This is a cute story with humor and heart warming scenes. It is easy and light hearted. Each episode progresses nicely without dragging on. The surprising twist is having the plot surrounded by reverse gender stereotypes, which is atypical in Chinese dramas.
13 Reviews
It's okay
shareen_shany15 May 2022
It's okay historical drama. Watched it because zhao lusi. It's kinda draggy as there are number of episodes when she is the main character who plays a wilful, dense & irritating. It's tiring & frustrating in some scenes. The perseverance of the male lead is awesome. It shows how much he would sacrifice to be with the woman he loved. The male lead character is fantastic!
The script is all over the place & the plot is kinda messy.
It maybe interesting for others but wouldn't recommended it.
Prefer zhao lusi character in the new one " who rules the world" that is awesome!
The script is all over the place & the plot is kinda messy.
It maybe interesting for others but wouldn't recommended it.
Prefer zhao lusi character in the new one " who rules the world" that is awesome!
Third time's the charm!
priyashashank797 February 2024
Okay so I've been meaning to watch this show for the past one year, started it twice, but couldn't continue beyond episode 2, somehow the story didn't seem convincing to me then. Two days back, I was scrolling through my watchlist, and after spending the past 7 days starting and discarding several series, I felt very frustrated at not having anything worthwhile to watch, I decided to give this series another chance, since I am a fan of both Zhao Lusi and Ding Yuxi, and decided to watch up to episode 5 and then decide if I wanted to continue. Now here I am, after finishing the series in two days, wondering why I didn't continue earlier. This was a sweet love story, and I found the scriptwriter's concept of male dominated vs female dominated societies quite entertaining since both make us realise that gender equality is the only feasible way ahead. I was really irritated with Zhao Lusi's hairstyle in the series, she has such beautiful hair and generally most costume dramas have female leads wearing pretty hairstyles, sadly though, I found the series lacking both in costumes and hairstyles. Apart from this shortcoming, I loved the story and I'm glad I gave it another chance, third time's a charm probably. The leads had great chemistry and the supporting actors did well, I loved the manservants of both ML and FL, they were both great as characters. Overall a very entertaining drama, worth the watch. One less star for poor hairstyles and not so good costumes compared to other period dramas.
A must watch
Professional_Loser67910 July 2020
This was amazing! Usually I don't watch as many C-dramas as K-dramas, because sometimes they can be a bit over the top- however I loved this! The idea for the main setting to reverse the gender stereotypes was very intriguing and I think it worked well. This drama didn't drag on, and the cast suited their characters too. When I was watching it, I did wonder how it would end, however it fit perfectly with the plot. Definitely watch this!
My favourite Cdrama
ErikaBW197810 September 2020
Try 2 Find A Better Answer To The Question~🌹~ How Did You 2 Get Together? °Superior°
50fiftillidideeBrain31 October 2021
*Tigers are strong,
*Rose stems are long
*Thorns, Duty, and claws, *What beauty it draws
*This script has no flaws, *It will bring applause
*This romance is stronger, *Their love will last longer, *In the heart it belongs there
Sorry about that:) Gotta follow the mood where it leads.
Anyway, this is a 65/35 RomCom/DramRom. It's 100% heady romance. TROTAR is about a novice screen writer whose script has been sold, but she was advised to make some changes. She's also questioned about whether she truly understands what love is. "Have you ever been in a {relationship/in love?} she's asked, while she fumes.
She then scrambles over a feverish and junk-food-fueled weekend to make 'corrections.' Exhausted, she goes to sleep (with a tissue still up one nostril) and wakes up in the world of her script. It isn't a dream: She's really there, and she's stuck there.
To her unnerving, she pieces together that she's a disposable character that gets whacked early in the show.
She decides to not risk finding out if dying in her vision equals real death. She eyes her perfectly black-hearted villain, who is to poison her in Ep3. (Nobody can tell her what episode she's in, so she has to figure that out as well.) She'll have to do some editing on the fly.
She manages to avoid being killed on schedule, but she'll have to watch that villain, while trying to set him up with the heroine, so the story can meet it's conclusion quickly. Hopefully, at that point, she can go home. As she studies him, he is not showing all the deplorable traits that she wrote into him. In fact he seems....... Ha! Not telling. Just watch it.
