Reviews

Boring

This Drama is Soooo Boring,
Flashy Costumes, verrry pale, beautiful looking cast and some slow burning not very good chemistry, I wasted my time watching this Drama
first of all, there is no story to it.
He is Faithful to Throne, he has Many advantages instead can't protect his Grand princess.
booring
EXCEPT FOR THE STAR CAST AND BIG BUDGET THERES NOTHING TO SEE IN THIS DRAMA.

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The kdrama that is built like a Wattpad story

(My review is extremely subjective and doesn't mean that you will have the same feelings as me)

Perfect Crown is build like a Wattpad story, and I'm going to need everyone to hear me out when I say this. It's like the director/screenwriter had very specific scenes that they wanted to show in their head, but they didn't have a proper framework for a drama, so it feels like they just pieced the plot together around those specific scenes. Very reminiscent to how most Wattpad stories are written, and unfortunately... I ate it up.

Yes there are a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions, but the plot was interesting enough for me to continue. I was watching this drama during peak finals season and desperately needed something that could shut my brain off and was entertaining. And that is exactly what this drama did for me, because you best believe I was waiting for the weekend to come rolling just so I could watch this drama.

The idea of South Korea still living under a monarchy was extremely captivating for me, the aesthetics are absolutely gorgeous especially the outfits the Byun Wooseok wore throughout the entire show. And I've always been a fan of mixing traditional and modern elements visually. And the OSTs are some of the best I've ever heard in a while, thank you to the person that gave us the master piece that "Already Free" is. And lets not forget that Byun Wooseok and IU are the main leads in this drama, they both just look so pretty and I loved their chemistry.

Like I said not everyone is going to have the same feelings as me about this drama, and there definitely are a lot of flaws. But this drama kept me entertained so give it a try if you're interested.

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Sageuk wears Prada™

There is a certain fascination about whether the Joseon Dynasty can survive into the 21st century. Variations of this theme pop up from time to time in the k-dramaverse.

Right from the start, this series goes all in. This alternative universe's Korea is a mishmash of Joseon tradition mingled with modernity. Some elements are straight out of historical series while others belong to contemporary idol dramas. This show doesn't so much as massage history but gave it whiplash!

Not only do you need to get your head around a constitutional monarchy with all the pomp and ceremonies dating back hundreds of years, but also a big dollop of classic palace intrigue, dynastic succession and the future of the monarchy itself. But wait, there is more! How about chaebol family powerplay and a love triangle. They are all played out under the severe gaze of modern social media. Mercy!

I would normally take a raincheck (aka run away screaming) upon reading that last paragraph, but this production has an ace up its sleeve. In fact, a pair of them.

Our leads are two of the hottest k-drama stars today. This is a dream pairing by all account. Just the hype surrounding them would be enough to guarantee traffic. Alas, all is not well in the modern Kingdom of Korea.

As I mentioned earlier, this drama is busy. There are so much going on. The show did well to cover the basics, but it can feel rushed and superficial. This is a trade-off of a 12 eps run. I would have expected 16 eps to maximise commercial returns and that would give the story a bit more breathing space.

Don't get me wrong, the series is complete. The show provided us with the required resolutions and redemptions, but they are just that. What we see is what we get. There are times when I thought the script could go deeper, but it already changed tack. The storylines are broad and many, but most are skin deep.

Of course, this doesn't mean it is a bad show. As an idol drama, it ticked all the boxes. There are intrigues, conflicts, romance and fan service. Whether you buy into the alternate timeline is a personal choice. For me, it is a mixed bag. When it is firing, it is something to behold and then it would leave me frustrated with some half baked subplot. One such example is the evolution of the Prime Minister. I wasn't surprised by the development, but it was hardly sophisticated writing.

It helps if we recalibrate our expectations. Any fans of our leads will rejoice. Their scenes are designed to make us swoon. The couture dresses, the lavish sets, the handsome close-ups and romantic interludes. They have been curated with consummate skill. For some, this is golden. Caveat emptor, chingu.

There is no doubt this is a top tier production and an easy watch. The star power alone guarantees commercial success. That is assuming the series does not stray off the beaten path. That won't be allowed to happen and that is its Achilles heel.

In the end, It delivered what the fans wanted. I doubt it will win a Baeksang, but that's not the point, is it? Peace.

P.S. Note to Korean Government. Install top-notch fire suppression systems in your historical palaces. Fool me twice . .

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The dialogues were written by chatgpt and the actors were underpaid.

