Peões do Amor (2024)

Revenge, dragged through the mud, Xiao Heng, potentially 2024's hottest stud--

First of all, I deeply apologize for the little piece of poetry that you had to read just now. I promise I'm sober as I'm writing this.

Right when I thought (personal opinion) 2024 is turning up a bit dry compared to last year in terms of c-dramas, The Double came blazing though that barren field (personal opinion) with smoke and mirrors because I didn't even know about its existence until people began to talk about it upon its premiere.

Truthfully, for the first 20 episodes, I treated this drama like my topmost obsession. Equally clever (and sexy af) main leads with explosive chemistry and slow-burn romance? Check. A boiling hot yet calculative revenge against tremendously evil individuals? Check. Goosebumps-inducing soundtracks with gorgeous cinematography? Also, check. It seemed like the drama had pretty much everything going well for it. I loved the atmosphere, the revenge that was brewing slowly but surely and most of all-- I was all knee-deep and beyond thrilled for the romance to ACTUALLY happen because the sexual tension between the leads, in contrary to what prejudices and biased thoughts people tend to have towards actors who have a 5+ years age-gap, was nothing short of HAWT.

But, all of that was-- like I'd mentioned-- were my thoughts for the first 20-30 episodes. Although I knew it was still heavily flawed with moments of unnecessary off-putting humor that didn't exactly do what it was probably supposed to do, a filler-y story arc or two on which a good number of episodes were wasted on and a bunch of nonsensical stuff-- I still enjoyed it mostly for what it was. Until after episode 30, when I began to become a bit... tired of it?

By the moment they reached the climax of the long-planned revenge, I guess I'd lost my patience. I couldn't care less about how it would end for the antagonists because when you push the suspense too hard, it tends to crack. In this case, it definitely cracked. At least, for me. Plot becoming dry and draggy due to too many episodes is a common issue among Chinese dramas, and unfortunately, The Double is no exception. I feel like it would've benefitted greatly if they excluded a couple parts of the whole show that didn't necessarily need to be there.

Fine. Besides my faltering enjoyment for this drama towards the end of its run, I still think this drama was pure mindless entertainment. Very over-the-top, very soap opera, too convenient. If you pull out your brain plug by a bit, you'll find it entertaining too. Also, a quick little appreciation for the acting from pretty much the entire cast of this drama. Like, I can't even bring out a particular actor's name to praise them separately because I thought everyone equally gave their all into this. They served like their rent was DUE. The fantastic OSTs gave each scene that extra impact and spice, while the visually pleasing cinematography that well-utilized the characters' clothing, hair, accessories and the set designs brought everything together. The budget of production wasn't high, but they don't let you notice that. Kudos to that.

IN CONCLUSION, despite of the heavy flaws that make this drama far FAR from being the masterpiece it was actually never supposed to be, it's still highly entertaining for most of it. Imperfect drama, but PERFECT for a one-time watch ^^

Last but not least... You and your stylish array of hand fans will always be famous, Xiao Heng/Duke Su.

*SPOILER SPOILER*
That last episode was full of shit lmaoooo

Leia Mais

And maybe I'll pretend I never saw the end(last 2 eps) !

A note to myself - enjoy while it lasts ...not everything has to have a perfect ending !

So the much awaited journey comes to an end and it was pretty much a train wreck but as much as I loved this show, that deeply it has inflicted upon me that endings are often not that beautiful as the journey ! This review is for those who appreciate a critical examination of art, even if it means challenging their favorites. For those who might struggle with differing viewpoints, perhaps a lighter genre would be more enjoyable right now.

So the show is about the most illogical things of all time - someone pretending to be someone else for revenge and that too in front of a whole fucking town and they buy it ! and so will you ! I promise you will !
As nonsensical as it sounds that's what it is -- but let me sing to the glory of this show -

Top notch Aesthetics that scream oh you need to stare at it again ! - How they use clothes - they have given a new meaning to it and it's no more just props it's got life !
The amazing portrayal of women -- oh man the cameraman gave them wings !!
Chemistry that gives you butterflies ! -they stare at each other and you go crazy toppling and turning on your bed !
Villains that make you loathe them - curse them you'll wany to kill them without a thought -- but they have great backstories and motivations for the things they did - disgustingly good as can be said.
The characters the props - you'll love everything about it down to the details - as we take up on each and everything one by one you'll love it more with each ep until you won't be able to forgive the makers for what they do to you --

