Rhea
Malaysia
Satisfactory
Jun Jiu Ling is the type of drama that is good enough to watch but nothing compelling to make it really stand out unlike The Long Ballad. The story is there and easy to follow but it doesn’t give you that adrenaline rush or enough anticipation to make you crave for more. Once you start watching, chances are you will continue on because you will want to know when the female lead’s identity as a princess will be revealed. But once you get there, it kind of falls flat.
Furthermore, along the way, the investigation aspect seems to take backseat as Jiu Ling goes through her life as Zhen Zhen and a doctor. So, it starts strongly as if the focus will be on investigating the protagonist’s father’s death. But as you watch, numerous sub-plots will emerge to take the attention away from the main storyline. By the time you are taken back to the murder case, it is already very late in the drama. That is why I find something is lacking in Jun Jiu Ling and it is a pity because the story could certainly be better executed.
A Revenge Plot
Basically, Jun Jiu Ling is a drama about getting revenge. But it is not a depressing watch. Conversely, it is relatively stress-free for a revenge drama whereby a princess has to hide her identity to avoid danger. The face changing part reminds me of Love Of Thousand Years although this is not a xianxia drama either. Thus, you will find there are certain elements in the plot that would seem rather farfetched. You will need to ignore those parts to enjoy the drama. If you take it too seriously, then this will lose its attractiveness and logic.
Personally, the plot is okay to me and I’m not one who will nitpick on plot holes. The subplots are there but thanks to the good pacing, the drama doesn’t fall victim to long boring stretches. It would have been better if the screenwriters have tightened the storyline and increased the suspense. As it is, the story still flows along rather well but just lacks a more effective approach to give viewers a more persuasive and satisfying watch.
A Strong Female Character
I think viewers nowadays would prefer to see smart and talented female characters rather than weak ones waiting to be saved. So, you will get your wish fulfilled with Jun Jiu Ling. The main female character is a strong and courageous individual. She has both brains and beauty. She also displays maturity with her patience in her quest for revenge as well as her forgiving nature. Hence, Jiu Ling is a character that is quite well-written and developed.
As for the male characters, they are also portrayed very differently to give viewers some contrasts. Zhu Zan is playful, Yun Qi is cold, Yun Zhao is noble, while Cheng Yu is the most innocent of the lot. While these 4 characters do not have the same depth as Jiu Ling, they still have important roles to play to help drive the story.
Chemistry Between The Leads
The chemistry between Peng Xiao Ran and Jin Han is good and they display enough of it to give viewers something sugary when it comes to the romance. But it is nowhere near explosive and I doubt this on-screen couple will stay in the viewers’ mind for long. Their interactions have a flirty feel at times but also cringey for some scenes. There are not many kisses in the drama and thus, don’t expect this to have The Eternal Love Season 3 kind of smooching.
My Verdict – A Decent Watch
I would categorize Jun Jiu Ling as a decent drama overall. It is watchable despite the plot holes. The ending isn’t particularly great either as some scenes should have been included to give viewers a better explanation and closure. For instance, we are not told exactly what happened to Chu Rang and Yun Qi for their crimes. Basically, you will get the feeling that there is not enough time to squeeze in greater details for each character’s ending.
Overall, it is enjoyable as long as you don’t demand all the little details to make sense. As an example, it is unrealistic that they could get ready for war within a day towards the end of the drama. So, if you are the type who likes to scrutinize all details in the plot, this may not pass your high standards. But if you can overlook them to just appreciate the main story, then this would become an enjoyable drama.
While Jun Jiu Ling seems like a love story, the romance isn’t particularly intense. This is not General’s Lady kind of historical romance drama. It is kind of light for the most part and the couple only officially start dating in the last quarter. It doesn’t roil your emotions the way One And Only does. Hence, I’m not so sure if this would be perfect for those who are looking for pure romance dramas.