Typical for Chinese entertainment, the filming is next level elegant. The show mostly takes place in the city of Huayuan, which makes fireworks. The Chinese brought the gift of fireworks to the world. When they light the night, it suspiciously appears that they don't sell us their best stuff. Why are their fireworks so much more spectacular than ours? The sets are arrayed in perfect detail. The costumes are breathtaking as well. At times, I was unable to avert my gaze from the resplendent rainbow of silks. Along with the acting, writing directing, and editing, the result is a mesmerizing offering. That's to be expected given what China's capabilities forecast. The fact that they can top it off with some levity and a romance that proves 'they get it,' is where the pleasant surprise abides.
With only minor exceptions, every technical aspect of TROTAR is excellent. The show creators didn't blow up their apparently limited budget, which adds value to the action scenes (always leave them wanting more). The fighting scenes are captivating, sans the Kung Fu test. The swordwork, the dance, the exalted acrobatics, and flowing robes, all augment the actors' movements.
Luxi Zhao, as the script writer/Xiaoqian is utterly darling. She is petite and sparkling, particularly in the marvelous costumes. Her smile electrifies the screen. She is just as cute in I Hear You, a romance that is good, being both graceful and clunky. This show soars 30,000ft above IHY.
Ding Yuxi, as Han Shuo, displays phenomenal skill. He's handsome, but not the most handsome. He's fit, but slender. He has to step on a stool at one point to square off with a taller man, so he's apparently of average height. His presence, however, is Lebronish tall. He just has the goods when it comes to acting. He can appear ruthless & sinister, or the complete opposite, credibly. It's not his words that project how he feels about Xiaoqian, it's his body language, his focus, and his eyes. He has intensity.
There's a scene in which she's frightened for him; frightened about her plot, rather. At that moment he is the tiger. He stares at Xiaoqian fiercely, like he would devour her, and says: "You don't know how strong I've become." Next, he's taking everybody down. It's worthy of a 3 second swoon. Move over Rhett and Ri Jung-hyuk, Han Shuo may be the beat romantic hero ever.
Han Shuo has the most attractive form of masculinity, which is a strong and capable protector who loves his woman so much that, if necessary, he would give his life for her. Also, he would never let family or politics get in the way of their relationship. Heck, he'd help with the housework. As it's the opposite of toxic masculinity, let's call it Ultimate Masculinity. This maniless is tempered with a loving heart. Together this couple is the equilibrium that the two cities lack.
The script reflects Xiaoqian's frustration over the disparity between the sexes. She created two adjacent cities. Xuanhu is ruled by men, which is the case in most (all?) of our collective history on this planet. The women are to serve the men and manage the home. In Huayuan, however, the situation is the exact opposite. Women are the army, government, teachers... Women do everything, and those worthless men manage the home and serve their wives.
The actors were tasked to embody a male-female roll reversal as citizens of Huayuan City. They did an amazing job. Women are boorish and contemptuous of men. The male actors are mind blowing. Every muscle in their bodies mirrors a woman that is gentle, doting, and subservient. It's worth a rewatch just to focus their performances.
She created the script, with its flaws that manifest themselves in front of her. She created the characters. She gave them their disabilities, problems, and deficiencies, only to now work tirelessly trying to fix (undo) everything and everybody that she constructed. That's seriously entertaining.
Her only advantage is that she knows the story, as well as each character's background and motivations. It shouldn't be too difficult, right? To her dismay, the changes she makes start to change the story and, thus, the characters' reactions, which alter their trajectories. She, herself, is tragically misunderstood at every turn. Xiaoqian is just trying to preserve her life, but the rewrites, push the first Mahjong tile, and now they are all ting, ting, tinging to the floor, albeit in a beautiful pattern.
She must get help! She runs to 3 story writers- who else?! Every time she has a crisis they all meet together. She only gives them the barest info, though. She grabs some fruit and presents the main characters: Miss Apple, Miss Orange, and Mr. Banana. Yep, they went there.
The fruit sets up a collection of silly, but quite amusing metaphors. As her character is the Miss Orange, when offered one she exclaims: "PEEL the orange? That's bad luck." Given that at that moment she's angry with Han Shuo, her next statement is: "Peel the banana." Not so much later, after saying: "I don't want to see you anymore," she slips on the banana peel and goes airbourne, but of course, he catches her in his eager arms.
She's charged to eliminate the threat of bandits along the trade route. The whole trip is delightful. At one point she gets caught up in some excitement and seems to have completely forgotten her mission. Sorry, no details are permitted. In a spoiler free review. Expect to laugh.
There's another hilarious scene where characters meet at a restaurant/playhouse to have a discussion, meaning an argument. There's a stretch were the characters say nothing. They just stare at each other as the actors in the play voice exactly what each is thinking. The scene is high flown comedy.