Let's talk about our very hot "ALL TALK NO SHOW" most charming gege who loves "side eyes" and "taking a seat" every time we fucking hope for him to flip a fan at the very least but i think fan was just the most charming prop who's master never got around delivering to his potential !
Look first thing he waited till the water went above the head and when my patience was taking last breaths -- our poison princess fought better than Duke Su! (yes I said it ) !
I mean what was that fight even (with king's brother)- like for a min atleast I wanted to see that strong man I had been dreaming of - ERROR 404 - NOT FOUND !

My dearest assistants of duke su I am sorry the writers and makers did that to you ! you two deserve all my love for never disappointing me... man I am so mad to even feel bad -- they were too good to just die of random arrows ! Imma pretend they still alive and they be asking - my lord are you going to or should i do it !

i mean to think about it SYR and XFF spend more time together than Duke Su and Li or should say XFF spends more time in SYR's arms in the last eps than duke su in all the eps combined ! SFUODSBLBVJNDFLXN!
and that candle light kiss -- oh my out of the world cinematography I love how you make me hate a candle!

And don't remind me of that king pls - what in the tomfoolery was that person - to protect him who does nothing exactly in the show we have so many people sacrificing ! I mean that consort li has a better role than him and for fucks sake she did die amazingly oh brave women !
and not to mention even the maids and gardener's have more role than him - i wanted to say curtains too but then you'd just say I was being mean and wouldn't believe me !

Lets talk about the best of the lot -- Wanning there you girl - you shattered my heart into pieces you deserved every bit of torture but it was not for you to die like this and make me love you ! - the best end served !

Now my girl A Li - my double edged sword my heart breaks for everything you have suffered and I am so proud of everything you have done -- tho your humor was not my taste but your strategy was until you began your patriotic speech in the middle of a war ! making the show all more miserable ! - I love how you think of JL and the dead girl pops up from her grave I believe you even then but you tell me how am I to buy it that you shoot SYR twice in front of a whole army that is under SYR's command who's job is to protect him -? i mean that's what I think the seal means - or was i just delusional ?

Let me not go around rubbing salt on your wounds with poor Tong Er dying to serve no purpose and that absolute insane of dance , what was that even... not to mention they don't even look at the direction of voice coming from - let alone how they mimic a kid and the way to find if a person is possessed or not is a debate between that person and that monk !

ps . If I have to go on nitpicking on everything in the name of logic I should stfu and not watch dramas - there, said it for you. !

but again as much as I love how wanning's arc ended ..I hate how other characters were treated -And the thing is that the deeds of the dead are not going to speak from the grave ...why was anything not handled officially but then again the king was for tomfoolery !

and tho I hate to admit I must say ---
I LOVED IT TO EVERY BIT DOWN !

AND I HOPE A LOT MORE DRAMAS LIKE THIS ARE MADE !!!

Leia Mais

You have seen my love, It's time for my vengeance and justice to be served..

The Double is a fantastic drama to watch in the first half of 2024. It's entertaining enough to keep you hooked to it. It did justice to the thriller and revenge genre.

Overview of Plot:-

The Double tells the tale of the lady who was betrayed by her love and buried alive with a ruined reputation, Xue Fangfei. The man she gave her all betrayed her in the hard times for some despicable excuses. She crawled out her grave and assumed the identity of second daughter of Jiang Family to take her revenge and seek justice for herself and the real Jiang Li.

Key Characters:-

Xue Fangfei/Jiang Li (Wu Jin Yan):- The daughter of Magistrate Xue, Xue Fangfei renowned as the most talented lady in the capital. She is also known with two other names, Xue Li and A'Li. She fell in love and married a poor scholar Shen Yu Rong. She loved him wholeheartedly and supported him with all she has. Yet, her love was betrayed, her reputation was ruined, she was tortured and her hope was scattered. Despite her innocence she was buried alive, abandoned in that cold place alone by her beloved husband without giving her the reason for not trusting her, without giving her the reason of all her sufferings, without giving her the reason of the betrayal of her unconditional love.

