of him laying his rosary at his grave was well-executed, with such symbolism of the PM leaving his morals even coming back in the episode 11/12 when Seong Huiju asks him where it went. It's a shame that this wasn't further explored.

Daebi Mama is my personal favourite. The stages of rage, grief, anger, humiliation, and finally acceptation that she goes through absolutely shine. Her understanding of the world shifts over and over again, with the abdication of the former King, his death, the instatement of her song as King, and her realisation of her father's evils. Hate her as you will, you cannot deny that she is the product of her environment. Arguably-so, her similarities with Seong Huiju are much more apparent than what comes to eye. They are both constricted by power, but contrastingly, Seong Huiju is able to rely on herself to create her empire, while Daebi Mama must ensure her son stays in power. From this perspective, Huiju even appears to have more freedom than her.

Acting/Cast:
IU and Byeon Woo-seok are beloved by the general audience. With both actors having well-received roles before this series, it is not doubt that everyone will have high expectations. IU's acting is the same as ever, as in she is able to assert her character and develop it convincingly, as to be expected from a veteran, though also thanks to Seong Huiju's strong character personality. By contrast, with Prince I-an lacking clarity in character dimension, Byeon Woo-seok has an arguably more difficult time in his portrayal. However, some scenes are much better than others, such as the emotions he present when Prince I-an is forced to live through the death of his mother, father, and brother.

Steve Noh (PM Jeongwoo) and Gong Seungyeon (Daebi Mama) really shone throughout the series. They were extremely convincing in their role, even if the PM's character is flawed, as both characters have somewhat of a clearer motive. In particular, Daebi Mama is able to pull the audience into the story as she shows her rage and despair towards the uncontrollable situation which unfolds in front of her. The contrast between her character at the start of the series and the end is quite distinct. Similarly, Steve Noh creates a clear division between the PM at the start who genuinely wishes to do well, versus the corrupt or colluded PM at the end, with the scene of his leaving his rosary as a division.

Music:
While I don't usually consider music as part of a review, it is no doubt that the OST for this series was strong. Many current top acts in the K-Pop scene such as RIIZE, BOYNEXTDOOR, and BIBI were included along with other token OST singers to create a solid yet hype-able OST album for the drama. It is not a stretch to say that many viewers watched the series specifically for that.

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