Engaging watch, beautiful styling, beautiful people, production done well

When this was released, I read some skeptical reviews about it so I held off on watching it but kept it on my list. Don't know what prompted me but felt like watching it a few days ago and I binged it in like 4-5 days and I wonder why I even waited so long coz I thoroughly enjoyed it. Except a few complains here and there I don't have much to criticize about. Loved the ensemble cast, loved the styling, the OST, the cinematography. I have no idea what the source material is like so I went into this with no expectations and it was a very pleasant experience for me. I was satisfied with the pacing till the end but I also wish last 4 episodes were a little more detailed, especially the last two felt like all too quick to wrap it all up. Talking about cinematography, there were some shots that were just stunning to watch. Oh gotta mention the choreography for the fight scenes, loved that. The camera work in those so good. One thing that annoyed me was chang ge's impulsive actions at times but I guess those were learning lessons for her in a way. Special shout out for how wu lei portrayed his character, the fierce warrior, self confidence but at the same time with gentleness and warmth to him. Have been interested in him since nirvana in fire days and I feel he has picked up some good projects in the last year or so, so I was happy to see him pulling off this character well. Also one tiny gripe is I would have liked for the second lead couple story to be explored a bit more. It felt like too quick for them to build that chemistry between them and then suddenly they are getting married. But overall this was an engaging watch for me and I think I might rewatch it again someday down the line when I'm taking a break from crossing off the dramas in my to watch list.

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So I randomly came across this while looking for dramas and I ended up quite enjoying it. It was not some really complex storyline but it was good for a pass time watch. The drama was like portrayal of progression leading up to the goal of our leads and how their love grew along the way. I liked the pacing of the drama and they did well for having 30 episodes only because usually we see costume dramas have 50 or more episodes. The script could definitely have been better honestly but that's on the writers. I would have liked to see more development of characters. And the show had many other flaws too but I don't know if it's the mood I watched it in because I didn't particularly care about them.

Now as for the cast, they did a good job with what was given to them. The best part was the chemistry between Zhao Lusi and Zheng Yecheng. The drama was sweet, had lots of funny moments, Scenary was pretty in parts, action sequences were satisfactory. I loved the OST. The soundtrack is just gorgeous.

One major gripe I had was the ending. It was just confusing and the last episode seemed like a waste. I wish they could have done better with it. The ending felt like make of it as you will and just left me unsatisfied.

Anyway, overall I enjoyed the drama. It was not on some exceptional category but it was nice and a good watch. I won't mind re-watching it again and I hope I can see the pairing of the two main lead actors again in the future.

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Rant!

Okay so where do I start god this drama left me frustrated and not in a way that got resolved and gave me some satisfaction in the end. This had potential to be so much better if not for the bad story and character development. All went well uptil the whole danchi arc and them jumping in that river of forgetting. And after that I just kept waiting for the story to actually get better. The romance was poorly written. The miscommunication, the love triangle all had me pulling my hair out. The love story was not given time and space to develop at all. The characters were so disappointing. I don't know the script writers really missed it with them. I really couldn't bring myself to feel sympathy for the second lead. The female lead was too immature and stupid so many times. Still hoped that li chengyin would not kill Gu jian coz there was no way chengyin and xiaofeng's relationship was gonna make a comeback after that ordeal. Also him being a jerk to her all the time and then it never got cleared up to her that why he did that and she kept believing he hated her. The ending was so lame and disappointing too like what even was that last episode. I just pretty much skimmed through last twenty episodes I think. The gao family's fall was so anticlimactic after how from the start it was given so much importance.
Now I liked the OST and costumes were good. Cinematography was not too bad, it was pleasing enough. Acting was decent. But nobody left a lasting impression. I don't even know why I'm giving a 6.5 but I guess points for myself for keep hoping that it'll get better and finishing the drama anyway.

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Just finished this drama a minute ago and the two things I wanna say is I would have liked to see more of Xue Yi and Zhao Ge and Second, what was that ending unless there are plans for a season 2. Other than that, kinda found it lame that the crux of the story was that all this drama went down coz that queen got rejected once lol. Acting was decent by everyone. The same actor who played Yu mingye here was also Xue yang in The untamed and his acting was definitely better here. But not getting too hung up on the script and technicalities, all in all it was a good time pass watch.

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This is the first historical K-drama I have ended up liking. Usually they just fail to garner my interest but had heard good reviews of this and I'm glad I watched it.

STORY: The story was nothing really complicated, even on the court politics side, but enough interesting to drive the drama. I still would have enjoyed if it had given me something more. I feel like it lost a bit of it's vision as it progressed. Hence, the 7.5.

ACTING: okay let me first get this out if the way, young crown prince and yeon-woo>>>>>>older king and shaman yeon-woo.
Now, everyone in the drama did a really good job. Have to give it to the young cast though, they had me invested and attached just 5 episodes in. Yeo Jin Goo and Kim Yoo Jung did such a fantastic job for such young actors at that time it was so so good and I absolutely wanna see them together in another drama now.
I warmed up to Kim Soo Hyun as story went by. He did an amazing job as well. Now for Hang Ga In, I'm not familiar with her other works but honestly her performance here just didn't hit for me. She felt flat, her dialogue delivery was bland, she couldn't continue on the charm that Kim Yoo Jung's portrayal of young Yeon-woo showed.
The side characters all played their part brilliantly, be it the brother of both Yeon woo and king or the guard or the eunuch, the chief shaman, seol or jan-sil, the grandmother, the previous king, everyone had an important part to carry. The villains were just meh to me. But yeah, they did a good job with casting.

OST was good but except one or two songs nothing that I would probably revisit but while watching the show it did it's job well.

Some moments that come to my mind looking back: when Yeon-woo and crown prince first met, him getting reading her apology letter and the plant, the festival scene when he snatched her away and then the talk that they had, when he rallied the scholars for the fair princess selection, him going to her house when she got sick and giving her that hair pin and them just softly talking and knowing the time was running out god that was so brilliantly portrayed and such good acting from the pair, oh also gotta mention jin-goo's acting when Yeon-woo was being sent out of palace and he was trying to get past his guards and just broke down crying and when she passed away and again he wept, my heart hurt for him that was some solid acting from him. Basically the first half was the best half of the drama.

Overall I really liked this drama. There was some sweet moments, some funny, some moments that broke my heart and I sobbed big time. I would sure like to re-watch parts of this drama, and they all gonna include the ones from the time of the younger them.

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Was scrolling through the comments here and some are just way too harsh lol but each to their own I guess. I personally thoroughly enjoyed the show. Each episode almost an hour and a half so it was lengthy but it kept me engaged so that's a big plus in itself. Loved the cinematography, loved the characters and their dynamics with each other. The actors played their part well according to the demand for the type of show it was. At times there were some ridiculous things in the plot but honestly I didn't care much. The push and pull between the good and bad parties each episode was exciting. The villains had me wanting them to die a horrible death. I had some good laughs throughout the show as well. Oh and this drama probably had the best episode endings I have seen in dramas. Vincenzo definitely one of my favorite dramas of the year so far.

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