Ning An Ru Meng (2023)

The most unhinged love story you will ever watch

To start off, let me express that I never anticipated this drama to ascend to the zenith of my watched list. The notion of toxic couples typically repels me to the extent that I adamantly avoid any narrative steeped in toxicity. However, a shift in my perspective occurred after encountering this particular storyline. Now that this is acknowledged, let us delve into the nuances of this show.

Oh, the celestial heavens! Is this not the most captivating storyline I've ever witnessed? My disdain for characters masquerading as intelligent solely based on their aesthetic appeal, manipulating those around them without contributing substantively, is palpable. Yet, Xie Wei and Jiang Xuening defy this archetype. They possess genuine intellect, evident both in their past and present lives, coupled with a touch of selfishness—a character trait that adds a layer of complexity that I find inherently intriguing. They are acutely aware of their flaws, refusing to conceal behind a facade of sanctity. Instead, they openly acknowledge their transgressions, displaying an intimate understanding of themselves. The beauty lies in JX's discovery of love in her present life and XW's revelation of true love through his connection with JX.

Now, let's delve into the characters. Xie Wei defies the conventional male lead archetype, bordering on a second lead, if we're being candid. His relationships with others are a facade, meticulously crafted to showcase only what others desire to see. A loyal companion for the king, a strict yet compassionate teacher for his student, a manipulative official for his colleagues, and a formidable teacher for Jiang Xuening. However, with JX, he gradually reveals his true self, unintentionally unveiling his vulnerability and guarded nature rooted in the fear of abandonment. Love is a foreign concept to him, a sentiment he associates solely with his mother and uncle, while his godfather taught him that love equated to lust. Guarded and afraid, he inadvertently finds himself risking his life for someone else, a prospect that terrifies him.

Jiang Xuening, an extraordinary character, manifests selfish and cruel intentions in her first life, a result of lovelessness and neglect. Deprived of love and care, even her adopted mother fails to provide the warmth she craves. Her pursuit of becoming the most honorable woman in the world as the queen is a consequence of her belief that she could never be important. However, this pursuit prompts her to question its worth. In her present life, she retains self-awareness, relinquishing the ambition for personal importance in favor of prioritizing others. Starting with the desire to protect herself, she gradually learns to love others, feeling their affection, with one exception—Xie Wei. She fears him due to their shared past but also feels an inexplicable pull towards him. What began as mere attraction blossoms into a mutual understanding.

This drama is truly exceptional, and I fervently hope that future dramas can aspire to match the nuanced characterizations exhibited by these protagonists. Their complexity and depth are nothing short of remarkable.

Leia Mais

I love this ending.

Bai Lu, my favorite Korean actress, consistently impresses with her ability to embody and breathe life into her characters. Her portrayal in this drama is no exception; she effortlessly makes the role her own, delivering a truly believable performance. The intelligence woven into the storyline took me by surprise, and I find myself compelled to rewatch it, eager to catch any nuances I might have missed initially.

Zhang Ling He, a relatively new actor with four years under his belt, continues to show remarkable improvement with each project. His depiction of a character with two distinct personalities within the same time period is a testament to his talent. The first episode demands focused attention, and his compelling performance truly stood out. His captivating eyes, a personal weakness of mine, added depth to his character, resonating with my emotions throughout the drama.

This journey was an emotional rollercoaster, evoking tears, smiles, and even prompting me to throw my slipper at the TV in moments of heightened engagement. The stellar cast, comprised of many talented actors, contributed significantly to the overall excellence of the drama. Special thanks to each of them for their dedicated efforts. Kudos to the writers for crafting a compelling narrative, and I'm particularly grateful for the inclusion of martial arts in the storyline. The swordplay was a delightful element that added an extra layer of excitement. It was surprising that Zhang Ling's second persona didn't engage in much martial arts, leaving me yearning for more. Nonetheless, the overall experience was truly worth it.

Leia Mais

Explosively Exciting and Enjoyable!

I went in blind and was blown away by this fabulous drama! <3

I want to wax lyrical about it and now that I am done with the drama, I can't wait to re-watch it. I have already started watching clips to relive specific special moments like the explosive kiss scene featuring our darlings - ML and FL. I am on a bit of "SOKP" withdrawal at the moment...

