Peões do Amor (2024)

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.

Leia Mais

A drama ruined by troll YuZheng

My first time writting a review.
I went into the drama not expecting perfectly designed drama but at least enjoying the vibe. Soon enough it was obvious that biggest traction of it except for the revenge storyline was the ML character gloriously incarnated by a WXY on fire. Unfortunately, during the time of the making of the drama YuZheng most probably had zero trust in his actor and underestimated the collaboration between Wang Xing Yue and Wu Jin Yan. As a result the ML's screetime and importance were dramatically reduced in the drama and the ending (The novel had a clear HE) was a joke. The romance and its development between the leads was sacrificed as a result -the intimate scenes between the leads were a joke.
At the end of the day what could have been an unperfect but highly entertaining show has become a frustrating experience for me.
The acting all around is good. OST is fine. I have no issue with the close-ups and I liked the color of the drama.

The Double or the case of producer that is a troll.

Leia Mais

Allow me to convince you to watch this!

The more I like a show, the harder I find it to talk about it. I just have so much to say! I'm gonna push through though. So my initial rating mark for this was 8. Then it was raised to 8.5 and I was worried that I would later lower it because so many shows lately start well but digress in abysmal ways until you end up hating them and reading everyone else's reactions, I was so scared that I would be bored by the last ten episodes and end up hating the show by its unsatisfying end. Thankfully that was not the case at all and I ended up finishing this show on a pleasant though super stressful (those last 10 minutes omg) note. I decided to give this a 9, instead.
This show is just really good in many ways. The plot is emotionally stimulating, the aesthetics are unique, dark, and mysterious. The acting is great by the principal cast and good enough by the supporting ones. The music is lovely and the show avoids a lot of tropes that are typical pet peeves. And when it plays into tropes, they do it in a way that isn't too offensive and manages to be dignified. There were some hiccups in the quality but nothing I couldn't look past.
So the plot follows Xue Fangfei, the talented wife of a simple official who is framed by her husband's family for adultery and buried alive by her husband. Confused and heartbroken, she comes back to seek revenge by pretending to be the daughter of some grand minister and whatnot. On her quest for justice, she meets the formidable Duke Su who is equal parts suspicious and fascinated by her.
I'll just list some of my favorite things about this show:
1. Unlike most shows, this is not about a virginal young girl, inexperienced and cute. The story follows a woman who has had a married life and that is already so fresh and liberating that I can't praise it enough. Moreover, the show doesn't shy away from expressing how happily in love she was in that relationship. This helps deepen the grief from the betrayal and fuels the motivation for revenge. It's also just refreshing to see a second-chance plot that is REALLY a second-chance plot.
2. The show has many instrument-playing scenes, in almost all of which sans one, the movement of the actors matches the music being "played". It's just deeply satisfying to see actors actually act as if they're playing an instrument instead of just moving their hands around wildly.
3. The plots don't get dragged out and although there's plenty of drama and petty acts of villainy, arcs wrap up nicely and the story moves at a good pace. I was never bored or utterly frustrated by the characters being obtuse just for the sake of dragging out misunderstandings and elongating the runtime of the show.
4. Though the villains are black-hearted and do many extremely evil things in the story, none are overpowered. It's common for dramas to have villains who achieve levels of villainy that should be out of their logical capacity and it's so frustrating as it almost seems like the villains are superhumans. Here, we had the grand princess who operated from a position of extreme power and yet, she was constantly held back by technicalities and thwarted at every turn. Similarly, the evil stepmother does evil things...but within the boundaries of a stepmother. She tries to ruin her stepdaughter's life in ways that a lady from a powerful family would think of and not as some freaky sadist god.
5. There's no unnecessary misunderstanding between the leads or unnecessary love triangles. With potential love rivals being treated as what they are: momentary obstacles. Where there was potential for unnecessary male rivalry, the trope is cleanly avoided in favor of giving us a supportive and lovely side character.
6. The story takes detours but ultimately stays on course and the revenge plot is delivered very satisfactorily.
7. This show also had an amazing darkening arc for its main villain. It was subtle and precise. So delicious! This show might just have one of my favorite villains of all time.
There's probably more stuff I liked but I'll cut it short.
The acting is of course amazing. Wu Jin Yan might not be the most ethereal Chinese beauty but her acting in my opinion outweighs almost all of the rest of the Chinese acting scene. She's always so natural and there's just something about her acting that makes you feel like she doesn't just do what she's told. She actually thinks about how she wants to deliver her characters. She manages to play an older, wiser woman pretending to be a young girl really well. You can tell she's not as young and inexperienced as she pretends to be but she's good enough at pretending that in-universe people fall for it just enough for her to get away with it. Her occasional emotional outbursts perfectly capture the trauma her character has experienced and that makes her performance that much more moving. I think this was Wang Xing Yue's best performance yet. He did a really good job in Kunning Palace too but I think this is the first time I believed he had what it takes to be a leading man. He just had such charisma and gravitas, he looked hot and it wasn't just because he's pretty. He managed to carry his character in a way that was dark and captivating and I loved that....he also looks hot but that's like a bonus. I would like to say that most actors did a great job here. Chen Chain En and Li Meng being standouts; with Li Meng starting sort of weak with overacting but then in the last 10 episodes she stepped up and her character was just so well-rounded by the end. But the award for best supporting role goes to Liang Yong Qi who was freaking brilliant! This man needs more roles. He was so subtle, so obsessive, so humiliated and yet you could practically feel the rage pulsing under his skin...man...he just knocked it out of the park! He really matched Wu Jin Yan step by step and I have to admit I liked watching them interact just because of how good he squirmed in an invisible way when his character was around hers. Just brilliant. Su Ke also had a standout moment by the end...had me sobbing.
Production, music, and set design all was so good. That's the thing about the evil who shall not be named. He may be a jerk but he knows how to make a good show, that's for sure.
Negatives: So, the show is not perfect. There's a very distinct aesthetic at the beginning of this show, very dark and moody. And it sort of holds onto it for the whole series but a lot of that also fades as the story changes locations to the capital city. Humor gets its pound of flesh and a lot of color interrupts the dark blues and browns of the beginning and it's not bad, I still like it but I also think they could've maintained the aesthetic a bit better with a bit more effort. There also seems to have been a budget issue...some of the fight scenes looked sparse? Like there weren't enough extras to fill up the scene. I also think the show (like many Cdramas) was written for a longer runtime but they had to cut it down to 40 episodes (for the better) but it does leave me wondering if some scenes...were shown at double speed?!
Overall: I recommend this. It was such a fun show and the first full-length Cdrama I could finish in a long long time. I appreciate this a lot and I think it's definitely one of the "worth watching" ones out there.