I cant even bother to talk about how they just killed the essence of only friends, not even letting people kiss outside of their popular ships. When did we get so conservative lol. Also what were the actors doing in front of the camera, i can name only 3-4 people who could actually act in this series, best being Mix's character Dean. The dialogues are so plain it genuinely bores you. There's no spice or hair pulling level frustration portrayed as well. Everything is just....happening and its not that serious. I cant take the craahout of these people seriously neither can defend their acting. Storylone had great potential but I'd suggest giving the director a helping hand jn direction like they did in the first season because somethjng is clearly no sitting right with this one. Anyways overall i love Dean and Raffy.

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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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The Emotional Depth of “Broken of Love”

Broken of Love is not another formulaic GL (Girls’ Love) series, but an exceptionally refined and multilayered Thai production that skillfully combines themes of revenge with psychological drama and emotional romance. From the very first minutes, the viewer is drawn into a world where the past is not merely a painful memory — it becomes a force that shapes the characters’ present and influences every decision they make. The screenplay deserves special recognition for avoiding cheap plot devices and unjustified twists. The story unfolds gradually, with great attention paid to emotional tension and character psychology. The creators deliberately choose a slower narrative pace, allowing the atmosphere to become increasingly heavy, suffocating, and filled with unspoken emotions. It is precisely this carefully built intensity that makes Broken of Love so deeply engaging.

At the same time, the series never turns into an overwhelmingly bleak drama focused solely on suffering. The production maintains an excellent balance between dramatic scenes, romance, moments of tension, and action. Because of this, the story feels alive, and the emotions never seem forced. There are conflicts, painful conversations, family disputes, and psychological burdens, yet everything is portrayed naturally, without excessive theatricality. It is evident that Faye Peraya Malisorn — both as an actress and producer — understood exactly how much emotion should be shown at any given moment so the audience would never feel emotionally exhausted. That balance makes the series incredibly immersive to watch.

The central figure of the story is Arisa (Faye Peraya Malisorn) — a mysterious, cold, and emotionally distant woman. She operates within a ruthless corporate world while hiding the trauma of her parents’ deaths beneath a mask of professionalism, along with a desire for revenge that drives her entire life. However, Arisa is far from one-dimensional. Beneath her silence, glances, and carefully controlled reactions lies an enormous emotional weight, which Faye portrays with remarkable subtlety.

Arisa’s path crosses with Lalin (Atom Pariya Piyapanopas), who is her complete opposite — open, spontaneous, and expressive, yet trapped within the expectations of her dominant and controlling mother, Welling. The relationship between Arisa and Lalin develops slowly, yet incredibly naturally. This is where the series reveals its greatest strength. The trope of seeking revenge against the enemy’s family has appeared countless times in Asian dramas, but here it gains a fresher and far more emotional dimension thanks to its placement within a complicated GL relationship. Their growing feelings gradually clash with family loyalty, duty, and the pain of the past.

+ Full review on our Instagram, X and Tik-Tok @SawadeeGL

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A must-watch

I am still completely blown away by how incredible this production is. It is rare to find a show where absolutely everything is top-tier, but this one delivers on every single level. The storytelling is gripping and unpredictable, keeping you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
The casting is nothing short of perfection; the actors brought so much nuance and raw emotion to their roles that it felt incredibly real. Combined with the stunning cinematography and a breathtaking soundtrack that perfectly captures the mood of every scene, it is a true work of art.
I was so deeply immersed in the world they created that the hours just flew by without me noticing. The production value is insane, and its rewatch value is incredibly high—I’m already planning to start it over again. If you haven't started watching this yet, you are seriously missing out. A well-deserved 10/10!

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Never underestimate Li Pei Yi

Others have written excellent, more extensive reviews so I'm not going to spend a lot of words talking about the wonderful acting, script and production values that make this a top-notch historical c-drama. I just want to lay the thought for new viewers: Do not ever underestimate Li Pei Yi. She is an unbelievably brilliant master of events and everything ultimately plays out according to her schemes. Just when you think she has lost hold of the reigns, things will turn and show how she was riding a completely different horse. What a great character and Bai Lu does a wonderful job portraying her.