As almost every line seems to carry significance, there is foreshadowing, metaphors, excellent (superb!) editing, skillful juxtaposition and other devices utilized, TROTAR is a production of the highest quality. It could hardly be improved on.
The show has so few deficiencies that the minor ones stand out a little more. While on the runaway horse in the show opening, close-ups of Xiaoqian are out of sync with the moving background. They overplayed the cute, but kitschy, theme song. Otherwise, the soundtrack is lovely. In the last couple scenes Xiaoqian's makeup looks ghastly pale and uneven. In addition, they have a bad habit of not putting makeup on the back half of the actors' necks, so they appear red and sickly on screen. Finally, I think the last line in the show should be: "Are we married?"
There's some truth in TROTAR as well. The commentary on men and women's relationships is true. The romance is true. It's tragic that the out-of-control battle of the sexes has thrust the sword through romance and made so many relationships miserable. What would the winner get anyway? It's a zero-sum contest.
All the complaining in the show by some parties is the same. While we absolutely should always speak out about wrongs and defend the downtrodden, we should not get caught up with complaining. It's a fast replictating and highly contagious virus. People that get infected will become angry, and then bitter, and then miserable.
Han Shuo suffers some nasty disrespect in Huayuan due to prejudice. Regardless of gender, etc, it's not amusing when it happens to someone we care about, like him. Perhaps trying to give a little, to choose happiness and contentment, to choose patience, forgiveness, and honesty, will usher in peace.
That's enough of the deep thoughts. The show is truly funny, with tears in the mix. It's also a top-level love story. You don't have to be a romance junkie to enjoy TROTAR, but most romantics will be swept away by this series.
Sweet dreams!
Quote: Pain is unavoidable.
Great sorrow comes from great joy. Tragedy and comedy have always shared the same root.
IMHO... 🎬10 🎭9 🤔7⚡8 🎨10 🎵9 Age 11+.
I also did a spoiler review
🍊
*Thorns, Duty, and claws, *What beauty it draws
*This script has no flaws, *It will bring applause
*This romance is stronger, *Their love will last longer, *In the heart it belongs there
Sorry about that:) Gotta follow the mood where it leads.
Anyway, this is a 65/35 RomCom/DramRom. It's 100% heady romance. TROTAR is about a novice screen writer whose script has been sold, but she was advised to make some changes. She's also questioned about whether she truly understands what love is. "Have you ever been in a {relationship/in love?} she's asked, while she fumes.
She then scrambles over a feverish and junk-food-fueled weekend to make 'corrections.' Exhausted, she goes to sleep (with a tissue still up one nostril) and wakes up in the world of her script. It isn't a dream: She's really there, and she's stuck there.
To her unnerving, she pieces together that she's a disposable character that gets whacked early in the show.
She decides to not risk finding out if dying in her vision equals real death. She eyes her perfectly black-hearted villain, who is to poison her in Ep3. (Nobody can tell her what episode she's in, so she has to figure that out as well.) She'll have to do some editing on the fly.
She manages to avoid being killed on schedule, but she'll have to watch that villain, while trying to set him up with the heroine, so the story can meet it's conclusion quickly. Hopefully, at that point, she can go home. As she studies him, he is not showing all the deplorable traits that she wrote into him. In fact he seems....... Ha! Not telling. Just watch it.
Typical for Chinese entertainment, the filming is next level elegant. The show mostly takes place in the city of Huayuan, which makes fireworks. The Chinese brought the gift of fireworks to the world. When they light the night, it suspiciously appears that they don't sell us their best stuff. Why are their fireworks so much more spectacular than ours? The sets are arrayed in perfect detail. The costumes are breathtaking as well. At times, I was unable to avert my gaze from the resplendent rainbow of silks. Along with the acting, writing directing, and editing, the result is a mesmerizing offering. That's to be expected given what China's capabilities forecast. The fact that they can top it off with some levity and a romance that proves 'they get it,' is where the pleasant surprise abides.
With only minor exceptions, every technical aspect of TROTAR is excellent. The show creators didn't blow up their apparently limited budget, which adds value to the action scenes (always leave them wanting more). The fighting scenes are captivating, sans the Kung Fu test. The swordwork, the dance, the exalted acrobatics, and flowing robes, all augment the actors' movements.
Luxi Zhao, as the script writer/Xiaoqian is utterly darling. She is petite and sparkling, particularly in the marvelous costumes. Her smile electrifies the screen. She is just as cute in I Hear You, a romance that is good, being both graceful and clunky. This show soars 30,000ft above IHY.
