Seriously - what the hell was that ending - soooo bad! Beyond that, this is one of those dramas the I liked some of, didnt like other parts so much and a bit too draggy for me. Highlights: 1. the main couple were adorable - once they got together, which took waaaayyy too long. I will give the ML a pass on the kissing, cause I know this is his first lead role in a romantic drama. But, FL - girl, you need to work on this a bit. That being said - they had good chemistry, had good communication and there was clear intimacy there. 2. Heir Apparent - kinda stole the show. Such a great character with lots of nuance and depth. Downside - he was not the ML and they spent waaayy too much time here. 3. her grandmother - what a beautiful relationship! Not so much: 1. Time spent on the inner house of the Gu family - seriously too much time here - I didnt need the slice-of-life, dragging time spent with the Gu family, Would have been nice to know more about the Chen family (where they spent practically no time) 2. Not enough time on ML and his backstory - we learn tons about her, tons about the Heir - not so much on the ML. 3. Not enough time spent building the leads relationship - especially since they dont even get together until in the second half of the drama. They meet a couple of times, he has a few good looks at her and then bam! Marry me. It was just not plotted out well. 4. She spends waaaayy too much time thinking about the Heir - like, seriously, on her wedding nigh ffs! Really nice costuming, and cinematography.
I searched Iquyi for it, but can't find it. Can you share the link? I'm a IQIYI subscriber.
I just watched it on Iqiyi - it's All About Secretary Li - did you find it? Also - it only on the apps - shorts aren't available on the desktop version
I am with most the commenters - do not understand the lower rating - I found this waaaayyy more engaging than Love Beyond the Grave. Zhou Yi Ran is FANTASTIC in this - dont htink I have watched him in anything else. He just nailed this character. Mysterious, sexy, that deep voice and his costuming was amazing! Story was pretty interesting and not your typical wuxia. FL - just 'meh' for me. I sometimes liked her, sometime didn't - but she did do her fight scenes very well. FL's little brother was ADORBS! Villain didn't surprise me - had it figured out pretty early on. Had me guessing for a bit - but as soon as they show him clenching his fists when the girl gets the hairpin - pretty much sealed the deal. And in wuxia/xanxia- its always the head of the 'rightous' sect - lol!! Good ending - although I could have done without the musical number at the end - just silly. I say - give it a go - and stick with it as there a number of good twists, but not overly complicated.
Finished this a couple of days ago and wanted to share my take - but I had to sit with it for a bit - not because it was soo amazing - but because I couldnt pin-point why it didnt work for me. It checked all the right boxes - good cinematography, great costuming, good actors, interesting story - all really good. But it just lost me during the Void story arc - not lost the plot, i got bored. I started to lose interest in the characters. Got tired of all the grand entrances (especially the FL). The cinematography started to feel forced - like, going for the artsy shot just for the sake of being artsy - didnt add to the story at all. I felt this way about The Double and even had to go look up if it was the same director (it is not). I also found I didnt much care for most of the Void characters and it really only served two purposes - introducing us to the villain and some slight backstory for the FL - otherwise, I was like - 'meh'. And from there - I really found I just lost interest in the whole thing. I only finished because I just cant drop a drama was I get so far in. But kind of kickin' myself that I didnt cause it gave me the endings I hate the most - I want clear resolution, one way or another. And dont do the alternate ending crap - make a choice and stick to it! While the leads had some good chemistry - it just didnt get all the way there - something was just missing. it took waaayy too long for her to get there and by then, I felt so bad for the ML - I kinda didnt want them together anymore - it was not a healthy relationship in the slightest. I will give kudos to Dilreba - no one does sad, doe-eyes like she does - lol!! Now - I dont want anyone thinking I am dissin' her cause I think this is probably one of the best characters she has played. I don't know - if you like this genre, like the main actors - give it a go - i just missed the mark for me. Edit: forgot to mention, that the character who really stole the show, was The Prophet - give this man an award!
this is one of those dramas i wanted to like, but was mostly just frustrated by an awful script. The FL who plays the noble idiocy card (I am trying to save you by secretly investigating what happened, but not going to tell you and push you away all the time). And then making really bad decisions most of the time. The obnoxious ML who keeps making stupid decisions (mostly cause FL doesnt tell him what she is doing), which then pushes her farther way. The power-hungry/insecure Empress Dowager who has created this whole mess cause she was treated poorly in her younger days in the palace Basically wanted to smack all of them most of the time. The final palace intrigue arc at the end wasn't too bad - nice twist with 2ML - ending was just stupid.
