Hmmm where to start? Actually, i’ve finished this a while back and has been putting off writing review to mellow back my disappointment from being too reflective on the review. Lol. I’ve even finished another 29 episodes drama in the mean time (which i scored 9, so at least that is quite healing. Lol)

I have quite an issue with this drama. Almost drop it at many point during watching, but since the idea of having to scroll thru list of dramas trying to found a new one to watch is not that appealing to me at that time, i kept watching this, one step at a time. Lol

Ok. First thing first, my biggest pet peeve of this drama is the FL. Tbh, i’ve quite a not-so-nice experience with the FL’s drama in her Flaming Heart. In that drama, i thought it was her character that annoys me so much and i decided to give the actress a second chance this time (since i like the ML, so maybe this time i can change my view?), my oh my, how wrong it turns out to be. Sorry to say, watching her for the second time, i now know that i have a problem with her acting. ZHW is pretty in a way, but she has very little expression when acting. Sometimes she appears very much wooden, i just cant get into her scenes! When she cries, it was like having someone who shed tears due to cutting onions rather than being heartbroken. I am soooo disappointed! You dont even get a vibe
of a crying scene whatsoever! Another major thing i’ve noticed, she lacks imagination in scenes that needed such, for example, during a scene of drowning, the way she acts, we know that it’s all added cgi and everything after, but for god’s sake! please act like you are in the water and trying to steal a breath, rather than appearing so comfortable and la la la. *facepalmed. Same goes to manyyy other scenes that we know will be CGI-ed or added post-production, i just cant help but cringe everytime. Also, in this drama, her voice actor has a voice which has mischievous lilt to it, i assume it was chosen because mo yan’s character was supposed to be a happy go lucky cheeky girl who is mischievous and free while being a genius at the same time. However, once again ZHW just cannot deliver. Her stiff acting and the mischievous voice just doesnt go well together imho. And im sorry. I will probably steer completely clear of her future works (unless her leading man is someone i am veryyyy much in love with. Lol)

As for the ML, tbh, i gave the FL a second chance due to Caeser Wu. Lo and behold, as how gong jun cant help during flaming heart, CW fails to counter zhw’s effect on me as well *sigh
In fact, i find that it even cause me to have quite an issue with CW’s acting this time. I mean, i love him in General’s Lady but here, his acting falls flat, there is no chemistry whatsoever, not too mention, flaws are everywhere you just cannot close one eye on it. I miss his chemistry with his FL in general’s lady and this goes to show, no matter how good an actor you are, if the other lead is not up to par, it can drag you down as well.

Other things I remember that is worth mentioning: (good and bad)

-fight scenes are cringey and lame. The slow mo effect definitely dont work!!!!
-cgi is bad. Arghhhhh
-the prince’s character is the only plus thing imo
-the second love story between liu ge and the princess is more catchy and worthwhile though at first i just cannot get the princess vibe from the actress, her acting as Jiuling’s maidservant in Jun Jiuling still fresh in my mind ??
-i think there is more, but i just dont have energy to recall more bad scenes from this drama

All in all, this really took all my strength and will power to finish till the end. It scores just above 6 nonetheless because i’ve never scored anything less if i can finish a series. It helps that it is only 24episodes, if it is anymore than that, i think i may have drop it tbh.