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One of the best contract marriage dramas

I remember the days when I first discovered K-dramas, and how hooked I would get on them. I'd be buried under blankets on a Saturday morning, sipping my coffee and definitely not getting to any of my daily responsibilities til about 4 pm. But over time, as I started encountering repeated tropes and plotlines or chemistry that fell flat, I've settled into a rhythm of always having a drama going that I watch every few days or so but typically take a while to finish, but every so often one just takes me back to the golden era of 2016 dramas and I eat it up in less than a week.
Perfect Crown was one of those. Honestly, what carried it for me was their relationship. I was swooning at every scene, and the slowburn contract marriage "oh we don't actually like each other... okay maybe I do a little bit... okay I want this to be real now" pacing was just soooo goooood. Their chemistry was also fantastic.
My only criticism is the plot surrounding them of the politics and world-building of the constitutional monarchy had some holes and left me with questions. There's not a lot of sideplot development to bolster the drama as this is 12 episodes instead of 16, so they really focus on the main plot of the relationship. Contrast that to a drama like Crash Landing On You where you don't just see their development, you also see stories like the wiretap guy and his relationship to the ML and all the musical thread of the piano through the whole show. It had 16 episodes to bring all that together. This drama didn't have that depth in the plot, but the relationship did, and oh man was it good.
And, I am not a fan of the "have to hurt you to protect you" trope. But the other tropes are done well.
If you're looking for a gripping thriller political drama, this is probably not for you. But if you want a romcom that absolutely nails the tropes and chemistry between the two leads, this is the one. I watched it in about four days and if I can drag my fellow drama friends into it, I would watch it again tomorrow.

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feels like stumbled at the finish line

Perfect Crown was already on my waiting list the moment the main cast got announced. IU + Byeon Woo Seok in a modern monarchy drama with contract marriage trope??? Oh I was SAT. SEATED. BUCKLED IN! Honestly, the biggest reason why I got interested was the setting itself. I’m such a sucker for modern monarchy dramas. There’s just something so addictive about seeing royal traditions, palace politics, luxury scandals, tailored coats, and generational trauma happening in modern society. Like yes please give me emotionally constipated royal people suffering beautifully inside expensive palaces. And this drama REALLY delivered on the vibes. Everyone looked insanely expensive. Even their emotional damage felt sponsored by luxury brands. Another thing that sold me was the contract marriage + high school crush trope. Was it cliché? Absolutely. Did I still eat it up every week? Also absolutely. Perfect Crown honestly does not reinvent the wheel. We got palace intrigue, tragic deaths, power struggles, one-sided love, hidden family drama, succession issues, emotionally unavailable parents, and enough trauma to destroy an entire royal bloodline. This drama looked at every makjang trope possible and said: “yeah put everything in there.” And somehow… it worked .

What truly carried this drama for me were the atmosphere, chemistry, performances, and emotional tension.
IU as Seong Hui Ju completely understood the assignment. She brought such fun romantic-comedy energy while still making Hui Ju feel emotionally layered underneath all the glamour and ambition. Hui Ju spent her entire life trying to prove herself because she was an illegitimate daughter. She built everything herself — money, business, reputation, influence — yet legitimacy was still the one thing she could never fully have. Honestly, girl was working like she had three LinkedIn accounts and generational trauma to overcome.
Meanwhile Byeon Woo Seok as Lee Ian spent the entire drama looking devastatingly handsome while silently carrying the emotional burden of an entire collapsing monarchy. I genuinely loved how restrained his acting was. Ian grew up being treated like a threat by his own father simply because his existence endangered the crown prince’s legitimacy. His royal title always felt hollow rather than powerful, like he was trapped inside a palace that never truly wanted him there. And somehow Byeon Woo Seok made all that sadness look gorgeous. That man could stare at a wall silently for 10 minutes and I would still call it cinema.

One thing I genuinely appreciated was the communication between Hui Ju and Ian. For a drama THIS dramatic, their relationship was surprisingly healthy. Misunderstandings didn’t drag for 15 episodes. They actually talked, solved problems quickly, and returned to being disgustingly in love again. Sometimes they weren’t even doing anything romantic — they were literally just standing next to each other breathing dramatically and I was already sold.

Hui Ju’s family dynamics were also really interesting. Her stepbrother initially felt like the typical legitimate heir rival, but later episodes showed he genuinely cared for her in his own way. Meanwhile Hui Ju’s father genuinely irritated me every time he appeared because that man raised his children inside an environment where love always felt conditional and political. No wonder everyone in this drama is emotionally unstable.