Ding Yuxi, as Han Shuo, displays phenomenal skill. He's handsome, but not the most handsome. He's fit, but slender. He has to step on a stool at one point to square off with a taller man, so he's apparently of average height. His presence, however, is Lebronish tall. He just has the goods when it comes to acting. He can appear ruthless & sinister, or the complete opposite, credibly. It's not his words that project how he feels about Xiaoqian, it's his body language, his focus, and his eyes. He has intensity.
There's a scene in which she's frightened for him; frightened about her plot, rather. At that moment he is the tiger. He stares at Xiaoqian fiercely, like he would devour her, and says: "You don't know how strong I've become." Next, he's taking everybody down. It's worthy of a 3 second swoon. Move over Rhett and Ri Jung-hyuk, Han Shuo may be the beat romantic hero ever.
Han Shuo has the most attractive form of masculinity, which is a strong and capable protector who loves his woman so much that, if necessary, he would give his life for her. Also, he would never let family or politics get in the way of their relationship. Heck, he'd help with the housework. As it's the opposite of toxic masculinity, let's call it Ultimate Masculinity. This maniless is tempered with a loving heart. Together this couple is the equilibrium that the two cities lack.
The script reflects Xiaoqian's frustration over the disparity between the sexes. She created two adjacent cities. Xuanhu is ruled by men, which is the case in most (all?) of our collective history on this planet. The women are to serve the men and manage the home. In Huayuan, however, the situation is the exact opposite. Women are the army, government, teachers... Women do everything, and those worthless men manage the home and serve their wives.
The actors were tasked to embody a male-female roll reversal as citizens of Huayuan City. They did an amazing job. Women are boorish and contemptuous of men. The male actors are mind blowing. Every muscle in their bodies mirrors a woman that is gentle, doting, and subservient. It's worth a rewatch just to focus their performances.
She created the script, with its flaws that manifest themselves in front of her. She created the characters. She gave them their disabilities, problems, and deficiencies, only to now work tirelessly trying to fix (undo) everything and everybody that she constructed. That's seriously entertaining.
Her only advantage is that she knows the story, as well as each character's background and motivations. It shouldn't be too difficult, right? To her dismay, the changes she makes start to change the story and, thus, the characters' reactions, which alter their trajectories. She, herself, is tragically misunderstood at every turn. Xiaoqian is just trying to preserve her life, but the rewrites, push the first Mahjong tile, and now they are all ting, ting, tinging to the floor, albeit in a beautiful pattern.
She must get help! She runs to 3 story writers- who else?! Every time she has a crisis they all meet together. She only gives them the barest info, though. She grabs some fruit and presents the main characters: Miss Apple, Miss Orange, and Mr. Banana. Yep, they went there.
The fruit sets up a collection of silly, but quite amusing metaphors. As her character is the Miss Orange, when offered one she exclaims: "PEEL the orange? That's bad luck." Given that at that moment she's angry with Han Shuo, her next statement is: "Peel the banana." Not so much later, after saying: "I don't want to see you anymore," she slips on the banana peel and goes airbourne, but of course, he catches her in his eager arms.
She's charged to eliminate the threat of bandits along the trade route. The whole trip is delightful. At one point she gets caught up in some excitement and seems to have completely forgotten her mission. Sorry, no details are permitted. In a spoiler free review. Expect to laugh.
There's another hilarious scene where characters meet at a restaurant/playhouse to have a discussion, meaning an argument. There's a stretch were the characters say nothing. They just stare at each other as the actors in the play voice exactly what each is thinking. The scene is high flown comedy.
As almost every line seems to carry significance, there is foreshadowing, metaphors, excellent (superb!) editing, skillful juxtaposition and other devices utilized, TROTAR is a production of the highest quality. It could hardly be improved on.
The show has so few deficiencies that the minor ones stand out a little more. While on the runaway horse in the show opening, close-ups of Xiaoqian are out of sync with the moving background. They overplayed the cute, but kitschy, theme song. Otherwise, the soundtrack is lovely. In the last couple scenes Xiaoqian's makeup looks ghastly pale and uneven. In addition, they have a bad habit of not putting makeup on the back half of the actors' necks, so they appear red and sickly on screen. Finally, I think the last line in the show should be: "Are we married?"
There's some truth in TROTAR as well. The commentary on men and women's relationships is true. The romance is true. It's tragic that the out-of-control battle of the sexes has thrust the sword through romance and made so many relationships miserable. What would the winner get anyway? It's a zero-sum contest.
All the complaining in the show by some parties is the same. While we absolutely should always speak out about wrongs and defend the downtrodden, we should not get caught up with complaining. It's a fast replictating and highly contagious virus. People that get infected will become angry, and then bitter, and then miserable.
