Reviews

Better on the second watch after 10 years

Rewatching this after maybe 10 years made me appreciate it more. It’s just so classic and the feels are so good. This was kdrama on crack, they really made you love hate then love then hate the characters throughout the episodes and they mad you cry, laugh, mad, sad, confused every episode. They were just doing it for the drama! I love it 😂

mind you my MDL notes in this drama is literally just “our crown prince saved this drama” i was whipped for ju jihoon lmao but gotta say our crown princess was also killing it and hyorin’s charcter development was a nice surprise even after rewatching it also the OST is banger!

(changing my rating from 7 to 9)

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This will be one of my comfort dramas I rewatch a lot

I never mention or care about the music in a drama, but the music in this one was absolutely amazing. Every single song was truly touching and memorable. It really added to the atmosphere of the whole drama. I’ll definitely be buying the soundtrack.

The Storyline
What stands out in this drama is its originality. There are no cliche childhood connections between the leads, obsessed second leads, helpless females needing to be saved, love triangles, or any other common cliche storylines. It was refreshing to have an original storyline about two people connecting over their shared love of murder mystery games and matching wits. And the murder mystery games were high tech AI games that were fun to watch. I loved the originality of the storyline, it was refreshing.

The characters
I liked that the female lead was strong, confident in herself and always stood up for what she believed in. She was also very smart and figured a lot of stuff out before the male lead did. He respected her intelligence and even relied on it. The female lead is stuck in a boring job that fails to peak her interest or challenge her intellect. She learns that it’s okay to put herself first sometimes and decides to switch careers despite her parents opposition. Her journey is about finding what she wants out of life and making the necessary changes to achieve her life’s goals. The male lead had a traumatic childhood and wants to clear his father’s name and avenge his death. He trusts no one and is so focused on the past that he’s isolated himself from everyone. His journey is about rectifying the wrongs in his past so he can start living for his future. He also has to learn how to trust others and communicate better if he wants to have meaningful relationships.

The Romance
The romance in this drama is really well done. There isn’t any insta love or love at first sight. The relationship grows organically and there’s no noble idiocy either. And I like that they don’t wait until the last minute to get together. They get together midway through the drama then have to work on communicating and understanding each other better. There’s also lots of hugs, kisses, princess carrying, piggyback rides, etc. If you like lots of skinship in your romance dramas you won’t be disappointed with this one.

Character growth
I appreciated how every character had depth and was well fleshed out. Everyone had immense growth as the drama unfolded too. Character growth and development is important to me in a drama. Shallow characters that never learn a lesson make a drama boring. This drama was anything but boring.

Overall thoughts
This drama had an excellent storyline, there were no cliches, it had a little bit of angst but not too much, the romance was excellent, the acting was top notch and the music was really good. My only complaint is that it got a little slow in the middle. It picked up in the last few episodes but the middle dragged for me. For that reason I’m giving it 9 out of 10 stars. It’s almost perfect but not quite. I highly recommend it. I expect this to be one of my comfort dramas I rewatch when I want to lose myself in a great drama.

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Lighthearted, but also kind of lackluster and sloppy

I almost quit this show after 6 episodes, but some online advice suggested waiting it out past 10. I do think it gets better after episode 10- a new chapter starts for the FL and all the abrupt and emotionally void developments before that can simply be treated as premise- but unfortunately the show itself is still not that good.

My main issue is probably that the main characters are really one-dimensional and uninteresting. The show is very focused on the FL, but she’s as generic as they get, a “good person” in the most direct and bland way possible: she wants to be an official to serve the people.

In principle this concept (career-building power woman) could be done well, it’s just poorly executed here. Her desire to help the common people is way too emphasized and seems to be her only defining feature. She just cheerfully persists in the face of blatant prejudiced mistreatment. She doesn’t have much other personality, nor does she have any particular abilities or good ideas. I didn’t actually dislike her, I just didn’t particularly like or care about her.

And yet two guys are head over heels in love with her. One is very green flag- just wants to help her achieve her dream- and the other is very red flag- keeps trying to help her but can’t seem to understand basic concepts of morality. Both ML and SML, like the FL, felt to me like one-dimensional stereotypes taken to the extreme. Their romantic entanglements are a weak part of the story because they’re not properly built up, nor is Fan Yun extraordinary enough to merit all this- I simply could not understand why they were both so obsessed with her- yet unfortunately this aspect is also quite central to the plot.