Xiao Heng/Duke Su (Wang Xing Yue):- Duke Su, the right hand man of Emperor of Great Yan, an incredible chess master who plots and never let his enemy upper hand. An adaptive strategist and never failed to hit the bull's eye.

Shen Yu Rong (Liang Yong Qi):- The ex-husband of Xue Fangfei and the lover of Princess Wan Ning. A poor scholar who pave his path of becoming an official in court with his hardwork to prevail justice. However, he couldn't be untouched by the temptation of power. He is a person who never take responsibility for his own actions and loves to play victim card.

Princess Wan Ning (Li Meng):- A psycho lady whose obsession is Shen Yu Rong, the husband of another lady. She loves to toy with people, torture them for fun and take advantage of her position.

My Impression:-

The captivating plot of 'The Double' made me to not blink while I was watching. It's one of the favourite genre of mine. However, I was skeptical at first because I was not familiar with the cast, except one or two, but decided to give it a try because I have faith in Youku. The first few episodes made me to binge watch 25 episodes in just 3 days. The drama starts with dark theme, and switching between the dark and light. The suspenseful and emotional rollercoaster plot mainly revolves around the female lead. The Double is focused on the revenge and it wouldn't be wrong to say that this is one of the few dramas which is more focused on females be it female lead or other female characters. The drama conveys the struggle and pain of women and their cruelty, their desire of love and wrath of hatred, their wish to live a peaceful life and obsession.

The drama is paced well, neither slow nor fast. The plot is fantastic however it is not free from holes. Sometimes there are loopholes that are visible even with eyes closed and made me question the logic. I won't get into details about it, you'll know when you watch it.

Xue Fangfei, our female lead, is smart and capable of holding the sky if any trouble befalls her or her loved ones with her unparalleled intelligence. Not the typical female lead who always needs a man to get her out of trouble. She can be a pawn or the chess master to get her way. She can be a part of other's game and can even play her own game making the chess masters into her own pawn. In this journey of revenge and justice A'Li found her soulmate. The title of the drama suits her the best. Duke Su offers his support only when A'Li is unable to play her game because of her not holding some high position in the court.

The drama falls in the category of slow-burn romance but the chemistry hits the top. Duke Su and A'Li are a match made in heaven. Though it's a slow-burn but it doesn't feel like one, except there is less skinship. I can even watch 20 more episodes with that chemistry. Both are intelligent and responsible. With their smartness they continuosly tried to outsmart eachother, supported eachother and they didn't realise among this all, they started to fell for each other. Duke Su didn't know exactly when A'Li started to become the special one in his heart from the pawn in his chess. Similarly, A'Li didn't get the clue since when Duke Su started to heal the wound of her heart. I loved how their love progressed. Finding a man like Duke Su after being betrayed by Shen Yurong is such a blessing for A'Li. Likewise, finding a true match in opposite gender whose intelligence is at par with him is fate for Xiao Heng.

Let's talk about the villains. Their backstory is quite pitiful but still they all are despicable that I have no sympathy for them. The karma served them right. Among them the most despicable one is Shen Yurong. He is sleek and coward person, never takes responsibility for his deeds and shifts blame on others. He is pretty good at self-pity and playing the victim card. He gets the love of two women but he chose to betray both of them for one another, thereby losing them both at the end of the day. Princess Wanning did everything for her obsession with Shen Yurong but still in the end she lost him and the worst was being betrayed by him. She got the taste of her own medicine. She wanted to make Shen Yurong like her and he succeeded in becoming like her, obsessed with power and person whom he claims to love. They also are a good match for each other. Now coming to the stepmom of Jiang Li, Ji Shuran. I think she had it easy, her retribution wasn't that well done. The people died because of her must still be feeling injustice.

The acting delivered by the cast is truly spectacular specially from Wu Jin Yan and Liang Yong Qi then comes our Wang Xing Yue and Li Meng not much behind them. Wu Jin Yan made me cry with her many times. She delivered top notch emotions when confronting Shen Yu Rong every time and chemistry with Xiao Heng. Liang Yong Qi portrayed the conflicted emotions of Shen Yurong perfectly. The regret of hurting A'Li but never admitting his choice, the obsession with her yet claiming to be innocent, all are greatly portrayed by him. Wang Xing Yue played Xiao Heng with that dark and dangerous vibes which goes perfectly with this character. The stepmother (Chen Chiao An) also did amazing.

