Reviews

Worst directing with that excellent cast

It's the only drama made me headache with the first shot of the first episode...

I don't know what is the reason for this kind of worst making ?

The setup of the "switched at birth" plot and the tragedy that falls upon Ren Susu's family felt incredibly rushed. I felt they were being force-fed traumatic backstory at 2x speed without being given the time to emotionally connect with the teenage versions of the characters.

The camerawork in the pilot episode was "weird" and shaky. In an attempt to make the Republican-era setting look dynamic, the camera panned and moved too aggressively, making me feel dizzy.

*Low-Budget Lighting and Filters
*Bland Pacing
*Choppy Editing
*Unsympathetic Character Trope

Director and the Production/Post-Production Team for terrible editing, cheap aesthetics, AI usage, and failing to deliver a cinematic experience worthy of the actors' star power.

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Ahh this could've been a solid 5 stars if it didn't fall apart towards the end.

It was a very new (to me) plot and genre, and for the most part vastly engaging, the good vs evil, hunters vs fiends part definitely could've been more fleshed out.

Dilraba, Chen Xingxu and Zhang Li all did really good jobs, especially the two leads. Dilraba and Chen Xingxu have to work together again, this can't be the last time we see their incredible chemistry and sexual tension.

As for the characters, the leads have the most fleshed out personas, we see their reason and motivation for everything and we are led to understand them as people and their various relationships with the rest of the cast (i would've liked it a bit if Yan Tou's crisis was shown was he found out about Lin Xirou, I mean the emotional turmoil would've been incredible to witness and I'm sure CXX would've done the scenes justice).

Aside from them Zhang Li's Lin Xirou was charismatic, eerie and hauntingly beautiful, she completely embodied that haughty, rich chairwoman vibe, but any closer look would show you that there is something... other about her.

The cinematography is insanely beautiful, it was just cinema every shot, I mean if you had Reba and CXX and managed to fumble their combined face cards then let's revoke your directing license.

Now, for the rest of the cast and the things I didn't like so much:

The Nanshan Hunters:
Oh my god, how can an organization that has been around for hundreds if not a thousand years be so disorganized and underprepaired? They don't even give you the feel of a group of people that are competent, their weapons are at least several centuries old, they don't have good documentation of anything, nor good structural hierarchy, and no one fucking knows anything! Like there should've been a plan in place already in case something happened to Jiang Baichuan and the rest of the elders, then something did happen and they descended into chaos. Xing Shen, the leader that JBC chose is so closed off and complicated and only does things his own way that there is no way for any of the other hunters to know what he is planning let alone have an input in it. Its no wonder 97% of them died at the final battle.

And on the topic of Xing Shen, god he is so fucking annoying, I get he didn't trust Yan Tou but he made him suspicious and caused him so much suffering at the hands of the Fiends. And there was no need for him to die like??? Just to take out Xiong Hei?? His "sacrificial" death had zero build up and zero impact and was ultimately useless.

The Earth Fiends:
I really wish we saw more about how they were able to transform (revert?) to human forms. Aside from Lin Xirou and her eerieness, we got to see at least Feng Mi and the sick one actually act like humans. Feng Mi was so interesting, because as the Fiend that knew Yan Tou the least, she had the most compassion for him and truly seemed to understand human emotional complexity, that Yan Tou could not just simply forgive them and even felt sorry for him, i hated that she died while protecting him too (especially considering how useless he was in that fight).
The other Fiend I liked the characterization of was the sickly one that did not want to live any longer. As for Xiong Hei, everything Yan Tou said was right, he only wore a human skin and did not understand at all what it meant to be human, he was still underneath that skin a monster that resorted to violence at the turn of an eye.

LXR and Yan Tou's relationship was so bittersweet, on the one hand here's the woman that raised you from childhood, gave you everything and spoiled you endlessly, but on the other, she is also the woman who ruined your family's life, killed your parents and sister, stole your mother's identity and your father's company, and also has emotionally abused your other sister (Lin Ling) and aggressively controlled her entire life.

I do believe though that she did have maternal feelings toward him after all those years, and no its not because he was of no use to her—he was, he was heir to RoadSound Group and the face of the company's activities in the light, the ones she couldn't handle considering her non aging— there was something she said when everything was already exposed, that he was the only thing that allowed her to pretend to be human, "But Xiao Tou, without you, Aunt Lin has also lost her home." She wore the skin of a human but it was this foster son that allowed her to truly feel like one.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day she could not understand how he couldn't set aside all her crimes against his family and still keep being her doting son, even calling him ungrateful, which... ma'am you raised him with his parents money 😭? Which brings me to the conclusion that the Fiends really could not be left unchecked no matter how she kept saying that she did not want to be enemies with the Hunters. They needed blood bags, which meant constantly killing off generations of a family since they didn't age, and also what if others became carnivorous and went rogue like the first one? Its all a very black and white thing and yet not really.