Han Shuo suffers some nasty disrespect in Huayuan due to prejudice. Regardless of gender, etc, it's not amusing when it happens to someone we care about, like him. Perhaps trying to give a little, to choose happiness and contentment, to choose patience, forgiveness, and honesty, will usher in peace.
That's enough of the deep thoughts. The show is truly funny, with tears in the mix. It's also a top-level love story. You don't have to be a romance junkie to enjoy TROTAR, but most romantics will be swept away by this series.
Sweet dreams!
Quote: Pain is unavoidable.
Great sorrow comes from great joy. Tragedy and comedy have always shared the same root.
IMHO... 🎬10 🎭9 🤔7⚡8 🎨10 🎵9 Age 11+.
I also did a spoiler review
🍊
If you are an Asian drama lover, you shouldn't miss it.
niloytusi22 June 2020
This is the best C-Drama I've ever seen. Normally I'm a K-Drama fan. But I also watched all the hipped C-Drama as well. The two things I hate about C-Drama are- (a) Their romance is not as good as Korean drama and (b) They make the drama lengthy unnecessarily.
But this is different. This drama is totally different. I fell so hard for Zhao Lusi after watching her as the 3rd Princess. She instantly became my first Chinese crush!!
I've watched it two times already and will watch again in future so soon! This is the only Chinese drama I've watched more than once. I just loved it too much.
It's Amazing!!!
chandarcy16 December 2020
I laugh so hard
kerolduhay1 September 2021
It's okay
shareen_shany18 May 2022
Comedy pill.
priyagoswami-944725 June 2022
A New Take On The Battle Of The Sexes🌹Romance, Grace, & Ultimate Masculinity On Display. °Superior°
50fiftillidideeBrain3 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This precious RomComDram is about a novice screen writer whose script has been sold, but she was advised to work with the male lead on some objections he has with it. She despises him from moment zero. He curtly states he doesn't u/s his character's motivations. He can't see how the lead man/villain, Han Shuo (HShuo), would be attracted to ChuChu (CChu), the heroine. Some people will never fall in love, he explains, just like you and me, he tactlessly adds. "Have you ever been in a {relationship/in love?} she's asked, while she fumes. Oh, one more thing: "Your script seems chauvinistic." Grrrr.
She then scrambles over a feverish and junk-food-fueled weekend to make 'corrections,' even though she thinks "he's" completely wrong. Exhausted, she passes out (with a tissue still up one nostril) and wakes up in the world of her script. It isn't a dream: She's really there, and she's stuck there.
YIKES! She's a disposable character, the 3rd Princess, Xiaoqian (Xqian), who has the restraint and thoughtfulness of Udai Hussein, and who also gets whacked in Ep3! She decides to not risk finding out if dying in her vision equals real death. As the black hearted HShuo, her perfect villain, is to poison her on their wedding night, she'll tackle that 1st.
She's shocked to see that HShuo looks like that rude actor! We also see that he is excellent at playing up his heart condition and taking on other false personas. He can really act. Hmmm. While Xqian manages to avoid being murdered on schedule, she'll have to watch that villain, while married to him, while also trying to set him up with the heroine, so she can conclude the story and go home. HShuo is essential to her plot, so he must not die.
She penned HShuo as the ruthless prince of Xuanhu w/ a bad heart that will kill him by age 20. Her plot calls for CChu & him to fall in love. CChu will steal the Dragon Bone, which is Huayuan's most precious treasure, to heal him. Ultimately, he betrays CChu to conquer Huayuan, and CChu kills HShuo in battle, taking it back.
The filming is next level elegant. The sets are arrayed in perfect detail. The costumes..... At times, I was unable to avert my gaze from the resplendent rainbow of silks. The fluid dance of the fighting scenes, along with exalted acrobatics& flowing robes, all augment the actors' movements. The result is stunning.
Luxi Zhao, as the script writer/Xiaoqian is radiant& sparkling. Her smile lights the screen. Ding Yuxi, as HShuo, displays phenomenal skill. He just has the goods when it comes to acting. He can be ruthless or adoring. It's not his words that project how he feels about Xqian, it's his body language, his focus, and his eyes. He has intensity. HShuo may be the best romantic hero in history.
The script reflects Xqian's frustration over the disparity between the sexes. She created two adjacent cities. Xuanhu is ruled by men, which is the case in most (all?) of our collective history on this planet. The women are to serve the men and manage the home. In Huayuan, however, the situation is the exact opposite. Women do every important job and those worthless men manage the home and serve their wives.