The most useless character was Jiang Yuan Bai, the man can't even handle his own family matters justly yet he is prime minister and handling country affairs. Indeed, he was a good prime minister but he failed as a husband and father. His retribution served him right, living his rest of life in regret and grief.

I loved the friendship of Emperor Zhao Ye and Duke Su Xiao Heng. It's s rare to see an emperor to have a best friend. Apart from A'Li and Xiao Heng, Wen Ji and Lu Ji remained my favourites from starting to end.

Though the story is well paced and well developed but still there is the Ye family arc which I feel like dragged for too long and the drama tried to shift towards the lightness and characters became overly righteous which I don't like much. I loved the dark heavy theme. There are also some unnecessary deaths (I won't spoil who died but I bawled my eyes out for them) and plots which doesn't make sense but I watched it for the entertainment's sake without getting into logic. Duke Su get quite less screen time which is also a complain from me. We mostly saw him plotting behind the scenes and being told that it's done by Duke Su and all. It would been better if his screen time was increased and we get to see him more.

Conclusion:-

This drama unexpectedly did beautiful job by making audience not to take their eyes off the screen. The acting to chemistry was all great. OSTs are good and costumes are beautiful for females. In males only our male lead got a good wardrobe. If we ignore the plotholes and go with the flow it's definitely fabulous. There is happy ending with a special episode so I'm not disappointed with the ending but yes not really satisfied.
A must watch from me.
Highly recommend.

Leia Mais

A STAND OUT DRAMA IN 2024

This drama is refreshing, as it puts the female lead front and center, which is a pleasant surprise in a genre often dominated by male leads. I expected a typical romance where the ML takes constant charge, but imo, "The Double" defies those expectations.

The FL's revenge plot is the driving force of the story, and she's not just a useless damsel in distress waiting for the ML to save her. Instead, she's an autonomous character, very clever may I add, who takes matters into her own hands, with the ML only offering support when needed. I was surprised how little he shows up in this drama. Maybe a few minutes per episode, always waving that red and golden fan of his!

I like the chemistry between the leads (despite the criticism about the actors’ age gap). Their relationship develops slowly but is filled with heart-fluttering gestures that show the progression of their feelings for each other. The ML reminds me a great deal of Ling Buyi (from LLTG) and Xie Wei (from Kunning Palace), though he is more refined and calculated, and less impulsive. Wang Ying Yue exudes a mature vibe, despite his young age, and he has great acting chops.

The cast is fantastic, in particular Wu Jin Yan (as expected). However, a surprising standout for me is Liang Yong Qi, who plays the villainous Shen Yurong. LYQ's expressive performance, especially his eye acting, is really impressive here, adding so much depth and layers to his character. He did a great job balancing darkness with lighter moments, and especially his character's scary aspects were portrayed with a chilling intensity. Simultaneously, he skillfully showed the character's moments of vulnerability and despair, so as a viewer, I found myself sympathizing with him at times (despite his absolutely despicable actions). I hope to see more of him in future productions, perhaps in a leading role.

Finally, the story is very entertaining and suspenseful. While it has some plot holes and contrived or over the top moments, they didn't detract from the viewing experience. For me, "The Double" stands out as one of the best dramas of 2024, especially after a lackluster first half of the year in terms of c-drama releases.

Leia Mais

Duke Su~CHARISMA

This is one of those dramas you just know you will rewatch. It is that good!
Wang Xing Yue....need I say more? I cannot get enough of him as Duke Su. He is everything. I have been in a slump looking for something new to watch and here comes The Double.

The Double has many aspects I love in a drama: smart and strong female lead, strong and intelligent male lead, amazing chemistry, humor, compelling plot and story, visuals....and visuals.
Wang Xing Yue exhibits charisma in his role as Duke Su. There is just not enough of him. Every time he appears I smile. Every nuance of his behavior makes me smile: the way he sits, smiles, moves, talks, his expressions....

And yes there is more to it than Duke Su...I think...But seriously...yes... there is more. It is fascinating to watch the plot unfold and frustrating to wait for new episodes. I find myself riveted to the screen and waiting for midnight for the new releases. I can only describe my feelings right now watching The Double. I will be back when all episodes are out to give my final review. This is without a doubt a 10+!