Leia Mais

How could the white pear blossoms be so hauntingly beautiful?

The Double is a lamentable tale of love, betrayal and revenge that’s wrapped in countless layers of intrigues. Each character carries an unspeakable fate of their own making.

PLOT & CAST:

Xue Fang Fei lives a humble yet blissful marriage life until she’s framed and buried alive by her own husband. She somehow survives and assumes the identity of Jiang Li who died of an equally wretched fate. What ensues is an intricate revenge plot as Xue Fang Fei seeks justice for both her and Jiang Li. I fell in love with Wu Jin Yan’s exquisite portrayal of the femme fatale FL. Given her experience with palace political dramas like Story of Yanxi Palace, she’s able to deliver the intensity of Xue Fang Fei’s resentment, grief and desperation as well as expressing her grace and elegance. While not having read the novel, I know Xue Fang Fei is supposed to die and reincarnate into Jiang Li’s body. However, the drama has decided to go with an identity swap instead, possibly due to censorship. I quite like it this way since it makes the machinations more interesting and thrilling to watch. Yang Chao Yue is also a perfect fit for the old Jiang Li. Her innocent and lonely image under the pear blossoms leaves a haunting yet unforgettable impression in my mind.

On the other hand, Duke Su is more of a spectator to the tragic play. He likes to watch and manipulate his chess “pawns” from the background. However, as time passes, he can’t help but get involved in Xue Fang Fei’s quest for vengeance. Wang Xing Yue definitely has the charisma and finesse to play this ML. It’s a refreshing take from his goody-two-shoes roles in Story of Kunning Palace and Admist a Snowstorm of Love. Admittedly, it took me a few episodes to warm up with his character, especially the costume styling and eyeliner. I was genuinely surprised to see how young Wang Xing Yue is as well, given his mature and refined characterisation. I love the tension between Duke Su and Xue Fang Fei. Their scheming and banter have a certain rhythm to them, like a roundabout poem or tango. It’s enjoyable to see how the FL often outwits the ML.

