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Disappointingly Average
This drama's problems begin in the marketing itself. I will be candid, I'm not really a fan of the story within a story format. Especially for romances, because that always feels so unfulfilling at the end. But nowhere in the description of the drama on MDL or IQIYI did it announce it was that, so I went in thinking it was a regular historical thriller. Despite tending to dislike that plot, I decided to watch on because I love tension and everything I'd seen had promised me that in spades. However, I think this drama only partially delivered. The past life scenes between Ning and Xie Wei were so tense and just what I was looking for however it wasn't the same with the current timeline. Obviously, they did have chemistry and tension but for me, it just wasn't doing it. Like when you compare the two timelines, past her is not nearly as frightened of him so they have this intensity that just doesn't happen in the current timeline. It is basically a one-sided obsession for the majority of the current timeline, and I don't even understand how she fell for him. Another thing, what was with the mental health rep? I don't understand why they included the mental illness at all, he could have hated the snow and been cruel without bringing in a disorder that is already stigmatized to use as an excuse for his violence.I do want to say I did enjoy this drama, it was beautifully shot, the soundtrack was epic, and the acting was great. This was my first Bai Lu drama, but I've been in the cdrama sphere for about a year so I'm familiar with her name, and I was really impressed. I will definitely check out another one when I have the opportunity. The male lead did great as well, as did all the supporting actors.
Overall, I would recommend this drama, 8.5/10
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Loved the plot ?
I loved this drama with all of my heart. The best thing? Xie Wei's wit. Jang Xuening was good, but my only complain is she didn't whole heartedly accept Xie Wei, while he almost forced her. Yeah later they got married and surprisingly had two kids, but still I'm on Zhang Zhe's side. Anyway, the drama is full of good plot and as historical Chinese drama goes, this one is more modern. I also love rewatching it, everytime when I have nothing else to watch.Was this review helpful to you?
Excellent drama. I don't know why i put it off so long.
This is my favorite work Zhang Ling He has starred in. I didn't care for the plots in "Princess royal" and "My journey to you". But story of Kunning palace is awesome. In fact, all the actors were awesome in this drama.The plot is nothing we haven't seen before, but what makes it riveting is the character's and seeing their internal frustrations.
And omg, was i blessed with so many hot kissing scenes towards the end lol.
I only took off .5 rating because the xue family plot was getting annoying at the end. I think they could've made it like 2-4 episodes shorter between dragging on the main enemy and female lead's indecisiveness.
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hmm
So this won’t top Scent of Time, but I enjoyed this c-drama, at first it would be a little confusing, but man the acting and chemistry is on point. I truly enjoyed this one and it only took me A day and a half to finish the whole 38 episodes plus the bonus short special.I solely approved of the ending and who she ended up with, glad that out of all the sacrifices he did for her she was finally able to realize and recognize her feelings for him.
At first I was intrigued to watch this since Bai Lu was the FL and I truly enjoyed her in Till the end of the Moon, Zhang Linghe from Love between fairy and devil (I’m halfway from that series but had to take a break, I couldn’t stand the FL there sorry), and of course Wang Xingyue from the scent of time. (he was remarkable there!)
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A good historical drama
I have watched many Chinese costume dramas, and this one is one of the most well-made dramas. The storyline is really good and the acting of FL makes it even better. Not only the FL, but the ML, side characters, all of them are so perfectly placed, it couldn't be any more perfect.I usually pay a lot of attention to scripts. The dialogue and the way each character enters or contributes to the plot is very good. A lot of dramas as such have a very typical story, but this one is quite well-presented. I would definitely recommend this drama to anyone who is a fan of costume dramas.
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An Interesting Reverse Harem Romance
Chinese heartthrobs Bai Lu & Zhang Ling He are in the news for all the right reasons. Following the success of her Xianxia romance “Till the End of the Moon” and her current on-air drama “Only for Love”, Bai Lu is obviously a fan favorite. Similarly, Zhang Ling He has been riding high on the heels of his recent IQIYI releases “My Journey to You” & “Tiger and Crane”. Adapted from the web novel “Kun Ning” (坤宁) by Shi Jing (时镜), “Story of Kunning Palace” depicts an arrogant Queen’s journey as she falls from grace, commits suicide and transmigrates to the past to redeem herself. Surprisingly, both Bai Lu and Zhang Ling Zhe are playing roles that are morally grey. Bai Lu’s character in “Story of Kunning Palace” might seem quite similar to her portrayal in “Till the End of the Moon”. But Jiang Xuening is definitely different from any of her previous renditions. Zhang Ling Zhe recently played a grey character in “Tiger & Crane” and his “Xie Wei” has similar dark undertones. It seems both actors wanted to try their hands at playing shady characters and, shockingly, they are good at it. Directed by Chu Yui Bun, the show has a star-studded ensemble and is based on the concept of a reverse harem. Yes, that’s right. Jiang Xuening has quite a few admirers in this storyline and the show majorly focuses on her burgeoning relationship with each of them.Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2023/11/10/story-of-kunning-palace-first-impressions/
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Very Good Story
This is Bai Lu and Zhang Ling He are blended well. It is not as good as Luo Yun Xi with Bai Lu.This drama is intense as My Return To You! Suspense drama. I hook on this story. It is mystery solving case than a writer who wrote herself into drama. I notice Chinese drama tended to copy from one story to another to make another story. Therefore, the story is similar. Actor and actress made the different.
So far I enjoy it and it mixes of suspense, humorous, intense, antagonist, etc.