EDITED TO ADD AT THE END:


Let me start part 2 of my review by saying, I am in love with Duke Su. I know I said this before. I know he is fictional. But I cannot help myself. WXY's charisma shines through every pore of Duke Su. The drama itself was an incredible journey and there was never a single moment when I wanted to fast forward. But Duke Su made it extra special. For me anyway.


The plot twists...you are in for some surprises. I am leaving out the details so as not to add spoilers. The plot execution moves logically from one episode to the next. This is a revenge plot done right!


This is a story of two people who aimed to seek revenge and justice. The relationship started with both using each other to accomplish their goals but turned into mutual trust and love. The plot unfolds in a way that will keep you watching especially with a smart FL lead and a strong and strategic ML.

The couple's chemistry has me missing them. The flirtations between these two were delightful to watch and will have you smiling and laughing joyfully. The leads’ chemistry is a huge positive for The Double. There is an age gap between Wu Jin Yan and Wang Xing Yue which I didn't notice due to WXY's charisma and because they worked well together acting out the flirting game. Don't expect too much skinship. Any kisses in The Double are in danger of the dreaded candlelight or screen, but the couple's chemistry makes it so satisfying, that you will not mind. Their interactions will more than makeup for the lack of kisses and skinship.

And of course, WXY's performance had much to do with my joy and the reason I am so in love with him. Sigh.... Wang Xing Yue is a young actor but his charisma and handsome face made him perfect for the powerful and confident Duke Su. and is charismatic. Watch him in Amidst A Snowstorm of Love and you will see this same charisma. His acting feels natural and you will swoon just watching his facial expressions!

Every character here was amazing. Regardless of any event that might seem illogical or impossible in this drama, the incredible performances from the cast will make it a favorite. I would be surprised if The Double does not win some awards.

At the end of this incredible journey, I feel lost without Duke Su! I will rewatch soon 💗💗💗

Be sure to watch the extra episode after episode 40.

SPOILER:

To me , it was a happy ending if not satisfying in the sense I feel there should have been more. But the extra episode will take care of that. The Double is worth the watch regardless of some drawbacks.

Leia Mais

Raise your glasses to the black bellied couple!

A drama I never had in my PTW list, never anticipated, never even heard of, and solely joined because the trailer looked dark, and some random familiar faces. Yeah, the drama drought brought me here.

Summing up 'The Double'

➣ 5 episodes of Anti- Mary Sue in her identity crisis era. Girly walks calm, eats collected and sleeps black bellied.

➣ 5 episodes of utter childish comedy that I am still sure we did not need.

➣ 5 episodes of queen bee attracting other bees (ohh!? The enchanting beauty with talent mess. huh~!?)

➣ 5 episodes of fl and ml screaming through the screen, " Yes, we are the hottest creatures on this planet. Our singles shots are steamier than your average steamy dramas."

➣ 5 episodes of " Girlies, Duke gege is on break. So no point waiting in a long line." (The audacity!? All we needed was some Duke gege scenes)

➣ 5 episodes of " Duke gege is back from break, but still in recovering phase" aka Duke gege flying in and out of house like Doraemon. Zoom

➣ 5 episodes of " Who turned over the vinegar factory? It smells sour!!"

Listing out the good and bad points.

✅
↬ Going on a serious note, the cinematography, ohh aesthetics were top notch. Number of screenshot you would find yourself saving.
↬Camera angles pretty well done.
↬ The script, yes exactly the troupe we all vye for, blackbellied couple, with their cunning idea aka the villainous couple. Going forth, it was a good example of 'out of Wattpad acting'. The charming Duke, the free looking, beautiful hairstyle of fl. The exact delulu costume drama dream, that you would imagine to script for.
↬The stage was well set up, the pacing was good. Hats off to the actors for carrying it well. Yes, WXY and WJY both did great job engaging to my delulu dream script.