The antagonists are portrayed very well too. I like how they have a certain level of complexity and duality to them. Princess Wan Ning, Ji Shu Ran and Jiang Ruo Yao (Jiang Li’s stepmother and step-sister) were, to a certain extent, the unfortunate products of the arranged marriages and restricted lifestyle faced by women in Ancient China. However, unlike Xue Fang Fei, they decided to materialise their own misery into a cascade of sufferings for others. Xue Fang Fei’s ex-husband, Shen Yurong, is also indulged a twisted love. He’s adamant on being righteous. But when split between his family and wife, he prioritises being filial over romance and justice. The villains are deplorable and loathsome yet somehow also pitiable.

PRODUCTION:

The cinematography is simply gorgeous. The experimentation of colour schemes, light and shadow really highlights the romantic versus tragic moments throughout the drama. The beautiful background gardens give a certain sense of serenity yet loneliness to the characters, especially when Xue Fang Fei is in the Jiang family.

The use of the white pear blossoms as a changing metaphor is genius. This is well complemented by the poignant soundtracks.

At the beginning, when Xue Fang Fei dances with Shen Yu Rong under the full blossoms, they express blissful and dream-like romance. The next time is when Xue Fang Fei being buried alive under the fallen blossoms, they signify the devastating end to the beautiful yet short-lived romance, truly fitting to the fleeting beauty of spring.

When Fragrance Falls, Pear Blossoms Turn White (芳菲落尽梨花白) by Mi Liang
“Pear blossoms shattered all over the ground…
Every word you’ve said is floating in the air, unable to withstand a single blow…
Even the moonlight can’t bear to be mischievous.
Watching me hopeless and miserable.
Who’s the one who’s giving up and making the story all sad?
When the flowers have fallen to become ripples, one blow dyes the entire world.”

Perhaps the most memorable is the young Jiang Li’s last scene under the falling white blossoms, symbolising the loss of innocence but also the freedom to travel in the wind beyond the Zhennv Hall where she’s been confined for most of her life. The blossoms are elegant and breathtakingly beautiful but also carry with them a sense of haunting loneliness.

Withered (凋零) by Huang Shifu
“Withered flowers are pure white and flawless.
Where does it want to go paint yearning.
Bid farewell to branches and cut off worries…
I want the sunset to help pass me a message.
If I meet a flower, then I tell the flower.
I’m willing to go home with it.”

When Xue Fang Fei beats the Dengwen Drum under the blossom-like snow, they represent the harsh injustice suffered by the people and the cold yet determined resolve of the FL.

Snow Watching (观雪) by Cyndi Wang
“The falling snow is bitter cold…
The snow falls eternally
Who can escape the humiliation of time.
My anger is hidden beneath the fallen blooms.
How can I stand against so many obstacles…
I accept all the gifts from sorrow.
I can’t let down my regrets.
I won’t admit defeat.
I slowly chew on the bitterness of life.
The fragrance remains the same after the bleak winter.
Awaiting spring to colour the way back home.”

FAVOURITE QUOTES:

“Just be happy no matter if it’s your [Xue Fang Fei’s] current life or the past. Never compromise to become another person for someone else’s sake. Including me.” Duke Su

“You [Duke Su] told me we would face the same end. On one hand, I know you are responsible for your kingdom and on the other hand, you care about my safety. Right now, I’m willing to enter this set-up of yours. I’m not a liability. I want to help you.” Xue Fang Fei

“You always like pushing all the blame to other people. Shen Yurong, You are used to being the perfect scholar. Everything you did was forced. You did nothing wrong. You are pititful. Even you believe that… Since you could mention your love, why couldn’t you express your guilt?” Xue Fang Fei

Leia Mais

Typical revenge drama but very enjoyable!

The recycled revenge drama script continues to be the trend. It's one of the better ones though at as the production quality is very nice. It gives off a darker vibe with vibrant colors. Make up / costume design especially unique. Lots more dark reds right down to the makeup & wardrobe of the ML. Compared to a similar drama like Story of Kunning Palace I think this drama did a better job in terms of storytelling, casting, & production. So even if the script is nothing new, and lots of unbelievable scenes, it's still a great watch!