The Final Battle/ Episodes:
My biggest gripe with the show so far, there was so much buildup only for it to fall woefully short. The Nanshan Hunters are most useless, we know that. They were going to die, we also know that, but damn were they complete shit. The Mad Blade pill and its consequence being madness would've been acceptable, what the fuck is the cliche last minute amnesia. Also how did NJL forget to kill Fiends and got injured instead, and Yan Tou was just walking around uselessly with that tranquilizer gun he did nothing with. It made no sense to have LXR killed by NJL's mother and not NJL herself or YT (poetic justice).

Also NJL and Yu Rong were both holding their own very well against XH and the other guy at the shop so how come five of them now couldn't take them down and three had to die to do it this time?

Anyway if i keep nitpicking we'll be here all day, there's plenty of things to enjoy and plenty not to so just give it a try to see if its to your liking.

And shoutout to our resident lesbian couple, Yu Rong and Quecha, the only acceptable thing to come out of the Nanshan Hunters.

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Your Dear Trope!

This is saccharin-sweet story that is surprisingly entertaining for the right reasons, even if the premise is not necessarily a new one. It also has a few unexpectedly touching subplots that are effective from an emotional perspective. And, as of late, what is also happening, many of the supporting characters are just so much more entertaining and varied that they become the central figures. Unfortunately, the protagonists are becoming your standard-formatted tropes. There is nothing new or creative about them. It is not that they are not trying; there is just nothing in the script or plot to make them unique anymore. They are becoming, for lack of a better term – “ordinary”.

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Another waste of my precious time

I don't like this new thing drama started of waiting for last episode to get lead characters together. If you are gonna tittle it a romantic drama atleast put some romance. Drama dragged too long and l even forgot what the plot was about.
The chemistry died as the episode progressed due to lack of communication and decisions that don't make sense… the writers spent so much time repeating same thing rather than explore more plot
Phewwww I’m exhausted from Chinese drama and plot holes
Note : pls give FL a drama where she don’t keep chasing after ML same thing with lighter & princess
It’s a loop

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The chemistry between the two main leads is a chef's kiss

This is my second series featuring FreenBecky. My first was GAP: The Series, which I watched solely for their chemistry and romance. While that series didn't really work out for me, The Air is completely different!

It is not boring at all. While it isn't heavily story-driven, their chemistry alone is more than enough to make me rewatch it multiple times. The comedy lands really well, and another highlight is the villain's backstory—the accompanying background score gave me chills (even if only for a brief moment).

Overall, if you are a fan of FreenBecky, this series is a full meal. Even if you aren't a fan yet, give it a try—you'll fall in love with their chemistry and acting.

NOTE: This review is coming from a LingOrm fan (so you know you can trust my review!), but I genuinely love FreenBecky too!

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A refreshing time-travel GL that you must watch.

This is a Thai GL series that feels incredibly fresh and novel. The addition of the time-travel element really sets it apart from the typical romance stories we usually see.
I personally loved it because it brings something completely new to the genre.

​The series is perfectly paced with just 7 episodes. It is exactly the right length to tell the story beautifully without feeling dragged out. The acting is phenomenal, and the chemistry between the leads is simply top tier. What makes it even more special is the music, especially since the OST is sung by both lead actresses themselves. It adds such a personal and emotional touch to the scenes.

​Another exciting detail is that this series seems to be connected to the 'AI Girl' series that is currently airing. It makes the whole universe even more intriguing. If you are looking for a unique plot and a well-made series, I highly recommend giving this a watch.

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A must watch for every historical cdrama lover

I think there aren’t enough words to describe how much I loved this drama! Not only was the cast phenomenal, but also the plot, the OST and the cinematography of this series were perfectly chosen.

To be honest I have no idea why I waited so long to finally start watching Story of Kunning Palace because this cdrama literally had everything that I look for in a drama : good plot writing, complex characters, talented actors, slow burn, angst, comedy and a good amount of court intrigues.

Jiang Xuening showed from the very first episode that she is a force to be reckoned with. In her past life, she is displayed as the evil manipulative and scheming woman who doesn’t shy away from anything to achieve her goals. Nonetheless her wish to become empress also became her doom.
In her next life, Jiang Xuening wants to do everything to not meet the same end as in her previous life. She is still shown as a very smart and scheming woman, but this time not in order to enter the palace, but to flee from it. She tries to change her own fate, but also from those around her who she learned to cherish. She isn’t your typical green flagged FL who can do no wrong, no! Some of her actions may be morally questionable, but she does it ultimately to protect those she loves.