❌
↬The repetitive arc of reputation ruining conspiracies by antagonists, fl escapes narrowly, and finally the face slap at antagonist that we all hope to see. It was interesting for long. But 27 episodes forward, this repetitive mess made the story draggy and tiresome.
↬Who the hell put those out of nowhere childish comedy!? The genre was supposed to be dark and political intrigue. A circumstances forced mature fl with her dark and cunning personality bowling down antagonists. Why did you bring up those dumb cheering fighting school kids scene for a 18+ year old girl(ofc if I am not deluding myself in a big misunderstanding), when we did not showcase that dumbness even in our 13+ ages.
↬How did the drama start dark and mature but ended fairytale? What went wrong'? Why are we back to the era of antagonist has been strong all along, but since it's time to end the story, let's feed the main leads a 'Luck inducing potion' to make it an easy peasy kill? I expected more of their endings considering the cunningness they shouldered throughout the drama.

Last but not the least 𝐿𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛, 𝑊𝑋𝑌 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒! And so yes, despite all the mess, I would still recommend, naah! BLACKMAIL you to watch this drama, cause yes, it's worth it! The ride throughout is gonna remind of thousands of times, about what you might have missed if you did not click on the play button.
Happy watching! ^^

Leia Mais

Gosh..! I’m so obsessed with DUKE SU …❤️

I first saw Wang Xingyue in Amidst a Snowstorm of Love. Although he was quite good at acting he didn’t catch much of my attention there as I was busy focusing on the main lead as well as I didn’t think he was that handsome. But OMG! He got me hooked after this drama. 😍😍😍I’m totally obsessed with him and now i think he’s even better than Leo Wu…😅. There’s something about this character DUKE SU that makes you get obsessed over him. ❤️❤️❤️

And OMG! The storyline is amazing it keeps you guessing till the last moment. There were few episodes in the middle that I thought was not necessary matter to the main storyline but even them you cannot help watching because you do not wanna miss what DUKE SU is doing…😂. Trust me I refreshed the site multiple times a day to see whether the new episode is up yet. I’m glad it’s over now as I can finally focus on my studies…..❤️😆.
If I rank the recent drams I watched I would put this just after Hidden Love above the Amidst a Snowstorm of Love on the second place. But it would top the list if we only considered historical drama.

Leia Mais

Completes your 2024!! Drama is satisfying and worth the wait!

This should be one of my 2024's best drama! The act of revenge, the schemes and the mind blowing scenes will kept u hook up! Out of curiosity, I watched this and didn't expect it to get better and better each episodes and was forced to subscribe just so can watch the latest eps.
Not to mention I got obsessed w/ Duke Su/Xiao Heng!!!!
Besides, the drama reminds me of the novel 'The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage' by Qian Shan Cha Ke.. same slow-paced romance, same revenge theme, same clever FL and cunning protagonists. Duke Su reminds me so much of Xie Jing Xing in the novel!
I would very much recommend the novel (available in Wattpad/Boxnovel.com) if you're into this genre.

Back to the drama, undeniably the cast's acting and editing is superb! Overall, i give this a 10 and will definitely rewatch! Kudos to all actors and director!

Leia Mais

"Evil Always has its Retribution"!! A Drama about Justice. Happy Ending!!

This is already the third time I'm rewriting my review on this drama, I wrote one when I reached episode 20, but just wasn't satisfy with it, then I wrote another when I completed episode 40, but upon watching the extra episode of "The Double", I decided to rewrite it one last time.

"The Double" is a wonderfully written and executed drama. Its captivating plot shouldn't go unmentioned. Plus, "The Double" is a drama that proves, "evil will always have its retribution".

Xue Fang Fei was framed and killed by her husband "Shen Yu Rong, on the eldest princess order. Xue Fang Fei suffered such great injustice. Duke Su's (Xiao Heng) father was set up by eldest princess "Wanning" brother "king Cheng", thus, leading to his wrongful death. While they're doing all these despicable acts, they must have forgotten about retribution.

They've forgotten, but their victims still remembers. As heaven would have it, Xue Fang Fei was given a second chance with a new identity "Jiang Li". Thus, she embarked on the journey of justice with Xiao Heng. Those two, eventually maneuvered their way through many dangers and life threatening situations, and was finally able to seek justice.