By the way, the ML is a “governor”, but he seemed more like an emperor to me (court, eunuchs, palace, deference, etc), which he also was in the source material. I found everything made more sense and also felt more impactful if I just mentally replaced “governor” with “emperor”.

This show does have a lot of side characters I like- fun and interesting, many helping to contribute to an overall lighthearted tone. For example, the ML’s two lovable ministers. The second romance is also not bad, particularly because Wei Ying is chaos. But many of the side characters seem to get dropped and their stories feel incomplete.

Which brings me to my next complaint. I think the plot, in addition to being overall boring, is just sloppy. There are some pacing issues with many things developing too quickly, and then- setting aside meaningfulness, how about just tying up your storylines? The show isn’t completely incoherent, but some story arcs seemed to move on without proper explanation (like the epidemic), and some characters are given two seconds of development and then dropped. The villain situation is also somewhat confusing and muddled, which isn’t helped by Fan Yun being so cheerful about being mistreated.

I do credit this show for having a fun, lighthearted feel, which I thought is integrated and executed well. It made me actually enjoy a lot of the show despite some of my other problems with it. There are also some genuinely heartfelt moments that made me feel moved or touched.

But I don’t think these are enough to offset the sloppy writing or the boring and lackluster plot. I may have surface-level enjoyed the lighthearted tone, but I had to watch the show at accelerated speed, and I couldn’t stand more than maybe 1 episode a day before I got bored. To be fair, it worked out well for a period of my life when I didn’t have much time to watch and being properly addicted to a show would have been inconvenient.

For the acting, I think it’s actually pretty good. Joseph Zeng does comedic expressions really well. Li Yitong is very pretty but I felt her character is too bland for her to do anything with it. The supporting cast also did quite well, but that can’t save a plot.

I don’t think the production is that good. Some of the scene transitions look really funny and a lot of the fight scenes are weird, too. I saw people defend that it’s a bit of an older production, but come on, it’s not like standards were that different a couple of years ago.

The styling and costumes look good- everyone looks good and the makeup is not too heavy. I also like the music. I think the BGM is fine but I really love the OST, several songs made it onto my permanent playlist. But again, can’t save the plot.

By the way, I am not familiar with the source material, though I understand it’s quite popular. In the beginning I read some reddit posts explaining some of the character backgrounds (since it wasn’t properly developed in this drama) and I was surprised at how much more depth and meaning they had in the original. But I stopped looking into that because it was turning the characters into something different. I would guess the source captures the imagination a lot better than this show does.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





This show has a happy ending, unless you count a somewhat sad fate for the SML (but he was pretty unhinged by the end). I don’t think it’s wrapped up that well, though. Like the immediate conflicts are resolved and it ends with reunion and kiss, but there is no view of how things would play out after that. Endings like this aren’t unusual but I still never find them satisfying; in this case, the story wasn’t epic enough for me to want a Happily Ever After and I didn’t care enough about the characters to be upset.

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Everything Wrong With This Show

Here’s the issue: this story was written and directed in completely the wrong genre. What should’ve been shot as a thriller/tragedy was actually shot like a romantic comedy.

The “Romance”: It took me until about halfway through to realise that the very creepy and huge red flag of a male lead was not going to get better. He constantly stalks, harasses, and threatens the female lead. They shoot him like a romantic lead but his actions are so off-putting it kept me constantly questioning whether I should actually want the female lead to fall for him. As it turns out the story is actually supposed to be a tragedy and you’re not really supposed to route for the male lead. So then why is the first half written and directed like a typical romantic comedy?
Another main issue is that we never get to see the female lead express romantic feelings for the male lead. Whenever issues of relationships are discussed, it’s always under duress and she always answers pretty clearly that she is not interested. And we have to hear her say this probably at least 6 to 7 times across the series. Additionally, the male lead just won’t give up. No matter how clearly she rejects him he can’t seem to accept no for an answer and punishes her for this.