FL/ML pairing works nicely IMO. Both are equally mysterious and calculating. The acting's convincing especially the FL's crying scenes.
FL : I am not familiar with her prior works, but dancer background brings that special grace that non dancer background actors can't fake.
ML: I watched some of his prior works and he can act but in terms of characters, this character is the most interesting thus far
Killer Ex husband: His acting is outstanding. Character is more complex than the ML.

Slow romance:
Their encounters were not overly forced, and the development of the relationship is slowly brewing which I am enjoying. Ep 9 on the leads finally starts to have more interactions. The chemistry becomes more evident in ep 11!

Ending..... UGHHHH honestly the last episode was NOT needed. Did they REALLY need to send ML away for yet another battle? Really could've ended before that.

Leia Mais

In order to enjoy this drama, one should just go with the flow because it IS a fun and addictive watch. But it is also fairly cheesy (perhaps that’s what made it such fun) and often illogical. I liked the FL’s and ML’s acting as well as both of their characters but there didn't seem to be that magical spark between them. Plus the ML did things that seemed out of character for somebody who was supposed to be cool and calculating (e.g., the way he dealt with the fish token, ran off to deal with an entire army by himself, and volunteered himself for a final battle). There were some beautifully filmed scenes, such as at the very end. I think though that they overdid the thunder and lightning, which inevitably came rolling in when something ominous was about to happen. Ditto the wind, which always seemed to come out of nowhere to set clothes and hair prettily swirling.

Leia Mais

Tremendous Improvement in the ML's Acting!

I'm really excited watching the ML in this drama!

In his previous work, 'Snowstorm of Love', filmed the same year as this drama, his acting was unimpressive. In my ranking, he was the second worst. But in this one, despite the similar character personalities, his performance is much improved!

Both characters are solemn and calm, but in 'Snowstorm of Love', he was so stiff it hurt my eyes. It was annoying watching him try to be cool and unnatural. But in 'The Double', wow! I have to use the Chinese proverb 刮目相看 to praise him! He's made such progress that I can no longer see him the same way. He is charismatic in 'The Double' and I can't get enough of his screen time. I can watch him endlessly, always excited to see what his role will do next, without getting bored. It's amazing how my feelings toward him changed so drastically! (I finished 'Snowstorm of Love' less than a month before starting 'The Double'.)

I think I have to praise the director the most for the ML's performance. There's no way he could improve this much in such a short time between the two dramas without great directing and guidance!

('Snowstorm of Love' was filmed from Jan-May 2023, and 'The Double' from May-Sep 2023. This also reflects poorly on the director of 'Snowstorm of Love.' Remember, the ML was second to last in that drama, and the last was the ML himself.)

Apart from the director, I have to praise the plot. The story is great and complex, and it unfolds logically without recklessness.

To be honest, the ML and the director's work aren't perfect, but their flaws are minor compared to the ML's tremendous improvement.

One obvious flaw is that the ML looks much younger than the FL. His acting is on par with hers, but his appearance is obviously younger, even though he plays a role much older than hers.

For the director, I love how he dares to use a lot of subjective shots where actors make direct eye contact with the audience while delivering their lines. However, there are also instances where the director overdoes it with the visual art, making scenes feel forced. For example, in certain dignified scenes, the director's visual art overshadows the natural flow, making the scenes laughable instead. An example is the student competition scene where the FL and her three friends put their hands on their waists and walk intimidatingly toward their opponents. While the FL's friend and her brother effectively convey pride, the FL and her cousin look more like they're on a catwalk, which feels out of place and out of character. This scene comes across as ridiculous instead of impressive.

Moreover, many scenes aim for beautiful visuals without any meaning. For example, the cast would flick their robes into the camera while the camera moves backward, creating a grandiose sense, but it's actually a scene without any grandiose point. This exaggeration makes me feel their art direction is empty and meaningless. Another example is a scene where two rival characters accidentally meet on the way home without any other meaning for the story. The scene is just for the visual of them walking away from each other in opposite directions under a rainstorm to symbolize their rivalry. There are a lot of forced scenes like this scattered throughout the drama, which annoy me more and more as time passes.