This is awful and I would hope MDL would take this down or at least be clearer how disrespectful these c-netizens are being. There is no need for any of this. Everyone would have been perfectly fine waiting for 'official' photos or even no photos at all. This is a very private moment for two human beings and they deserve their privacy.
Beyond that, this is one of those dramas the I liked some of, didnt like other parts so much and a bit too draggy for me.
Highlights:
1. the main couple were adorable - once they got together, which took waaaayyy too long. I will give the ML a pass on the kissing, cause I know this is his first lead role in a romantic drama. But, FL - girl, you need to work on this a bit. That being said - they had good chemistry, had good communication and there was clear intimacy there.
2. Heir Apparent - kinda stole the show. Such a great character with lots of nuance and depth. Downside - he was not the ML and they spent waaayy too much time here.
3. her grandmother - what a beautiful relationship!
Not so much:
1. Time spent on the inner house of the Gu family - seriously too much time here - I didnt need the slice-of-life, dragging time spent with the Gu family, Would have been nice to know more about the Chen family (where they spent practically no time)
2. Not enough time on ML and his backstory - we learn tons about her, tons about the Heir - not so much on the ML.
3. Not enough time spent building the leads relationship - especially since they dont even get together until in the second half of the drama. They meet a couple of times, he has a few good looks at her and then bam! Marry me. It was just not plotted out well.
4. She spends waaaayy too much time thinking about the Heir - like, seriously, on her wedding nigh ffs!
Really nice costuming, and cinematography.
Zhou Yi Ran is FANTASTIC in this - dont htink I have watched him in anything else. He just nailed this character. Mysterious, sexy, that deep voice and his costuming was amazing!
Story was pretty interesting and not your typical wuxia.
FL - just 'meh' for me. I sometimes liked her, sometime didn't - but she did do her fight scenes very well.
FL's little brother was ADORBS!
Villain didn't surprise me - had it figured out pretty early on. Had me guessing for a bit - but as soon as they show him clenching his fists when the girl gets the hairpin - pretty much sealed the deal. And in wuxia/xanxia- its always the head of the 'rightous' sect - lol!!
Good ending - although I could have done without the musical number at the end - just silly.
I say - give it a go - and stick with it as there a number of good twists, but not overly complicated.
It checked all the right boxes - good cinematography, great costuming, good actors, interesting story - all really good. But it just lost me during the Void story arc - not lost the plot, i got bored. I started to lose interest in the characters. Got tired of all the grand entrances (especially the FL).
The cinematography started to feel forced - like, going for the artsy shot just for the sake of being artsy - didnt add to the story at all. I felt this way about The Double and even had to go look up if it was the same director (it is not). I also found I didnt much care for most of the Void characters and it really only served two purposes - introducing us to the villain and some slight backstory for the FL - otherwise, I was like - 'meh'. And from there - I really found I just lost interest in the whole thing. I only finished because I just cant drop a drama was I get so far in. But kind of kickin' myself that I didnt cause it gave me the endings I hate the most - I want clear resolution, one way or another. And dont do the alternate ending crap - make a choice and stick to it!
While the leads had some good chemistry - it just didnt get all the way there - something was just missing. it took waaayy too long for her to get there and by then, I felt so bad for the ML - I kinda didnt want them together anymore - it was not a healthy relationship in the slightest. I will give kudos to Dilreba - no one does sad, doe-eyes like she does - lol!!
Now - I dont want anyone thinking I am dissin' her cause I think this is probably one of the best characters she has played.
I don't know - if you like this genre, like the main actors - give it a go - i just missed the mark for me.
Edit: forgot to mention, that the character who really stole the show, was The Prophet - give this man an award!
The FL who plays the noble idiocy card (I am trying to save you by secretly investigating what happened, but not going to tell you and push you away all the time). And then making really bad decisions most of the time.
The obnoxious ML who keeps making stupid decisions (mostly cause FL doesnt tell him what she is doing), which then pushes her farther way.
The power-hungry/insecure Empress Dowager who has created this whole mess cause she was treated poorly in her younger days in the palace
Basically wanted to smack all of them most of the time.
The final palace intrigue arc at the end wasn't too bad - nice twist with 2ML - ending was just stupid.