What I loved the most about this drama is that, every evil doers and villain of this drama got their rightful punishments and retribution. Wanning was killed by the one man she loved "Shen Yu Rong" , it's indeed karma. Shen Yu Rong commited suicide when he lost terribly. With those two dead and maimed as traitors, Xue Fang Fei, now Jiang Li finally got her long awaited justice. King Cheng who betrayed his master, Xiao Heng's father finally got his retribution by dying at the hands of the son of the one he betrayed.
Ji Shu Ran who framed the real Jiang Li for matricide, killed her mother, also got her own retribution.

What I loved even more about "The Double" is the happy ending. Although many died, and many blood were spilled in the quest of justice, its pleasing to see Xiao Heng and Xue Fang Fei, now Jiang Li have a happy ending.
The screenwriters of this drama did an excellent job in penning this drama premise and ending so well. The directors also did a good job in directing the drama excellently.
'The Double" is undoubtedly, one of the best drama of all time, and one of my favorite drama.

Also, Xiao Heng and Xue Fang Fei/Jiang Li's chemistry was exploding. They sticked with each other through thick and thin without letting each other down.

Overall, "The Double" is a drama that's worth every hour, every minutes, and every seconds. It's a must watch for fans of historical drama. The cinematography, visuals, character development, and most importantly, the acting are top notch.
Its a drama I'd call a "Masterpiece".

Leia Mais

A solid tale of revenge and new beginnings

~~~~ Contains very light spoilers, so read at your own risk ~~~~

Another great Chinese drama of 2024 for the books. I contemplated giving it a nine, but there were some parts that I found slow or I found myself more on my phone than actually paying attention. Despite this, I was emotionally invested in the characters and never thought that they hung up on one conflict for too long. Towards the end, I was afraid there was too much to resolve in a short amount of time, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it wrapped up. However, I didn't particularly like the slightly ambiguous ending with the couple.

Pros:
~ Chemistry: The slow-burn romance between the main characters was so fun and interesting to watch. Although it may have been a bit too slow in some aspects. But the main focus of the show was not really the romance, but the mystery and the revenge. I strongly disagree with those who said there was no chemistry, I felt it right from the start and it even got better later on. The physical tension between them hit all the right notes.

~ The hidden identity: The plotline involving the female lead's hidden identity was particularly my favorite part of the story. I do think the resolution for this part was a bit lackluster considering it was the main point of the show. I was expecting a bigger reaction then she got, such as getting in trouble by the king for lying to him or her family getting angry with her. But I was always on the edge of my seat whenever her identity was about to be revealed and when she interacted with her ex-husband.

~ Fight scenes. I was impressed by how well the fight sequences were done. It looked real especially during the war and final episodes. The only minor flaw was the blood, which sometimes dyed the characters' skin and clothing pink, but the blood splattering effects were super cool.

~ Music. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Chenle in the ending song but the opening was pretty to listen too also. No surprise because Chinese OST’s are almost always amazing.

~ Angst. I enjoy angst, and this drama was heavy on it. It was portrayed well, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea. At times, it was a bit too dramatic and extra. The drama could pass as a soap-opera, especially in the beginning. Another problem was that Jiang Li was killed off so soon she barely interacted with the FL. Her reaction to Jiang Li's death and how much she cried for her in the future was not very realistic.


Cons:
~ Missed chances. When it came to the romance, there were times when I felt the writers missed out on some cute interactions or tropes. Sometimes I thought something would happen between them and then I would be disappointed that it didn't happen. It might be because of Duke Su's personality, as he's more of an observer than a doer, but still, there were so many opportunities for them to interact in a more physical sense rather than just staring at each other for hours.

~ The trauma dumping. I found it annoying how often the female lead cried and repeatedly shared her story of betrayal. Despite being highly intelligent, there were moments when she seemed helpless and whiney. Her personality seemed to change at moments like that. An example would be when Duke Su shared his story about how his dad might have been killed unjustly, and instead of cheering him up or something, she tried to one up his trauma by ranting about hers… At least it felt like that to me.

~ Fillers. Fillers are destined to be in a drama with such lengths, but I lost interest during her trip to her family and the mother with her shenanigans. Also on that note what’s with everyone going crazy whenever something happens to them? Three different people went off the rails… Anyway, The first and last 10 episodes definitely improved my overall rating, I was so excited for the drama after watching the first episode.


I recommend this drama for those who enjoy angst and a very slow-burn romance. The cast and acting were outstanding. The plot had its flaws but it was enjoyable for the most part.

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