Now for Min Jeong U, the Prime Minister… On paper, he was technically the “better choice.” Status, influence, power, stability — he had everything. But Hui Ju still chose Ian because Ian understood her emotional loneliness in ways Jeong U never fully could. BUT STILL . Sir, you loved this woman since HIGH SCHOOL and still never confessed properly despite having endless opportunities. At some point that stopped becoming romance and started becoming a long-term government project.

And the Queen Mother… wow. Gong Seung Yeon absolutely embodied that role. She genuinely felt like someone psychologically trapped by palace life and her father’s obsession with making her queen at all costs. Her dynamic with Ian was also weirdly fascinating because I honestly think she became emotionally attached to him over time. Meanwhile Ian was just accidentally causing emotional collapse everywhere he went by standing there smiling softly while looking handsome!

Now here’s my biggest frustration with the drama; THE PLOT HOLES. I genuinely thought the drama was building toward some huge reveal about the late king possibly being illegitimate and Ian actually being the rightful heir all along. It would’ve explained SO much about the succession tension and the late king desperately wanting Ian to inherit the throne. BUT NO. The drama literally never explored that theory properly. Honestly, this drama being only 12 episodes should be considered a crime because there were way too many political conflicts and family storylines happening at once. This absolutely should’ve been 16 episodes. The pacing became insanely fast toward the end, and several plotlines felt unfinished.

Then suddenly…ABOLISHMENT. Like huh??? Is abolishing monarchy THAT easy??? That is literally an entire country system. The amount of political, constitutional, economic, and social restructuring needed for that would be INSANE. As far as I know, that’s literally one of the reasons why many European countries still maintain constitutional monarchy instead of abolishing it altogether. The transition itself would be unbelievably massive.
I KNOW this drama is fictional and fantasy-based, but my brain genuinely could not accept this level of elementary political writing . And episode 12 honestly became so messy because of it. You’re telling me the former king — someone established from the beginning as deeply beloved by the public — suddenly walks around outside after abolishment and NOBODY pays attention to him??? As if he’s just some random unemployed guy buying groceries??? That is literally unthinkable. Especially after the drama repeatedly showed how famous and beloved Ian was nationwide. Realistically, people would still recognize him instantly even without the title. And then the fact that Ian basically became jobless afterward… Oh that hurt me BADLY. From graceful grand prince carrying the emotional weight of an entire monarchy to pitiful house husband waiting for his busy CEO wife at home. Meanwhile Hui Ju goes back to being an ultra-busy Beauty Castle CEO while Ian just kinda… exists there looking pretty and unemployed. Like excuse me writer-nim what are we doing here??? I understand the intention was probably to symbolize freedom and normal life outside the monarchy, but the execution accidentally made Ian’s ending feel strangely humiliating compared to the grandeur and emotional buildup of his entire character journey. BUT STILL I also loved that Ian finally got to truly live as himself. Still, despite ALL my complaints, I cannot lie…I still enjoyed this drama a lot. I liked how most relationships healed by the end too… except for Prime Minister Jeong U because the drama literally left that man floating like an unfinished government document. Did he get jailed? Exposed? Exiled? We genuinely do not know. And lastly, the little king . My tiny cutie pie your majesty. I’m SO glad the drama never created conflict between him and Ian. Ian genuinely loved and protected him until the end, and honestly their relationship became one of the softest parts of the drama for me.

Overall, Perfect Crown is messy, rushed, dramatic, cliché, emotionally chaotic, and filled with enough palace trauma to emotionally bankrupt an entire kingdom. But despite all its flaws, the beautiful cinematography, modern monarchy setting, strong performances, romantic tension, insane family dynamics, and luxurious palace vibes still made this drama ridiculously entertaining every single week. Was the writing perfect? Absolutely not. Did I still get emotionally attached to these rich traumatized palace people anyway? Unfortunately… yes . 8/10.

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Perfect Couple in Disguise

This series screams expensive, elegance and majestic settings of a FICTIONAL modern Korea as a constitutional monarchy; it has lots of spellbinding visuals; a perfectly ensemble casts; and volatile dynamic from start to finish. It’s a love story which pairs two souls shaped by the same suffering yet showcase different approach on how to survive.

Grand Prince I-An, a gentle soul, act as a pseudo façade of the crown’s honor; when in reality, hides the dark side of power struggling, greed and manipulations. Growing up, he was forced to restraint himself and being passive. Always positioned himself at the back, a shadow of his older brother. As he met Hui-ju at school, his rebel side starts to brew. He changed the school rules to give equal rights among the students ignoring nobility privileges. This little act in his earlier days in school was brilliantly overlooked by most of us, as it evolved steadily into a revolution, a deep desire to abolish the monarchy; which in his view is the root of all evil.