And I gotta admit I was completely colorblind when it came to Xie Wei. Red flag who? I only see a man who is committed to his revenge and who is thoroughly obsessed with his (future) wife. Yes okay the way he communicates is a bit rusty, but he is simply a shy bean who rather shows his love with some harsh words and homemade walnut cake, instead of useless flirting. Truth be told, I love such complex, smart and scheming characters. It was so interesting to see how his plans unfolded step by step without it looking unrealistic.

And the KISSES?! HELLO? I was GAGGED when they kissed fr and not those typical dead fish kisses. They were hungry, especially our Xie Wei who was ready to pounce at every occasion, but who wouldn’t? Jiang Xuening/BaiLu is just so pretty and her intelligence makes her even more attractive.

Another bond that I truly cherished is the one between Jiang Xuening and the princess Shen Zhi Yi. The way they became besties instantly, lessening their individual burdens simply by being together. The royal family didn’t deserve her as a princess, they used her as a tool and not as a person with dreams and feelings. So you can imagine how much I cried when they had to separate and when they got to reunite again.

And the way I was bawling my eyes out when You Fang Yin died?? She didn’t deserve that fate, especially not when she finally found happiness after so many years of being the punching bag of her family. She was the kindest of them all with no bad bone in her, just a quiet girl who wanted to be useful and to achieve something in her life, unfortunately fate had other plans…

So all in all I thoroughly enjoyed this drama and recommend anyone who is into this type of genre to give it a go.

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healing, emotion and maturity

this drama speaks to me in ways i could not explain in words.
the story is great, but more than that i loved how emotional it was. they weren't telling a story to us, they were showing their road to success and how its never how you will expect it to be. the thing that i loved the most out of this drama was how emotional the boys were, and how they were able to cry, laugh and fight, not only amongst themselves but with wanxing and wang fa. it shows their trust in these people without saying it out loud.
the romance was so well done. it was so natural and most of all it was not the centre of the story. it never took the spotlight of the side stories. And something about found family will always tug my heartstrings.
another thing i took away from the drama was, how teenagers turn out when they have someone who guides them sincerely with all the love in their heart. the boys were never problematic, they just needed a trusted adult to guide them. Wanxing altered their life more than she will ever realise, she literally changed them as people and how to see life differently.
i could ramble about so many things i noticed for paragraphs, but then it would be too long :')
the drama was truly well done on all aspects casting, cinematography, story and everything else. <3

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Strong Start, Bad Finish

The first few episodes were SO GOOD. Like genuinely, I was hooked. The comedy was on point, the premise, the characters and their relationships... This drama had the potential to become one of my favourites and my new "Mr Queen".

BUT!!! Around the Half-point of the story, the drama just falls into the usual cliche kdrama romance plots and completely loses its freshness, premise and build-up until now. We go from funny reborn monarch in modern times, which knows her worth and way around to damsel-in-distress who needs the big CEO to take care of everything. its SO frustrating, its like youre watching an entirely different drama and character all of a sudden!

Not only that, but the writers just randomly forgot their own plot points they made. In the beginning they tease some foreseeing ability of the MC and its just forgotten about for the rest of the story afterwards. This happens with A LOT of plot points, but I want to keep this review spoiler-free.

The last REALLY BIG THING I HATED, was this sudden "past fated lovers" plot line that came out of nowhere. Wouldve been fine in any other drama, but here, it just ruined the plot and atmosphere. It was unnecessary. So it was only worse that they started going all-in for this plot line towards the end, as if the FL and ML didnt have enough chemistry either way to need this storyline. Its really awful, they try to turn the comedy show into a tear-jerker out of nowhere, which fails MISERABLY, especially as it comes at the cost of losing the core of the story and changing the characters terribly.

Id love to give this drama a 2/10, but due to the strong beginning ill be settling on a 3.5/10. If youre gonna watch it, watch the first 4 episodes and be prepared to rage at your screen the entire time afterwards or accept that now youre watching a different drama.

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I personally found the ‘polish/beautification’ too blinding

I enjoyed the supporting cast; they were funny and gave some life to the series. The actors did a good job but were let down by the story which lacked passion and intensity.
It was OK. It dragged a little. If you want an epic love story or heartbreaking sorrow filled with betrayal and redemption, this is not the show for you.