What I LOVE about this drama:
- As always, suspend disbelief and fully immerse in the DRAMA of this drama. This drama is very dramatic with all its shenanigans... plotting, scheming, killing, protecting, lying, saving, loving...
- The ML is completely Da-Bomb Great in this drama. I watched one drama featuring him previously and thought that he was good. But, whoa, here, he is GREAT! He is AWESOME. He is MAGNIFICENT as Xie Wei. I love his snarls, growls, jealousy, plotting, smart mind, eloquence, the way he loves, the way he is petty, the way he is forward-thinking, the way he tries to move away from his past... I think ZLH brought this character to life splendidly and no one else can do a better job than he. ZLH is XIE WEI and XIE WEI is ZLH and no other actor can do justice to this character anymore because ZLH delivered spectacularly!
- The FL remains adorable in her own ways from start to finish. BL is a great actress. I have watched several of her dramas and she does shine!
- The plot is highly riveting and exciting. I want to go from one episode to the next. The drama's pace leaves me breathless and also, breathless for more!
- The entire cast is wonderful and I like that even the less significant characters have their opportunities to shine and to deliver. Because of everyone's stellar contribution, the drama is certainly superbly fine like excellent and expensive wine. I like that JXH is constantly good. She does not turn out to be a bitch in disguise. I like that the loyal characters like DQ and JS and FYQ all stayed faithful and strong.
- The OST is memorable. I have been listening to it over and over again.
- Story plot tries very hard to make sense throughout and I appreciate it! Everything is tied up nicely towards the end too which is wonderful.
- Happy, happy ending which is a complete plus point for me. It thrills me to see ML and FL having their well-deserved Happily-Ever-After.

What I DO NOT LOVE:
- Just some 'minor' issues - the villains are damn annoying. I hate Xue Shu and Xue Yuan. And well, all the baddies. But, I understand that every drama needs baddies or else, what drama will we have?
- I cannot fathom how Xue Yuan just keeps on wanting to kill his own flesh and blood. Even his son is not so ruthless and blood-thirsty. He is definitely mega-villain. I hate him and all the Xues (other than ML, of course; and ML says that he is no longer a Xue and a Yan).

Overall, I love this drama very dearly. It is superb. I highly enjoyed it. I came to it rather late but better late than never... I want to encourage everyone else to watch it and to enjoy it too! :o)

I generously give it a perfect score because, to me, this drama is truly dramatically magnificent!!

<3

Leia Mais

Loved it.

Great fantasy/historical series. The ML totally shined in this series. The acting was amazing, Yes, he was amazing.

I had been waiting for a good one and I totally found it. This is a captivating one. You’ll grow to love the characters even the ones you think you’d dislike. There was action, drama, romance and a little humor. The chemistry was very present between the leads, even before the things progressed. You could sense it. The ML did an amazing job keeping me captivated. He totally lead all the way. His wits, dominance and communication were strong and enjoyable. The FL was great as usual.she was smart as well. Her character did frustrate me a bit in the beginning but she pulled through. Although we have all seen a somewhat similar storyline, I have yet to see one that was this rail, well written, and had so much passion behind the cast. I love the consistency amongst the characters in this drama, and I also love how their character grew and we had the opportunity to see that through their actions and their communication, and let’s not forget the emotions that they portrayed through all of those things.

I love how the story revolved around a redo of events, they didn’t attempt to delude us with major character shifts, however they did show us the change in how our FL chose to interact with others and how that impacted the outcome. It also revealed things that were previously misunderstood. It really brought back to the forefront of how we often perceive things a certain way, but they may not be what actually true. If you are looking for a great historical fantasy fiction, you will absolutely love this one.

Chemistry was onsite everyday. Action didn’t miss a step and the love boat was definitely afloat.

I loved the ending as well. It was hilarious, sweet and cute.

Leia Mais

Very entertaining

I watched this drama because of the hype surrounding the drama. I was not disappointed.

Zhang Li He's performance in this drama exceeds my expectation. Bai Lu's? She is a good actress and brings value to the drama she stars in.

The story is quite interesting: the main female lead gets a second chance to repent her sins. She seizes the opportunity by ensuring she follows the rules of the game of death closely. This time, she is one step ahead of her enemies or she thinks she is.

At the same time, there is another rival who wants her dead. Will the person succeed?

Will she survive in her second life? Watch it.