The actors were tasked to embody a male-female roll reversal as citizens of Huayuan City. They did an amazing job. Women are boorish and contemptuous of men. The male actors are mind blowing. Every muscle in their bodies mirrors a woman that is gentle, doting, & subservient. It's worth a rewatch just to focus their performances.
The role reversal is handled with a deft hand. Xqian snickers in glee at first analysis. It's funny, until it starts to feel uncomfortable, and then horrific - in both cities. Very few citizens are truly pleased with their lives. Watching men being beaten and treated as pleasure slaves brings no respite to those that decry violence against women. Each city is extreme, and each one needs to be balanced out.
As things unfold, we see that HShuo, has the most attractive form of masculinity: a strong protector who loves his woman so much that, if necessary, he would give his life for her, and would never let family or politics get in the way of their relationship. He would definitely help with the housework, too. As it's the opposite of toxic masculinity, let's call it Ultimate Masculinity. This maniless is tempered by love. Together this couple is the equilibrium that the two cities lack.
HShuo falls for Xqian episodes before she reciprocates. She's too busy with her plotline to notice his, or even her own, feelings. While he's trying to make their marriage work, she's trying to fix him up with her sister CChu, the heroine. At the same time, every opportunity he has to be alone with Xqian is blocked by his kind, but idiot servant, Bai-ji. Xqian hurts him repeatedly, and confuses him with her attentions to other men, particularly her long time fiance, Pei (and Xqian's favorite character). Pei hates the 3rd Princess and has delayed their marriage. This isn't the same princess, though.....
To Xqian's dismay, the changes she makes start to change the story and, the characters' reactions, which alters their trajectories. She, herself, is tragically misunderstood at every turn. Xqian is just trying to preserve her life, but the rewrites, push the first Mahjong tile, and now they are all ting, ting, tinging to the floor, albeit in a beautiful pattern. The plot gets out of control on her.
CChu plummets. Due to Xiaoqian's efforts, CChu does fall for HShuo, who reciprocates with dismissiveness, as he's in love with Xqian. In addition, the revised 3rd Princess is solving problems and winning the hearts of the people. Their mother, the city owner, dotes over Xiaoqian, but always criticizes CChu. She free falls into hurt-jealousy-hate-&-obsessive-devouring-rage.
While Xqian exiled HShuo to save him from being killed by CChu, HShuo & CChu end up joining & invade Huayuan. When the city is taken back, HShuo is sentenced to death. He and Xqian consummate their marriage in the jail cell. The next morning, the city owner refuses Xqian's plea for mercy, so she drives a knife into her stomach. That stops everything.
Hey! Unclench! It's a prop knife! She's faking her death so they can eacape to Xuanhu. They get a brief time to enjoy married life there.
They are forced to invade Huayuan in order to liberate it from CChu, who's starting to mirror Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. The plot won't be denied. CChu pierces HShuo's sternum. Lungs punctured, he's dying. Xqian starts vanishing. Gasping, she can't reach him.
She awakes with the tissue still planted in her nostril & quickly learns that the male lead is in the hospital with near deadly lung damage from an accident. She rushes to the hospital. When he sees her, he jumps in shock and tells her to get away from him! He had the weirdest dream, he explains, and woke up thinking about her all the time. (No wonder HShuo was not evil, and he could act so well!) She runs into the arms of the rude jerk who had said the two of them would never be a couple.
She had penned the perfect romantic hero.
Xqian goes on to revise her script to save ChuChu and give Xiaoqian&Han Shuo a happy ever after. The End.
TROTAR is a commentary on men and women's relationships and the tragedy of the out-of-control battle of the sexes. It has thrust the sword through romance and made so many relationships miserable. It's a zero-sum contest.
This show is romance-porn for women because of the way HShuo loves Xqian and how he looks at her. From what I've been told, what HShuo might want back is to be respected (don't we all), even looked up to a little, to be a tiny bit nurtured, and to be treasured above all. As proof, he asked her flat out if it was him or her mother more than once. At the fake funeral he makes a joke to her that if she doesn't keep her promise, he'll let her know 'who wears the pants in the family,' which is one of the top 10 worst chauvinistic statements in history. Should Xqian flip out? Remember, this is HShuo. As much as he adores her, do you think he'll call even 20% of the shots in the family? What's wrong with her quipping 'yes, dear,' even if she winks while she does it? It's a bit of a dance. Marriage is optional. If one is to marry, giving it the best chance to succeed by providing embedded core needs for each other is as much smart as much as it is love.