Plot Holes and Contradictions: Not only do we have to listen to these constant refusals from the female lead, but at the same time she cannot seem to leave his side and remains desperate to protect him at all costs. At the beginning, the motivation for this was clear; the survival of The Crown Prince was her survival as a palace maid. But once the male lead is crowned King this motivation is gone which means we are only left with having to assume she genuinely cares about the male lead, whilst at the same time questioning why she’s constantly refusing his advances. They could at least have used the fact that she’s technically the daughter of a traitor and in the palace under a full name to create some kind of obstacle for their love, but they never do this. It’s a massively wasted opportunity and feels like a big plot hole as it does get mentioned multiple times. The series honestly felt like a writer had a couple of ideas and asked ChatGPT to blend them together to make an entire show. (and yes, I know it’s based on a book.)

Character development: The other frustrating thing is the female lead started off as a fun, smart and interesting character. But after episode seven, she basically spends the rest of the series staring silently at the male lead as he harasses her. She loses all of her charm, all of her smarts and whilst I understand that this could help represent the journey of her oppression because we never clearly understand her motivations and whether she even likes the male lead it doesn’t work. Again, this is shot and directed like a romantic comedy. If they wanted to explore the themes of a woman losing her own identity because of the oppression from a powerful man, this was not the way to do it. The male lead stayed pretty much one note throughout. If nothing else we can describe him as persistent. Although I have been harsh in the way I’ve described him so far, he did have a lot of sympathetic parts. I’m not blind to his difficult situation and traumatic past. I really think it could’ve been the perfect character in a different genre and treated with a little bit more subtlety. However, as things stand his character ended up feeling very static as he begins the series basically in love with the maid and spends the rest of the series trying to convince her to be in love with him back. This gave him very little growth. although he does ask the female lead why she doesn’t love him back once, and to be honest a large part of the blame goes on the female lead for never giving him a decent answer, that also meant that he never had the opportunity to grow in his understanding of her needs, or ever really reach a point of empathy for why she might keep refusing him. His grumpy, frowny, aggressiveness towards her started to grow pretty tiring towards the end. And it’s a shame because I really think he could’ve been such an interesting character if given the opportunity to grow past the middle of the show.

The weird bits: I honestly spent most of the series confused. And I cannot fathom why the score is so high. Also the shoehorned plot line about some secret society of maids trying to kill off the prince for one of the weakest reasons I’ve ever seen was so jarring and felt like it was absolutely in the wrong series. They had such a sense of realism throughout the first few episodes, the dedication to detail in how maids would’ve lived their lives and gone through training, and the rules and etiquette of court life, only to throw in this weird fantastical trope in what I’m only assuming is an attempt to shove some action in. It felt very low threat and it became ridiculous watching a bunch of maids running around dressed as ninjas.

Positives: There are some positives. I did enjoy the acting and veteran’s performances, especially the old King. I also really liked the attention detail in court life.

Conclusion: I really felt like this series was at least two if not three stories from different genres Frankensteined together. If they had just separated these out, I think we could have ended up with either a really fun and entertaining romantic comedy or a beautiful and tragic thriller. Unfortunately, we got neither.

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Inconsistent story, but amazing acting from the leads

When I first heard of this casting, I was against it as many others were, because of the age gap and I decided to watch this because I was bored and I was curious to see if the director was daring enough to actually add romantic scenes. So yes, I am gonna talk about the age gap and invite you to scroll away or ignore it if you're sick of people complaining about this

The story has some inconsistent aspects about it and the one I noticed the most was the female lead's character. She is introduced to us as a genius inventor but also a spoiled noble lady who grew up sheltered. She has a loving family and a lovingly clumsy father who dotes on her and a lover. This whole facade started to crumble when it was revealed during the coup d'état (rebellion) of the prince, whose name I forgot, that her "father" was the one who planned the prince Qi uprising to the throne as a regent. It led her "father" to force her to go back to the male lead's mansion and be his perfect pawn and killed her maid.

Here is the inconsistency that started to begin. For someone who is described as naive, she didn't have much of a heartbreaking reaction when she found out her "dad" wasn't the person she thought he was. She accepts it rather calmly and quickly, which didn't sit right with me because she is someone who is supposed to not know much about the political world. I thought that when her maid died, that would've lasted more of an impact on her and actually caused her to have more nightmares. Instead, she only did once and moved on after she buried her body. After those events, I thought it would've led her to gain a purpose to drag down her "father"; instead, she just went on to live a normal life in the male lead's mansion with his consort and parents for a few episodes.