In conclusion, I would give this Jun Jiu Ling review a score of 7.5/10. Don’t dive in just for the romance but an overall adventure of a princess looking to avenge her father’s death and the detours that come with it. It is satisfying enough to give it a go but insufficient to term it as great for me.
Furthermore, along the way, the investigation aspect seems to take backseat as Jiu Ling goes through her life as Zhen Zhen and a doctor. So, it starts strongly as if the focus will be on investigating the protagonist’s father’s death. But as you watch, numerous sub-plots will emerge to take the attention away from the main storyline. By the time you are taken back to the murder case, it is already very late in the drama. That is why I find something is lacking in Jun Jiu Ling and it is a pity because the story could certainly be better executed.
A Revenge Plot
Basically, Jun Jiu Ling is a drama about getting revenge. But it is not a depressing watch. Conversely, it is relatively stress-free for a revenge drama whereby a princess has to hide her identity to avoid danger. The face changing part reminds me of Love Of Thousand Years although this is not a xianxia drama either. Thus, you will find there are certain elements in the plot that would seem rather farfetched. You will need to ignore those parts to enjoy the drama. If you take it too seriously, then this will lose its attractiveness and logic.
Personally, the plot is okay to me and I’m not one who will nitpick on plot holes. The subplots are there but thanks to the good pacing, the drama doesn’t fall victim to long boring stretches. It would have been better if the screenwriters have tightened the storyline and increased the suspense. As it is, the story still flows along rather well but just lacks a more effective approach to give viewers a more persuasive and satisfying watch.
A Strong Female Character
I think viewers nowadays would prefer to see smart and talented female characters rather than weak ones waiting to be saved. So, you will get your wish fulfilled with Jun Jiu Ling. The main female character is a strong and courageous individual. She has both brains and beauty. She also displays maturity with her patience in her quest for revenge as well as her forgiving nature. Hence, Jiu Ling is a character that is quite well-written and developed.
As for the male characters, they are also portrayed very differently to give viewers some contrasts. Zhu Zan is playful, Yun Qi is cold, Yun Zhao is noble, while Cheng Yu is the most innocent of the lot. While these 4 characters do not have the same depth as Jiu Ling, they still have important roles to play to help drive the story.
Chemistry Between The Leads
The chemistry between Peng Xiao Ran and Jin Han is good and they display enough of it to give viewers something sugary when it comes to the romance. But it is nowhere near explosive and I doubt this on-screen couple will stay in the viewers’ mind for long. Their interactions have a flirty feel at times but also cringey for some scenes. There are not many kisses in the drama and thus, don’t expect this to have The Eternal Love Season 3 kind of smooching.
My Verdict – A Decent Watch
I would categorize Jun Jiu Ling as a decent drama overall. It is watchable despite the plot holes. The ending isn’t particularly great either as some scenes should have been included to give viewers a better explanation and closure. For instance, we are not told exactly what happened to Chu Rang and Yun Qi for their crimes. Basically, you will get the feeling that there is not enough time to squeeze in greater details for each character’s ending.
Overall, it is enjoyable as long as you don’t demand all the little details to make sense. As an example, it is unrealistic that they could get ready for war within a day towards the end of the drama. So, if you are the type who likes to scrutinize all details in the plot, this may not pass your high standards. But if you can overlook them to just appreciate the main story, then this would become an enjoyable drama.
While Jun Jiu Ling seems like a love story, the romance isn’t particularly intense. This is not General’s Lady kind of historical romance drama. It is kind of light for the most part and the couple only officially start dating in the last quarter. It doesn’t roil your emotions the way One And Only does. Hence, I’m not so sure if this would be perfect for those who are looking for pure romance dramas.
In conclusion, I would give this Jun Jiu Ling review a score of 7.5/10. Don’t dive in just for the romance but an overall adventure of a princess looking to avenge her father’s death and the detours that come with it. It is satisfying enough to give it a go but insufficient to term it as great for me.
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