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It was almost good-ish but..
Despite similar plot having been explored in many other dramas, I had high expectations for this one due to its impressive production quality. The beginning showed promise, with events seemingly aligning in the FL favor, and I largely overlooked the family drama subplot. Initially, it appeared that Xue Ning and Yan Lin's relationship might evolve romantically, only for her to opt for friendship instead. The pacing was pretty good at this point, I was impressed.Suddenly, Xue Ning becomes fixated on Yan Lin, determined to protect him from all the dangers of the world, without fully understanding the motivations behind his past actions, including his betrayal (if I recall correctly, he even assaulted her?).
While she remained wary of Xie Wei from the outset, Yan Lin received a pass despite his association with him. She vilifies Xie Wei without considering her own stance.
The introduction of Zhang Zhe felt underwhelming after much anticipation. Xue Ning's sudden fixation on him, resorting to her previous tactics to win him over, seemed driven more by a desire to validate her goodness rather than genuine affection. Her moment of self-reflection following Zhang Zhe's mother's second death felt forced, especially considering her subsequent emotional outburst, which contradicted her established character. But when Xie Wei showed up and hugged her, it became evident that it was merely a setup for the introduction of Xie Wei as the new romantic interest.
As for the "plot", up until episode 25, Xie Wei seems to be in the palace for revenge. As for Queen Dowager, she seems to have had played a part in the conflict that started it all. Xie Wei is trying his best to keep Yan family safe while trying to remove the obstacles and that's where we are now, and by the looks of it, I think it will continue for at least the next 5-6 episodes which I can't endure.
Overall, the series was passable entertainment until this point, but I find myself reluctant to continue beyond episode 25. What I anticipated as a revenge-driven narrative devolved into a clichéd toxic romance drama prioritizing runtime over plot development. Nonetheless, it earns a 6.5/10 for its commendable performances and high production values.
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BEST PLOT BUT A NOT SO GOOD CHEMISTRY
This is the first time I'll be writing review in MyDramaList even tho I'm not new in this website. I just wanted to share that the plot of this story is beyond magnificent. The writing, the satisfaction it gives to viewers, the angst, and everything. One problem is that, one actor was so good at his role that made me want him to be picked by the female lead. Yes, that's you, Yan Lin. I dunno but the writers made sure he'll be loved by viewers including me. I haven't finished it yet so I still don't feel the chemistry between the female lead, Ning'er and Xie Wei or whatever the male lead's name is but I hope I could feel the chemistry in the next episodes. It is slow burn, which I love btw, but I just really couldn't feel any chemistry of the female lead with both male leads named Zhang Zhe and Xie Wei (or whatever his name is, I repeat) because I am really a sucker for Yan Lin. After I finish this cdrama, I'll change the ratings depending if I get to like the chemistry cos that's the only problem with this cdrama imo.Was this review helpful to you?
Incompetent ex-Empress
The female lead was an empress in her last life, and for becoming the empress. she must have gone through rigorous training, and study. I thought that she would be a master in these subjects, but why the hell is she so incompetent? I mean, how is this even possible? How the hell did she even become the empress? Even if someone conspires for the phoenix coronet, they must have talent but how did this useless girl take the position?It's baffling, one would expect her to be a master strategist and adept ruler, given the prerequisites for such a role. However, her current incompetence raises questions about her past accomplishments. The narrative appears inconsistent; for someone who secured the coveted title, her lack of competence seems implausible. It challenges the credibility of the storyline; it left me pondering how this seemingly inept character managed to claim the throne.
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Intriguing story with a touch of romance & passionate kisses!
I liked this unique storyline where the FL goes back in time and tries to undo all her previous mistakes. And for some events, no matter how much she tries to change it, it still happens anyway. But with perseverance, she continues to work against fate and changes the outcome of the people she cares about.Towards the end, it was no longer about her undoing her past misdeeds so the story fell flat for me. And when the ML and FL started to acknowledge their feelings for each other, it was very stingy on the romance but instead gives us some passionate kisses and even a bedroom scene before marriage.
Overall, it was entertaining if you don’t expect too much. Thankfully, the ending was an happy one.
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UM DOS MELHORES CDRAMAS POLÍTICOS
É um drama muito bom! Me lembra Love Like The Galaxy e The Rise of Phonexis! O jogo político, a seriedade da coisa, a pitada de romance ideal... quase perfeito! Então vamos lá para a resenha:Enredo: é muito bom. É sério. Fiel a novel. É um pouco fantasioso, já que ele meio que tem que provar que certos personagens são inteligentes e astutos, então inventa em algumas coisas.
Atuação: muito boa. Quase todos estão de parabéns. Achei essa personagem semelhante a que a Bai Lu fez em Till End Of Moon, mas de qualquer forma, é muito bom. Tem um ator em especial que todo drama ele ta sempre espremendo os olhos e sendo robotizado, mas, fazer o quê.
Romance: um terreno meio perigoso. Temos maios ou menos um triângulo amoroso, mas que você rapidamente já sabe qual é o escolhido. A outra opção foi mais um sentimento de culpa e idealização do que qualquer outra coisa, já que ele era um personagem que era a caracterização da palavra "justiça" e que não fugiu muito disso. Trago um alerta que a abordagem romântica é meio sádica, com muita cena de beijos forçados e enforcamento, o que infelizmente parece ser comum nos cdramas. No entanto, de modo geral, como personagens moralmente cinzas, é por esse caminho mesmo.
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