The female lead can be surprisingly childish and smart at the same time. One moment she hates the male lead for being stupid, then the next she surprises us with her smart brain. This duality isn't bad until you notice how her naivety shines through and leads her to misunderstand the male lead's actions, which causes her to dislike him even more. I hate this sort of misunderstanding because they are the most frustrating type. Not to mention that whenever they speak about politics around her, she somehow understands without much of a second thought for someone who's supposed to be "naive".

I feel like they might be suffering through the same problem as Ashes to Crown because both dramas for me weren't just engaging enough. I guess it's sadly due to the series having a short episode count, which causes the pacing to rather suffer because it tries to fit the most and wrap up the storyline within the given length. Which is a shame cause the key of the Phoenix Heart emblem was really an intriguing part of the storyline. I'm still gonna turn this on when im bored tho since its only a short amount of episodes.

The acting doesn't disappoint at all. HmH really knows how to display a longing gaze for the female lead. Aimi portrays the childish side of the female lead quite well, which really makes her be able to stand on her own with actors like HMH.

The cinematography is rather disappointing. The lighting sometimes makes it look too modern, which turns me off because it's supposed to be a historical drama or maybe it's a me problem



Personally, I've seen a lot of people complain about how many netizens are voicing concerns about the age gap, but also about the lack of romance, and I think we've lost the plot here. Recently, (the time I'm writing this it's recently) at a promotional event, the director of the drama made a rather disgusting comment about Aimi that stunned both the stars (Hou Minghao) by his comment. This is the exact reason why minors shouldn't be cast in a role that is way older and with disgusting men of the entertainment industry. The reason, in the first place, why people were concerned was because of the disgusting predators that are around in this industry. For one thing, I'm glad Hou Minghao was there on set cause he seems like a sensible adult.

I've also seen disgusting comments about Aimi recently turning 18 and people saying it's okay now to cast her in older roles because she's in college, which means "legal". NO! SHE IS STILL, IN FACT, A MINOR EVEN IF SHE'S 18! I find it a shame that her company is pushing her for older roles in more popular dramas when she's such a talented girl. I don't understand the rush when she's still young and has plenty of time in her career to have a breakout role that leads her to more immense popularity than this drama.

We can tell that they are trying to make her older as well through her styling and makeup. I noticed how her makeup would be a lot when there was a close-up scene of her. This doesn't work well because Aimi naturally has more rounder and cuter features that make her look her age and younger, which makes me wonder if they casted an older actress, maybe they wouldn't have to try to make her look older.

I personally enjoy romances but that doesn't mean I won't watch something that doesn't have romance. I'm always seated for a good political intrigue of a drama that contains revenge. Which makes me wonder if they had romance in this with an older actress, would it have saved the plot for me? ( I doubt so) So I think the people who complain about the lack of romance are stupid and sometimes h*rny who want a dark romance or something like The Prisoner of Beauty. Not everything needs romance because the moment everything does, everybody would be sick of it, including them.

To end this off, F that director for making such disgusting comments towards Aimi and a reminder to not ship the real actors, please.

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what were they thinking...

what the actual fuck bro this is literally just a vertical drama converted into a professional streamed drama?? i wouldn't be surprised to hear that fuckass water droplet sound effect...

these episodes go so fast and yet so slow with absolutely no pauses that it is giving me whiplash. music just HAS to be blasting with no rhyme or reason every SECOND it 's actually pissing me off and exhausting me, we have pauses and silent scenes for a REASON!! i don't need ur AI ass stock ass music pounding my ears all the fucking time. it's making the drama feel low-budget and cheap and ik it's not because the costuming is great!>Ef,ekwnn i would enjoy this drama so much more if it weren't for the constant NOISE

all these characters do is aura farm and tensionmaxx bro like omfg and those stunt animations and shit are way too weird and smooth to be industry-CGI, it feels so AI ughhh I really want to like this drama but ahhhh i swear the creators think their audience is stupid bc i'm literally getting breast-fed information and then burped occasionally it's pissing me off

it's such a shame because i really do love the lighting, colour-grading, some of the story and a lot of the shots they use for the characters, especially with zhou yiran, because zhou yiran looks GOOOOOD in this drama like genuinely omfg i was blushing everytime he came on screen WHHAATTTTT such a waste of talented actors