Leia Mais

There is no love triangle (or rectangle) but it is the slowest of burns

==Breakdown==
Background plot - 55%
Romance - 35%
Misc comedy - 10%

Background plot - Excellent
Romantic chemistry - Excellent
Misc comedy - Good
Production value - Excellent

Dear Romance Fans: don't be discouraged by the early episodes, the love story is a MAJOR part of the show (eventually). This drama is definitely a case study in a slow burn romance leading to an extremely explosive endgame.

Contrary to what some folks might've stated, there is really no love triangle (or rectangle, or hexagon, or whatever). Yeah, the FL has a few storylines with other menfolk, but those only serve to enhance her character development (and the ML's character development later on) as well as drive the plot forward. I despise love triangles, but this didn't bother me one bit.

ABSOLUTELY LOVED this one and will definitely re-watch it again, especially episodes 30-38 :-)

Leia Mais

Peace is like a dream, why not fight till I'm damned

Do you believe in second chances? This drama tells the story about a girl who used every way possible and everyone around her to become an Empress. This Empress had a terrible ending and died horribly. Now she is back to the time before she went down the path of no return, and decides to fight against her destiny.

The best part of this drama to me, are the three male leads.

Our 2nd ML, Yan Lin is a bright and cheerful lad and the son of a Marquis. He is upright, and dotes on the FL endlessly in the start of the story. I think he has gone through the most character development in this drama. By the end of the story, having gone through much turmoil, he has matured a lot. But he still hasn't let go of his principal characteristics: upright, loyal and bright. This is how character development should be done!

Our 3rd ML, Zhang Zhe comes from a meager background. He has climbed the social ladder merely through his own talent. He works at the Ministry of Justice, quite befitting his just and unwavering character. From start to finish, in every lifetime, he never once takes sides in politics due to personal reasons and only supports the truth wholeheartedly. His romance with the Fl strikes a chord in me. I really like the dynamic between a high ranking noble lady × weak but talented poor scholar. I love the scene where they meet on a rainy day and they leave with their sight still lingering on each other.

Our ML, Xie Wei is the mastermind of most of the plots. He has ulterior motives and is dedicated to taking revenge. The more you get to know his character, the more you fall in love with him to the point that by the end of the story, you get addicted to his character. Can I just say Zhang Linghe is beautiful beyond measure, he looks otherworldly like a peach blossom spirit. Dark mysterious and beautiful ah! At first I was more interested in the 3rd ML with the FL, but as the story goes on, the differences between ML and him becomes greater. ML truly is willing to sacrifice his revenge, his hand (matters a lot cuz he's obsessed with playing guqin) and even himself for the FL. He's cold at the beginning but as soon as he starts falling in love it's like every scene they're together in combusts into fire. Best ML I have ever seen in drama ever. I just wanna watch more of Zhang Linghe T^T.

The FL is not as interesting as the MLs but Bai Lu is a good actress and it's easy to place yourself in her shoes, so it works out.

I love the side characters. You Fangyin and Boss Lyu's love story is soo sad. Love all the people by the ML's side— his bodyguards Jian Shu and Dao Qin and even the fake Xue Dingfei. Love the princess (I ship her 100% with the FL lol). I'm glad they didn't make the FL's sister the stereotypical evil character. Instead she has her own personality, storyline, and development. I really love her color palette and dressing style, goes super well with the character. The other side female characters are cute too (especially the astrologer, super funny).

The villains got so much on my nerves. But it's their job so idk. That Xue Shu is a damned b**** idk how they managed to cast someone that looks and talk evil all the time. I don't feel bad for her one bit. Her brother can go to hell too and so can their mom and dad. Evil family.

Anyways watch this drama, if you wanna look at beautiful scenery and even more beautiful people! 10/10 would recommend.

Leia Mais

drama gets better as story progresses. Got dark vibe.

Story of Kunning Palace - 9/10 -historical cdrama

after quite long time watched historical cdrama. Sadly this drama is just type I hate ful of intrigue alike to korean historical dramas.
Firstly I didnt really like this drama it was dark and even though first eisode made me remember :The Romance of Tiger and Rose: the vibe couldnt be more far away.
Vibe is very alike to :My Journey to You:, but that drama managed to catch mine interest from get go, guess mainly cause Esther Yu and Lu Yu Xiao where both of them are mine favs and their roles was very different from usual ones they plan and they managed to slay it.
Bai Lu and other characters in Kunning palace ... lets say it wanted at least 10 eps from me to grow fond of them to continue watch.

ok shortly first 10 eps I planned to rate 8/10. Till 30ep I planned 8.5/10. And last 8eps + special managed to perusade me for 9/10. Must say I practically binge watched it in one day.

