First I d like to say as a non Chinese speaking person I was really sad at the subtitles being small, white, and barely readable. Plus no music lyrics were translated in this series nor signs, etc which I feel gives a viewer a better effect and understanding for the series effort made by all involved. I love knowing the signs on the buildings. Call me crazy but it all goes into the entire effort of the production. That being said I would like to next say I love Bin Bin in everything he does, even as a bad guy role, but honestly in this series I feel like he carried the entire series and was the good guy. I didn't like the little crybaby role of Jing as he just couldn't get through life, drinking, whining, even Han did better in moving forward in finding a path of action to feel alive . I felt Jing didn't deserve any woman he was so conflicted. I was very interested in the historical aspect of this drama but will have to look it up separately to see what was real. I am aware of the concubine issues however and how the politics of them became extremely out of control at times and eventually subdued and changed. (I think..,? ) Anyway I did not like Dal in this role, but I did not even like the female lead created for this role at all. It was extremely unbelievable. The king has this sweet memory of who she was and how she protected him but in the action she seems unaware of who he is and treats him pitifully even though choosing to go live w him to save her lover? I just didnt even find this believable. Also the sleeping together stuff. She slept w both guys but do we know if she really could be carrying the Kings child in reality and not Jings? She is so naive in general just unbelievable and then running away w/o her child. ,??? No way. Bad mom. Again not believable plus getting a soldier killed and her maidservant beaten etc. How could she not know this in these times if the king was so awful. Then comes back and tries to kill the king w a hairpin. Again I'm rolling my eyes thinking really unbelievable. How much hate and vengeance when she could have just stayed w Jing. And her reasons were like blah blah blah I have no brain. So between this crazy stuff and Jing acting even less interesting in character I really focused even more on the Kings good attributes and the harem soap operish drama scenes of the mean girls club like effect which were really funny and enjoyable to a point. I wanted to see the Dowager cut off FL s hair in prison Lol. I felt she deserved it based on her brainless behavior. Plus in real life I'm pretty sure she would have gotten worse. Also her maid comes back w no scares. C'mon people slashes across the face make scars even w the greatest of medicines. I think it would have added even better drama for the maid and Han to keep their slash scars to seal the effects of FLs selfish behavior. Plus scars on the face show great character in drama roles ...Ok anyway ..... lol . I will continue to watch this to the end only as I would like to see who lives and dies and if lil Tian really becomes a good man due to the King who seems to be the only sensible person in the lead roles. It sure wouldn't be Dil who is always full of hate and seemingly not kind or gentle with any nice redeeming qualities shown thus far. She also is a liar. Hypocrite. Calls everyone else a liar while she lies. This is why I can't buy into her character in general. (I do like her as an actress in general though, just not this character role) ...Just nothing there to like plus far too many blank face looks which shows lack of depth. In closing I absolutely loved, loved the costumery, clothing, hair, settings, and the visuals, the fight scenes and the elders cast in those drama. Fine acting there. It was all very beautiful, enticing and great work there. I loved the dress Dil wore in her sword dance. Beautiful!! The look backs get boring and tedious, had to scroll past the umpteenth time of seeing the same ones over and over again. I do like the storyline in general despite the FL s just not making any sense overall .
Ok so the ending was a joke. I mean really?? FL just made no sense, had no loyalty and ruined everything she touched. She was the bad person. Not the king.