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A Simple Romance Told with Heart

Duang With You may follow the familiar formula of a cliché romance, but what sets it apart is the sincerity with which it tells its story. Rather than trying to reinvent the genre, the series embraces its simplicity and uses it to explore themes such as childhood trauma, emotional healing, and healthy relationships with genuine care and sensitivity. Although these topics are not explored in great depth, they are never treated lightly, allowing the emotional moments to feel meaningful without becoming overly dramatic.

One of the series' greatest strengths is its character development. The personalities of many characters can initially feel unusual or difficult to connect with, but as the story unfolds, their motivations and personal histories gradually come into focus. This thoughtful progression makes their growth feel natural and ultimately rewarding, encouraging viewers to understand them rather than judge them based on first impressions.

The relationship between Duang and Qin is undoubtedly the heart of the series. Their romance develops through honest communication, patience, and a mutual willingness to understand and support one another. Instead of relying on unnecessary misunderstandings or exaggerated conflict, Duang With You portrays a relationship built on trust and emotional maturity, making their journey both refreshing and heartwarming.

Overall, Duang With You is a gentle, comforting drama that proves a familiar story can still feel special when it's told with heart. Its combination of thoughtful character development, emotionally healthy relationships, and endearing friendships makes it an easy series to become attached to.

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Cute and comforting

It's definitely a slow-paced drama, and I can see why some people might find it too quiet, but I thought it suited the story. Instead of relying on big dramatic moments, it takes its time letting the characters get to know each other, and their relationship grows in a way that feels believable.

Both leads are really endearing, and it was easy to become invested in them. Their chemistry isn't flashy, but it's natural and full of small moments that say more than grand declarations ever could. The cinematography is beautiful, with soft colours and peaceful scenery that perfectly match the tone of the series. It's not a plot-heavy drama, and there isn't much conflict, but that's also part of its charm.

It knows exactly what it wants to be: a gentle, comforting story about two people slowly finding their place in each other's lives. I finished it without tears and feeling warm, and sometimes that's exactly what I'm looking for.

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More than romance, this became one of my Top 10 historical C-dramas for all the right reasons.

Some historical romances capture your attention with grand confessions, breathtaking kisses, or endless misunderstandings that keep the leads apart.

Then there are stories like Fated Hearts—quietly written, emotionally mature, and powerful enough to remind you that the strongest love stories are often built not through passion alone, but through trust, respect, and choosing each other every single time.

Honestly, I didn't expect this drama to become one of my personal Top 10 historical C-dramas.
I thought I was simply getting another palace romance with political intrigue.

Instead, I found a story that balanced romance, strategy, loyalty, and emotional growth far better than I ever expected.

One of the first things that impressed me was the writing.

The story never rushed itself.

It allowed every relationship, every political conflict, and every emotional decision to develop naturally.

Nothing felt forced.

Nothing happened simply because the plot demanded it.

Every major turning point felt earned.

That alone already made the drama stand out from many historical romances I've watched.

The greatest strength of Fated Hearts, however, wasn't the romance.

It was the partnership.

I've watched enough C-dramas to know that chemistry alone isn't enough to make me emotionally invested anymore.

I want to believe that the two people standing together genuinely deserve each other.

Here...

I did.

Both leads felt like equals.

Neither constantly overshadowed the other.

Neither existed merely to save the other.

Instead, they became each other's greatest source of strength.

That balance made every emotional scene feel far more meaningful.

The male lead immediately became one of my favorite historical protagonists.

He wasn't loud.

He wasn't unnecessarily cold.

He wasn't written to dominate every scene simply because he was the male lead.

Instead, he relied on intelligence, patience, strategy, and emotional restraint.

He knew when to fight.

He knew when to wait.

He knew when silence carried more weight than words.

Watching him slowly lower his emotional walls without ever losing the qualities that made him an excellent leader became one of the most rewarding parts of the drama.