Ok review was too long. For plot and genre just check out MDL.

Leia Mais

A surprise of 2023

I truly enjoyed this drama, and now that I finished it, I have withdrawal symptoms. Honestly, this show has everything that I enjoy:

(1) An intelligent female lead that doesnt take crap from people (no Mary Sues here) ;
(2) A male lead that is willing to do what needs to be done to reach his goals (Anti-heroes represent!);
(3) A strong chemistry between the leads (NO duck kisses to be seen);
(4) A couple that teams up and solves their issues quickly (those that scheme together stay together);
(5) A story that has not fillers (missing the mandatory annoying second couple, yay!); and
(6) A very happy ending (in many ways *wink wink*).

Point number 6 was very important to me and thankfully SOKP delivered, I had been burnt many times by C-dramas and there is nothing more frustrating than investing 40 plus episodes on a period piece and getting rewarded with tragic or lazy open ending. So kudos to the cast and crew, this drama was very entertaining, two thumbs up from me.

Leia Mais

This is the Best Chinese Drama of 2023 for Me!!

I love everything about the drama!!! The directors were able to pieces this drama together very well despite ending with 38 episodes. I did wish it was longer because it was too good for it to end early.

I love all the main casts because everyone did their part very well especially Bailu and Zhang Ling He. I’m a huge fan of both actor and actress. I am very happy that I was able to see these two worked together!!! ( q v q )

I want to thank all the casts, directors and staffs for the beautiful drama. It’s been awhile since I have fully watch through a drama without being bored. Thank you for that!

Also, I’ve enjoyed watching this drama with my fellow watchers. Thank you for the great jokes and laughters. You guys are the real MVP for posting and sharing links relating to SOKP. :D

Leia Mais

A Familiar Idol Drama

In many ways, familiarity is an recurring element for Kunning Palace. The FL was an Empress of evil deeds in her past life that transmigrates into a do-over life, intent on fixing her mistakes. So the setting, the people, and even many events are portrayed as familiar events that add tension to the story.

As for my personal viewing experience, Kunning Palace also felt familiar‒A Familiar Stranger familiar. In fact having conscientiously avoided idol dramas‒costume or modern‒A Familiar Stranger was an rare exception that I attempted and enjoyed, perhaps mostly owing to its short mini-drama length. With Kunning Palace as the much anticipated big-budget drama, I joked to myself that all I'm looking for is AFS quality and I'm willing to turn my brain off for the ride. And to my cursed prediction, A Familiar Stranger is basically what I got: from the haphazard blinding lights, to the spinning shots, to the predictable OST that conspicuously serenades every modestly emotional scene, to the paper-mache world-building and story that I didn't dare staring into for the fear that even a lingering glance will set the whole world ablaze.

And sadly despite the modest expectations, I'm not sure if Kunning Palace matched the quality of AFS. Despite being a low-budget production shot in a pinch, AFS had arguably better production quality, better average acting quality, and better tropey romantic sizzle. And most of all, the short 3 hour run time and fast pace made all the irksome issues much more palatable.

To be fair, Kunning Palace is not a terrible show, and solidly above average for an idol drama. Unsurprisingly, a lot of people liked it, and liked it a lot. If you are not congenitally allergic to idol drama like me, the sets, costumes, pretty actors, and decent trope execution will be lighting up plenty of dopamine and serotine. And just some modest improvement to the script, acting, and cinematography would have made this a decent watch me. But as it is, the negatives slightly outweighed the positives, and multiplied by 24 episodes the cumulative enjoyment debt had become too much to overcome.

Complaints:
❌Kiddie level political schemes and too many plot issues
❌On-the-nose tension and dramatic moments, reinforced by even more on-the-nose dialog to make sure the audience understood the obvious
❌Too much try-hard acting; too modern line delivery, dialog, and general vibes
❌Amateurish cinematography and editing choices, the director feels like someone that likes to inject random effects into his Powerpoint slides to look professional

--Category Ratings--
- Overall - 6
- Plot - 5.5
- Theme / Message / Impact - 6
- Acting - 6.5
- Visuals - 7
- Audio - 7
- Rewatch - 5
- Accessibility - 7.5
- Subtitle quality - 8

Leia Mais