I don't know what it is it lately with Wuxia Chinese dramas that are hitting the mark. And "Who Rules the World" is one of them. This frenemies-to-lovers historical romance stars Zhao Lu Si and Yang Yang as martial art masters from opposing lands. My favorite Chinese actress Lu Si delivers as the buoyant trouble-maker who enjoys her freedom despite undisclosed ties to one of the ruling state. Yang Yang is not so shabby himself as the calm and collected prince-slash-fighter-of-justice who occupies two seats of the renowned "Four Gentlemen" with his two personas. Together as Hei Feng Xi and Bai Feng Xi, they make an unformidable team, and their constant bickering reminds me of a married couple in love (though they did not know it yet, or perhaps they do, but are in denial).

Aside from the MC's visuals and flirting though, what makes this drama so good is the wealth of multi-dimensional characters, dramatic intrigue, political twists and turns that kept me on my toes. The cinematography is also something to be admired, especially the seamless battle scenes. What I also liked about this drama is that there are no overtly annoying secondary characters that I want to wring their necks or slap them across the face. Yes, there are pretentious villains, there are ambitious eggheads, and murderous mistresses but what historical Chinese drama does not? At least, in this drama, they were more than just stick-figures. I also liked how compact this drama is, that they managed to condense this story in 40 episodes with hardly any fillers.