Yes this is based on a Chinese Book, but this is a remake and they sort of buy the rights, so under the hands of a good screenwriter even a bad book would turn into a marvelous drama. Most of the actors are wasted in the drama, we did not see anything much of love. Scarlet Heart Back in 2011 was my first CN drama. It was the first year I started to watch Korean CN dramas did not know much about them, I accidentally discovered them on youtube.. I can only say this this was not as brutal as the original one. I still want a S2 if all the fans get together and push them by petitions & twitter parties we'll get it but we won't get anything by sitting and hoping.. I am still not recovered by this drama, I want to go and watch it back, I have done the same on Scarlet Heart a couple of times.