We've probably all seen men marry beautiful woman and then crush them by jamming them into a mold. Wives can do that to husbands by belittling them, completely losing a sense of humor, or nagging. Kudos to the show creators for shining light on those insidious patterns, as perfectly illustrated by the first couple of Xuanhu.
In the role reversal, however, woman became every bit as bad as men. We don't have a gender problem, or even a racial problem. We have a human nature problem.
Perhaps trying to give a little, to choose happiness, contentment, patience, & forgiveness will usher in peace and love.
That's enough of the deep thoughts. The show is funny, then heart wrenching, and finally buoyant. Romantics will be swept away by this series.
Sweet dreams!
IMHO... 🎬10 🎭9 🤔7⚡8 🎨10 🎵9 Age 11+
🍃
She then scrambles over a feverish and junk-food-fueled weekend to make 'corrections,' even though she thinks "he's" completely wrong. Exhausted, she passes out (with a tissue still up one nostril) and wakes up in the world of her script. It isn't a dream: She's really there, and she's stuck there.
YIKES! She's a disposable character, the 3rd Princess, Xiaoqian (Xqian), who has the restraint and thoughtfulness of Udai Hussein, and who also gets whacked in Ep3! She decides to not risk finding out if dying in her vision equals real death. As the black hearted HShuo, her perfect villain, is to poison her on their wedding night, she'll tackle that 1st.
She's shocked to see that HShuo looks like that rude actor! We also see that he is excellent at playing up his heart condition and taking on other false personas. He can really act. Hmmm. While Xqian manages to avoid being murdered on schedule, she'll have to watch that villain, while married to him, while also trying to set him up with the heroine, so she can conclude the story and go home. HShuo is essential to her plot, so he must not die.
She penned HShuo as the ruthless prince of Xuanhu w/ a bad heart that will kill him by age 20. Her plot calls for CChu & him to fall in love. CChu will steal the Dragon Bone, which is Huayuan's most precious treasure, to heal him. Ultimately, he betrays CChu to conquer Huayuan, and CChu kills HShuo in battle, taking it back.
The filming is next level elegant. The sets are arrayed in perfect detail. The costumes..... At times, I was unable to avert my gaze from the resplendent rainbow of silks. The fluid dance of the fighting scenes, along with exalted acrobatics& flowing robes, all augment the actors' movements. The result is stunning.
Luxi Zhao, as the script writer/Xiaoqian is radiant& sparkling. Her smile lights the screen. Ding Yuxi, as HShuo, displays phenomenal skill. He just has the goods when it comes to acting. He can be ruthless or adoring. It's not his words that project how he feels about Xqian, it's his body language, his focus, and his eyes. He has intensity. HShuo may be the best romantic hero in history.
The script reflects Xqian's frustration over the disparity between the sexes. She created two adjacent cities. Xuanhu is ruled by men, which is the case in most (all?) of our collective history on this planet. The women are to serve the men and manage the home. In Huayuan, however, the situation is the exact opposite. Women do every important job and those worthless men manage the home and serve their wives.
The actors were tasked to embody a male-female roll reversal as citizens of Huayuan City. They did an amazing job. Women are boorish and contemptuous of men. The male actors are mind blowing. Every muscle in their bodies mirrors a woman that is gentle, doting, & subservient. It's worth a rewatch just to focus their performances.
The role reversal is handled with a deft hand. Xqian snickers in glee at first analysis. It's funny, until it starts to feel uncomfortable, and then horrific - in both cities. Very few citizens are truly pleased with their lives. Watching men being beaten and treated as pleasure slaves brings no respite to those that decry violence against women. Each city is extreme, and each one needs to be balanced out.
As things unfold, we see that HShuo, has the most attractive form of masculinity: a strong protector who loves his woman so much that, if necessary, he would give his life for her, and would never let family or politics get in the way of their relationship. He would definitely help with the housework, too. As it's the opposite of toxic masculinity, let's call it Ultimate Masculinity. This maniless is tempered by love. Together this couple is the equilibrium that the two cities lack.
HShuo falls for Xqian episodes before she reciprocates. She's too busy with her plotline to notice his, or even her own, feelings. While he's trying to make their marriage work, she's trying to fix him up with her sister CChu, the heroine. At the same time, every opportunity he has to be alone with Xqian is blocked by his kind, but idiot servant, Bai-ji. Xqian hurts him repeatedly, and confuses him with her attentions to other men, particularly her long time fiance, Pei (and Xqian's favorite character). Pei hates the 3rd Princess and has delayed their marriage. This isn't the same princess, though.....
