Fine I’ll admit it, this one took a a few tries for my complete devotion. Legend of Zhen Huan is an extremely slow dose of what later becomes a helpless addiction you can’t put down until the very end. But how? What does this drama deliver so great that warrants binging for seemingly endless hours on end? What puts this series on a pedestal above most historical dramas to date? We’ll get into that, allow me to start off with why this masterful piece in particular is NOT worth everyone’s time.


The Calm Before The Storm

Listen, the several times you’ve dropped a series can reflect one of two things in my opinion. The mood you’re not currently in or your distaste of the piece in general. A slow burn has never been for everyone no matter the quality of it. The subtle audacious tone of the pacing here only attests to why many prefer the opposite. As that may seem appealing in writing, it holds very unappealing factors that entirely depends on how little invested you are. Will you inevitably care for some characters? Sure. Will you care for enough characters and/or anticlimactic events to slog through a character driven drama of this length? There are many dry moments of daily life here, some more impactful than others, some much more exhausting on the viewer yet meaningful nonetheless. The quality of the story being told never drops but personal interest in it may. (Un?)Fortunately for me it occurred towards the very end.


Flowers

How exactly can one make a film entirely focused on life inside the harem interesting let alone a series? Simple, characterize all living fuck out of those living in it. I guarantee anyone who has watched through even a quarter of this has a favorite or two they’re extremely passionate about. The unstable sisterhood,rivalry, and flickering ambitions showcased here is not to be taken lightly. I’m a simple man that favors consistency. While i do have my praises for the FL like everyone else my constant interest and entertainment drove on the overt dominance of one of my favorite antagonists to strut on screen Hua Fei . My heart surprisingly resided with the deteriorated yet dignified Meizhuang from her long, unwavering friendship with Zhen Huan to her stubborn yet prideful ambitions in surviving as a shadow in the harem.

There are several likes and praises beyond those characters of course. The seemingly peaceful yet overly cautious and insecure Lingrong. The refreshing relief of wholesomeness in the harem of our beloved youngest Lady Chun. The constant press of the rewind button when a certain child speaks because my god was every word precious as hell. Huanbi’s under looked complexity and reflective envy of freedom. Clever yet underhanded actions of Cao determined to secure a safe future for her child leading to its inevitable demise. The longed pitiful Consort Duan that warms the heart every visit to her ironically cold palace. Believe me, the list goes on and on. Everyone is brought to life in full here, rather they tick annoyances or peak highlights. Every scheme and act of defense reflects the differences amongst each character in full congruence. Outstanding performance by the unsurprising Betty Sun as her character fall and rises through the ranks through countless tragedies and obstacles. She alone shows just how flawless Jiang Xin was for her role of a snobby, jealous, hilariously direct antagonist to stand out the most for me. A few weak performances , luckily as weak as their characters’ impact on the story.


Pitch

Let this beautiful story sell itself to you on its own. No it’s not an immediate hook and take some patience to become immersed for most. Once this drama does though there’s no going back. Actually, i take that back . There’s so much detail and subtle differences in tones and expressions that well warrants multiple rewatches with more satisfaction than the first time around. Such a strong and passionate execution throughout it’s length making no moments of it empty. Everything it attempts to deliver it executes profoundly through one way or another.


P.S. - If there’s anything this drama has expressed throughout its entirety. It’s watch your step in the palace.. no like literally, everyone’s clumsy as fu-