Hui-ju on the other hand is a feisty soul, like a wild horse; who always have to fight for her way up. She is fearless and not hesitant to play dirty in achieving her goals. Grown to be a cut-throat business-woman, who excels in making deals and negotiations. A master in public relations; trend-setting to bend and read the market and public sentiment. With her quick wit and confidence, she is able to adapt to her surrounding and often turns them into something which benefits her the most in the end. As she met I-An, she is tamed by his gentleness and moral values which she overlook as annoying and lesser important. It awakens her deep desire to be acknowledged for her worth; and be taken care of for her wellbeing without her even asking. I-An often surprises her and catches her off guard with his elusive approach, showcasing his sincere care and love.

The two compliment each other like a glove, a perfect union in marriage. In my native language they make ‘Raja Sehari’ meaningful as the perfect crown.

Plot
It has a good premise. An arranged fake marriage between a royal and a commoner; which then turns to be a real deal. How two souls compliment each other naturally. The dynamic is like a rollercoaster; juggling in between romance, comedy and few assassination attempts; at times somehow I was a little skeptical on how the characters manages to pull through in overcoming such bizarre and life-threatening experience without any consequences. "Yesterday, I was poisoned and today I show up for work." Logic and reasonable flow is thrown out the window.

So yes, the biggest flaw in this series is how short the show is. It forbids me to digest and fully immerse into their journey. The dynamic was incoherent at times as we expect to deal with its heavy aftermath, stems from its darker twists. Those turn of events often being treated as weightless and casualty-free. The span of the tragic events occured are a bit underwhelming and hard to swallow as we experience it in a fast pace environment; As if the characters are full-proof diamond; trauma free from any cuts and bruises.

Still, the biggest strength of this series is how fluffy and charming the romance is. The hidden desire, restraint in disguise; the unhinged boldness and confidence entertwine with comedic relief; the absurdity of its twists and logic which propel us into shipping the main couple to sail away. Both leads mirrors in few parallel scenes. The details in here is surprisingly fulfilling and won our hearts. I love how it was naturally written. Those parallel moments is anticipated and perfectly delivered.

Casts
BWS did it again. His innocence in Lovely Runner days has transcended into a higher level, sophisticated and elegance with much softer expressions to charm us. He was being portrayed as a calm persona, aloof and stoic, befitting as the restraint Grand Prince I-An. His charm evolves; as the beloved prince into the most desirable husband.

IU is brilliant in portraying Hui-ju. She manages to make an unlikeable character into a likeable heroin. We were presented with her unusual bizarre tantrum and quirky antics, matched as this cut-throat business-woman who has deep scar in her heart. As we learn more about them, we could relate and tolerate on why she behave in such a way. She managed to grip my attention and deepens my curiosity, hence had me rooting for her. I want her to succeed regardless whatever she does.

Queen Mother’s portrayal is superb. It shines as the crown’s nobility. Her portrayal screams elegance and honor yet her dark intention and past sins, cloud us into thinking that she is a villain with no redemption.

Prime Minister's (PM) portrayal is commendable. Had it have more episodes, I could be convinced that he could pull such an evil act. What left me with his oddity is him being someone who is utterly stupid and delusional.

Ms Do was amazing. Her portrayal felt natural and she shows her charm and persona and turn me into a fan. Same as Aide-Choi, both giving me a comedic relief to ease the tension that baffles me at times.

Hui-ju's family was masked as her biggest obstacle but progressively it shines into her biggest support all along. Kudos to her big brother and sister in-law, the bickering siblings act is entertaining to watch. Her father’s love which was often misunderstood, shows possible potential to be resolved overtime.

Palace's Staffs in overall, are commendable as to convince me to this FICTIONAL modern day monarchy. It may different from actual thing but it still carries the weight of its grand majestic and magminity; and how the nations pride and culture were being preserved throughout the history. I'm not against in its discrepancy from true events in reality. I just appreciate the nuances it gives, regardless.

Music
It has a good amount of songs and instrumental background to immerse and pulls us into the story. It helps a lot for us to experience the moment, whether we are being fluffy over the romance or thrill of its suspense and gripping turns of event.

Fav song is Everglow by Woodz.