Actors/Characters ... Mostly good
OST ... Audible
Story line ... Predictable, repetitive, a little bland
Re-watchable ... No

The FL and ML suited each other, but they were so similar and that took away the spark. It was an interesting choice to have the ML and FL excessively wealthy. Privilege against privilege? Whether or not that resonated with most viewers ... opinions will be divided.

The FL as an actress was OK but her character was infuriating and dislikeable. She was portrayed as strong and decisive yet folded when things went downhill and lost all her resolve. Characters need to show growth, but emotionally and mentally she stayed the same and fell into the role of helpless girl. The backstory with her father/family was flimsy, which made it harder to connect with her. The brother and sister-in-law were great though, and you could see their growth.

The ML (Byeon Woo Seok ), I enjoyed his acting, I could feel his frustration and sadness. The character was a little bit flat; I wanted a bigger range of emotions, more intensity. His character was not written in a way that demanded growth, so he came off lackluster. More family backstory would have done wonders for his character building.

The Queen Dowager, I liked the actress and I think she did a great job. But the character was too much ... yet too little. She held such a high position with so much influence, yet she seemed isolated, infatuated, lacking any kind of force or ability to instill fear which should be expected considering her role. The connection with her only child lacked substance. The overbearing cruel father ‘bit’ came too late in the story, so it was impossible to feel her emotional turmoil. In the end she came across like a hurt little child. I liked her ending though.

I enjoyed the Prime Minister as an actor and character. He was prudent and kind. He showed grace and humility but sadly, he turned villainous, His regression felt real albeit fast. He was well written and the actor did a great job. I would have loved to see it in more depth, but this show is too shallow to deliver such a performance.

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amei mas..

eh um drama lindo, nao so esteticamente, tem grandes personagens com historias magnificas e emocionantes POREM pra uma serie de so 29 episodios acontece MUITA coisa em pouco tempo logo nos primeiros eps e assim vai indo ate uma certa parte ate metade pro final e acontece q por mais bom que seja foi ficando cansativo de se acompanhar tanto que levei 1 fucking mes pra terminar

E OUTRA pra que tanta morte?? e do mesmo personagem ainda?? parwce que o diretor ficou sem ideia do que fazer pra da aquela agitada no enredo depois de enfiar plot twist atras de plot twist no inicio e resolveu apelar pra isso, pra mim tirou todo o significado e emoção das perdas

e o final? eu me recurso a chamar isso de final feliz, isso sim foi devastador pra mim nao vou superar isso nao

resumindo, amei com altas criticas pq foi erro total do diretor, os personagens mereciam mais e acho que se fosse um drama mais longo com uns 40 eps talves teria tido im aproveitamento melhor do enredo

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q diabos foi isso?

nao sou d fazer resenhas aqui mas esse ta merecendo um chapisco
que coisa maia sem pe nem cabeça queriam tanto assim m fazer odiar essa jumenta dessa protagonista e amar o ml como se estivéssemos sob a f*dida da influência do enredo?? pois conseguiu
mds gnt isso tinha tudo pra ser a coisa mais linda do mundo e começou MUITO BEM ai a mc ficou um poço de chatice, desconfiança e convenhamos todo o enredo girando em torno de fazer o nan heng o "vilão" pra tudo?? nao tem nem como a gnt odiar esse cara "ah mais ele tentou matar ela no início" sim gent mais s uma esquisita aparece pra voce e parece "magicamente" ter controle do seu corpo alem de saber coisa q nao devia a seu respeito, vc n faria algo parecido tbm?

e o imperador é um inutil, odiou o próprio filho por anos mas nao se dedicou em investigar e trazer justiça pra mulher dele?? nao eh possivel q como o governante desse krlh ele n descobriria isso gnt mas naoo resolveu odiar o filho com todoas as forças pra no final querer s fazer de bom moço??

sendo muito sincera, preferi a yiting do q a yimeng, pelo menos ela nao eh uma tonta q com todo conhecimento q tinha persistindo no erro mds s a gnt nao tivesse total ponto de vista do nan heng eu ate diria q tava p salvar um pouco ela mas n gnt nao da

e a drama s seguiu assim, momentos bons p depois acontecer so chatice p me fez parar por 2 semanas d assistir p depois voltar MAS possso dizer que o final, do 30-40 melhorou significativamente viu e do 36 p final ABSOLUTE CINEMA obv eles tiveram que morrer 2 vezes p deixarem de ser bestas mas ao meu ver foi otimo pelo menos n fechou deixando pontas soltas ou resolvendo deixar em aberto e AINDA FOI FELIZ? era o mínimo.

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