To Xqian's dismay, the changes she makes start to change the story and, the characters' reactions, which alters their trajectories. She, herself, is tragically misunderstood at every turn. Xqian is just trying to preserve her life, but the rewrites, push the first Mahjong tile, and now they are all ting, ting, tinging to the floor, albeit in a beautiful pattern. The plot gets out of control on her.
CChu plummets. Due to Xiaoqian's efforts, CChu does fall for HShuo, who reciprocates with dismissiveness, as he's in love with Xqian. In addition, the revised 3rd Princess is solving problems and winning the hearts of the people. Their mother, the city owner, dotes over Xiaoqian, but always criticizes CChu. She free falls into hurt-jealousy-hate-&-obsessive-devouring-rage.
While Xqian exiled HShuo to save him from being killed by CChu, HShuo & CChu end up joining & invade Huayuan. When the city is taken back, HShuo is sentenced to death. He and Xqian consummate their marriage in the jail cell. The next morning, the city owner refuses Xqian's plea for mercy, so she drives a knife into her stomach. That stops everything.
Hey! Unclench! It's a prop knife! She's faking her death so they can eacape to Xuanhu. They get a brief time to enjoy married life there.
They are forced to invade Huayuan in order to liberate it from CChu, who's starting to mirror Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. The plot won't be denied. CChu pierces HShuo's sternum. Lungs punctured, he's dying. Xqian starts vanishing. Gasping, she can't reach him.
She awakes with the tissue still planted in her nostril & quickly learns that the male lead is in the hospital with near deadly lung damage from an accident. She rushes to the hospital. When he sees her, he jumps in shock and tells her to get away from him! He had the weirdest dream, he explains, and woke up thinking about her all the time. (No wonder HShuo was not evil, and he could act so well!) She runs into the arms of the rude jerk who had said the two of them would never be a couple.
She had penned the perfect romantic hero.
Xqian goes on to revise her script to save ChuChu and give Xiaoqian&Han Shuo a happy ever after. The End.
TROTAR is a commentary on men and women's relationships and the tragedy of the out-of-control battle of the sexes. It has thrust the sword through romance and made so many relationships miserable. It's a zero-sum contest.
This show is romance-porn for women because of the way HShuo loves Xqian and how he looks at her. From what I've been told, what HShuo might want back is to be respected (don't we all), even looked up to a little, to be a tiny bit nurtured, and to be treasured above all. As proof, he asked her flat out if it was him or her mother more than once. At the fake funeral he makes a joke to her that if she doesn't keep her promise, he'll let her know 'who wears the pants in the family,' which is one of the top 10 worst chauvinistic statements in history. Should Xqian flip out? Remember, this is HShuo. As much as he adores her, do you think he'll call even 20% of the shots in the family? What's wrong with her quipping 'yes, dear,' even if she winks while she does it? It's a bit of a dance. Marriage is optional. If one is to marry, giving it the best chance to succeed by providing embedded core needs for each other is as much smart as much as it is love.
We've probably all seen men marry beautiful woman and then crush them by jamming them into a mold. Wives can do that to husbands by belittling them, completely losing a sense of humor, or nagging. Kudos to the show creators for shining light on those insidious patterns, as perfectly illustrated by the first couple of Xuanhu.
In the role reversal, however, woman became every bit as bad as men. We don't have a gender problem, or even a racial problem. We have a human nature problem.
Perhaps trying to give a little, to choose happiness, contentment, patience, & forgiveness will usher in peace and love.
That's enough of the deep thoughts. The show is funny, then heart wrenching, and finally buoyant. Romantics will be swept away by this series.
Sweet dreams!
IMHO... 🎬10 🎭9 🤔7⚡8 🎨10 🎵9 Age 11+
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Normally Kdrama fan
sephraims31 December 2023
Wow I just love this Cdrama it's so refreshing and the storyline is brilliant. I could not stop watching. The character development was really good and the main actors were a dream to watch. I would definitely recommend this to anyone else who is a Kdrama fan looking into exploring Cdramas.
I can't wait to see what other dramas in the Cdrama family that are similar to this one. I was beginning to think I could only find the same old historical drama without a bit of tongue and cheek. (I love historical btw but sometimes they end up being very repetitive) This drama has inspired me to look further into what is available. I thoroughly enjoyed this program!
I can't wait to see what other dramas in the Cdrama family that are similar to this one. I was beginning to think I could only find the same old historical drama without a bit of tongue and cheek. (I love historical btw but sometimes they end up being very repetitive) This drama has inspired me to look further into what is available. I thoroughly enjoyed this program!
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