Fav scene : I-An and Hui-ju first meeting (both times)
Fav Character : Ms Do. I love her cuteness.
Fav Quote : "OH.. SO SHINY!!" - Aide Choi

Least Fav scene : PM shouting at I-An, being angry when Hui-ju is being poisoned.
Least Fav Char : PM
Least Fav Quote : "It's your fault. You turn me into this," - PM

Re-watchable : Yes, indefinitely.

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was invested at first but then...lost interest?

Modern royal monarchy plots was something that has not been done for sooo many years. I think the last drama I saw was King 2 hearts and Princess Hours years ago, so I was really excited for this show! Overall the show is still good but only issue is that it doesnt leave any emotional connection.

So with the initial setup of SHJ's character I thought that wow once she moves in shes gonna bring havoc to the palace. I was looking forward to this portion cause its usually the comedic relief part. But they took so long going in circles and circles regarding their marriage thing that in the end they only got married towards the end of the drama...

The scene where she was playing with the king, making a change to the palace atmosphere is what I hoped to see more so we could connect with the characters....

Personally wasnt a fan of some of the styling items for BWS cause it didnt really give him the Prince aura. They went with the concept of yes he is in a very high position but actually he has no authority vibes. But then towards the end suddenly everyone is listening to him...

I enjoyed the start of the drama, IU's acting felt very confident and I liked how she was extremely proud of her achievements and you could tell she is really very good at what she does.

Visuals and OSTs were good as well~ yeah so in the end it was just lack of attachment (maybe due to shorter number of eps?)

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Underestimated, Underrated MASTERPIECE

Ep 1 - SOLID this episode 1 of LOVE BEYOND DREAMS! A love story wrapped in a crime thriller. Very promising!!

Thought LOVE BEYOND DREAMS would "just" be a good rehash of DENIED LOVExDANGEROUS QUEENxREVERSE FOR YOU.... It's turning out to be something beyond the enemies-to-lovers trope into a good crime thriller!

But I feel bad for LBD Ep 2 - It ran into major superstar-level competition like HOMETOWN ROMANCE, BROKEN OF LOVE, 4ELEMENTS: AIR.... I'm confident though that given how good LBD is (and how beautiful its two stars are), it'll find its footing soon enough🥰😍😘👏💯❤️🇹🇭

LOVE BEYOND DREAMS Ep 5 - We thought, "thank goodness, no more migraines, GIRL RULES ended happily!" And now, here's all the twists and turns of LBD, and we go, "oh no, more migraine attacks!" Haha haha haha But we're such a sucker for GL pain, that we keep on watching... And every time Khun Lene smiles, we smile too🥹😊

I keep on looking at MIE's face and I keep asking myself, "why are her features so familiar?" And it dawned upon me: MIE is the daughter of FAYE PERAYA and FREEN SAROCHA! 🥰😍😘🇹🇭❤️😁🥳

I just completed LOVE BEYOND DREAM's Final Episode 7 and here's what I think (⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD)
If you've been watching a lot of Thai GL long enough, inside your head there are thoughts of "P'Le and Nu Rann are Khun Sam and Mon re-booted and revitalized, version 2026" and "You did well, Donut's uncle, IYKYK" and "Why does this somehow feel like an alternate universe version of 'Shadow of Love'x'Reverse4You'?!"

Now, onto a crazy finale review: 1. Time travel x crime thriller x love story x family drama = LOVE BEYOND DREAM's whodunnit appeal hits across all audience demographics.

2. Mie Phattaranan Padpai (P'Le) is adorably sexy as the gun-slinging, hard-punching, flying-kicking Princess Charming out to save her Lady Love from the clutches of the evil King-Dad. But it doesn't sit well with an Asian family-oriented audience that she cried a river over Peem's untimely demise but never shed s tear for her father (no matter how vile).

3. Those cutely ubiquitous dimples of "Donut's Sweet Uncle" (ref. Play Park) are more substantively written about than the Peem role itself.

4. "The Office" seems to matter a lot to P'Le, that its the setting not only for lotsa stuff that went beyond PDA, it's also where P'Le proposed! Obviously, father and daughter were workaholics to the bone!

5. Why "forcibly" squeeze in everything into the 7th episode? A lot of expository flashbacks and hard-action drama could've been shown in Ep 7, then all the romance could've unfolded in finale Ep 8. But no, let's kill off the bad guy (and the good guy), lets get in on in the office, and let's get married and live happily ever after! All in the last episode, ep 7.

All in all though, LOVE BEYOND DREAMS is still a solid 9/10 for sheer effort. And for Mie🥰😍😘😁🥳🇹🇭❤️à

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