The female lead impressed me just as much.

She wasn't written as someone who constantly needed rescuing.

She had her own intelligence.

Her own convictions.

Her own strengths.

She contributed to solving problems instead of simply reacting to them.

Most importantly, she wasn't fearless because she lacked emotions.

She was brave because she chose to move forward despite them.

That made her incredibly easy to admire.

Together, they created one of the healthiest relationships I've seen in a historical C-drama.

Their love wasn't built through dramatic misunderstandings.

It wasn't sustained by jealousy or unnecessary sacrifices that could have been avoided with one conversation.

Instead, their relationship slowly grew through trust, shared responsibilities, and unwavering support.

They respected each other before they loved each other.

And perhaps that's exactly why their love felt so believable.

Another reason this drama became so memorable for me was its political storyline.
It never tried to become overwhelmingly complicated simply to appear intelligent.

Instead, every political conflict existed to challenge the characters and strengthen the relationships between them.

Court politics.

Power struggles.

Hidden agendas.

Changing alliances.

Everything remained engaging without ever overshadowing the emotional core of the story.

The pacing also deserves recognition.
One thing I appreciated was that the drama always seemed to know when to slow down and let emotional moments breathe, and when to move the political storyline forward.

It never felt rushed.

It never overstayed its welcome.

Every episode left me wanting to continue.
The supporting cast also deserves a great deal of credit.

Too many historical dramas treat supporting characters as simple plot devices.

Fated Hearts didn't.

Every important supporting character had clear motivations, meaningful relationships, and genuine contributions to the story.

Whether they became trusted allies, political rivals, loyal friends, or tragic figures, each of them helped shape the journey of the main couple.

By the second half of the drama, I found myself caring about far more than just the romance.
That, for me, is always a sign of excellent writing.

Visually, the production was consistently beautiful.

The costumes reflected each character's status and personality without becoming unnecessarily extravagant.

The cinematography favored elegance over spectacle, allowing emotional moments to feel intimate while giving political scenes the weight they deserved.

The soundtrack quietly complemented the story instead of trying to manipulate every emotional scene.

As for the performances, I genuinely believed every important relationship.
The leads portrayed their characters with remarkable emotional restraint.

Instead of relying on exaggerated reactions, they trusted subtle expressions, silence, and body language to communicate what their characters truly felt.

That kind of acting always leaves a stronger impression on me than endless dramatic speeches.

If I had one criticism, it would simply be that a few secondary political conflicts could have been explored in greater depth, and some antagonists deserved more layered motivations.

Even so, those were minor issues in a drama that remained remarkably consistent from beginning to end.

Looking back...

I think what stayed with me most wasn't a single romantic scene.

It wasn't a single battle.

It wasn't one shocking plot twist.

It was the feeling this drama left behind.

A feeling that love doesn't always have to be loud to be unforgettable.

That true partnership is built long before two people ever confess their feelings.

And that the strongest relationships are often those where two equally capable people choose to carry life's burdens together instead of asking the other to carry them alone.

That is exactly why Fated Hearts became one of my personal Top 10 historical C-dramas.
Not because it tried to reinvent the genre.

But because it executed everything it set out to do with sincerity, consistency, and genuine emotional depth.

Sometimes, that's more than enough to create a story you'll remember long after the final episode ends.

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Best Korean BL drama!

I am totally obsessed with this series! 😭 I really love the story because it keeps you interested the entire time and never feels boring. The two main actors are incredible and they fit their roles so perfectly. Their chemistry and acting make the story even better. I can’t believe there are only 2 episodes left! I honestly don’t want it to end. 😭 I wish they could make the episodes longer since they’re only around 25 minutes, but overall I absolutely recommend watching it. You can find it on Bilibili!

07.23.26
I just finished it... 😭😭 I seriously can't believe it's over.

I NEED a Season 2, even though I know there's probably won't be one. But if there is... PLEASE. 🙏

The last 10–15 minutes had me so tense. So much was happening, and I was literally tearing up during the final scenes. They had me so emotional!

This is officially my favorite Korean BL, and honestly... it might even be my favorite BL ever. ❤️

I 100% recommend watching it!

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