By the way, the FL has also done a great job with her acting, but it's not perfect either. Sometimes, you can tell her facial expressions are choreographed and not genuinely felt. For example, when she tries to look femininely cute with the ML, it looks so fake -_- Since her personality is wise, experienced, and dignified (and her mature face can't hide that she's already a mature woman), when she shows a naive/innocent expression, it comes across as fake.

As for the ending... I have to deduct 0.5 points after the last episode. I don't like when a series uses the trick of unnecessary death to play with the audience's feelings. It's always ok if the death is reasonable, but the unnecessary one is unforgivable. And this series uses that lame trick.

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Personal Enjoyment [+]
Anyway, I have no boredom watching each episode. I really enjoy it. It reminds me of how I felt about 'Nirvana in Fire'. Although I really like this drama, it hasn't reached the same level that 'Nirvana in Fire' made me crazy about it. That story was very dignified, wise, logical, and heart-wrenching. All the cast also made their characters perfect.

Leia Mais

Beautiful production!

This story was told very well from beginning to end. With the high production value, beautiful cinematography, OST and acting. This one will go down as one of the best of 2024.

The Bad

Not many negatives about this drama for me. I would only point out that there are some things that don’t necessarily follow logic and realism especially when it came to her family ignoring her identity but it’s a CDrama, I find most CDramas don’t follow logic and realism so it doesn’t lose many points with me. Also sometimes I didn’t like the constant close shots, it was a little over done, a few here and there would have sufficed.

The Good

The plot was well balanced with action, treachery, plotting, scheming, revenge, justice, and love. Everything was wrapped up nicely with a bow. All the highs and lows were satisfying and portrayed very well throughout. I also enjoyed each character throughout this story. The acting and portrayal of the 3 dimensional complex, morally gray characters makes this drama stand out from others. This drama was a slow burn but so much was happening that it didn’t matter. Plus the desire and passion the two main characters had for each other was done so well. Great on screen chemistry. I loved that they gave a proper end to their romance.

I highly recommend this drama. It may not be for everyone if you aren’t into slow burns but the revenge story definitely makes up for it.

Leia Mais

Being obsessed by this drama is the only correct answer

This is one of the dramas until now that I found myself most anxiously awaiting the episodes on a weekly basis. The story captivates you from the beginning and the characters are super interesting, in addition to an excellent performance by the main actors. The female lead of this drama is incredible and it’s very easy to sympathize, root and adore her during the drama. We crave for her revenge and gosh it’s amazing seeing the characters paying for their wrongdoings. The male lead is also not far behind and both characters exude strength, intelligence and respect, both with each other but also with the people around them. Fang Fei and Duke su were an iconic couple for me. Also Duke Su OMG this character made me go insane a lot of times like…he just has this sensuality that is crazy. On the other hand, the antagonists are selfish, annoying and unable to see others being happy. But the story does try to show us that besides all of that, these characters also had/have feelings and were destroyed by someone or something.

The main couple has incredible chemistry and we could see the romantic and sexual tension between both characters. I felt that their relationship was very mature and neither of them dragged the other, on the contrary. Duke Su was an ideal male lead for someone like Fang Fei and I didn't feel like he judged her even when he suspected her identity. And when he finds out more about her, he embraces her story and her way of dealing with things. One of my favorite phrases of his was "In the past life and the present life, live to the fullest. Never compromise yourself to become someone else just to please others, including me”, this made me 100% sure that the character was incredible and deserving of her love.

I need to point out that despite the relationship between Wanning and Yurong being really toxic, I found their scenes super engaging and the actors gave a great performance, especially in the final episodes.

For me, this drama had a good story, incredible characters and excellent chemistry between them. The story progress quite well too and I didn’t feel like it was draggy. Besides, the direction also caught my attention in a positive way, although some people may find the close-ups scenes a bit cringe (I thought it was a bit cringeworthy at times too, but in general I thought it made the drama and the characters more immersive). But in so many positive points, if I had to pick out some flaws it would be that I found the last episodes were a bit rushed, everything practically happens in episode 40. Also, some deaths in episode 40 was kind unnecessary to me. Finally, I do wish we had more scenes of the main couple because I felt that when both of them were finally in love we had too little scenes of them together.

So yeah in general I really recommend this drama. It was my obsession and for sure it’s going to be in my list of one of the best dramas of the year!

PS: I’m totally in love with Xing Yue like GOSH why he is so attractive? I don’t know if I will find another character that attractive this year lol

Leia Mais