Do you yearn for period Hanadan with swords, politics, and a homicidal Rui? Come right in!

[dangermousie]

After three episodes, my levels of obsession with Jade Palace Lock Heart are reaching monumental and slightly embarrassing proportions.

Short plot version - modern day history nut accidentally travels through time to the last years of Emperor Kang Xi's reign and becomes embroiled in the succession wars. And by 'embroiled' I mean she becomes the object of interest, for varying reasons, to a number of the princes and concubines and is stuck knowing all the history and trying to change some of it. She's all about fangirling Fourth Brother, her historical crush and future Emperor. Pity he turns out to be a manipulative creeptastic murderer (sorry, my feelings talking - every time I see him I want to stab him). She is also having a Domyouji/Makino thing with the Eighth Brother which makes me glee and glee. They are the OTP and I SHIP THEM LIKE THERE IS NO TOMORROW. (I've seen some people complain that JPLH basically lifted Hanadan for its OTP, to which I say "are you insane? How could you object to that?")

I am especially amused to note that JPLH is supposed to be light-hearted and yet in the first three eps we already had:

a. child murder
b. fratricide and attempted fratricide
c. corporal punishment and torture
d. ambitious concubine whose former lover is now a eunuch
e. scene where concubine stuffs rivals in closet and forces her to watch how she makes out with Emperor
f. attempted rape of heroine by the (then) Crown Prince
g. Fourth Prince pimping out the girl who is in love with him to his father

Ahahahahahahaha only in a period cdrama would this be considered light and fluffy.



Heroine is awesome, I love all the intrigue and politics, we haven't yet seen as much of the hero as we have of creepy Fourth Brother (seriously, he freaks me the heck out) but I liked what I saw, and he and heroine have mondo chemistry. Plus, I love Fourth Brother as emo yet horrifyingly effective and ruthless villain.



Also, the drama is psycho pretty. Almost as psycho as Fourth Brother.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I watched the first episode because your enthusiasm made me really curious and I've never watched a chinese drama before. I really liked it. I think the premise is really fun and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of it.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay! Hope you continue enjoying it. The pace is so quick and it's all so fun!

[timescout.livejournal.com]

Hey, isn't this the one WS2 might sub? *goes and checks* Yup, it's on their possible projects list. As they are now subbing 2 other C-dramas so maybe this'll be done too....

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh, ow you went and raised my hopes! *shakes fist half in hope half in agony*

[bae-mac.livejournal.com]

Wow! Quite a lot to happen in only three episodes! LOL! XD I'm not really into Chinese dramas but this having the travel through time plot is making me want to watch it. :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Time travel is in lately :)

I'd love to travel back in time to make out with royal hotties, but not if I had to put up with lack of sanitation and medicine and huge levels of violence back then :P

[bae-mac.livejournal.com]

Same here - it has always been one of my wishes/dreams. I've always fantasize wearing those gorgeous Hanboks or those heavy gowns that queens and princesses had to wear or those Grecian draperies [LOL!] that barely hide what needs to be hidden!

Yusss! Making our with roayl hotties! LOL! Imagine when you get back to present time and you read your name as the mother of this royalty or to make it more drama-ish, the mother to an illegitimate heir or something! LOL!

But yeah, I have to agree with you, violence I think I can deal but not the sanitation or lack thereof.

* okay, I think I went overboard there! LOL!*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It would be fun for a short time, but in long term, give me modern amenities and attitudes anyday.

[bae-mac.livejournal.com]

Same here. :)

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

i never ever ever liked Rui in HYD. Thought he was a conniving dirtbag! There, i said it! Now, i'm running for the hills and hiding from rabid fan-girls!

So, the 4th Prince, hmm, whatever. and seriously, if she is history nut, how can she be crushing out on him??? on the other hand, 8th brother sounds cool! My life will be complete if there is a Soujirou/Yuki equivalent too!

And to think, i originally passed on this drama, cos the chinese name Gong, made me think it was a chinese rip-off of Goong. Heh!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Apparently you sort of get your wish: 14th prince has his own otp.

She's crushing on him because...ummm, well, I think offing siblings is standard procedure back then?

Re: Rui: well, at least he didn't off any kids :P

Hijack! Because I work like that...

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

But 14th prince's OTP is Suyan, she-who-loves-4th-and-is-utterly-screwed-over-as-a-result. Baby girl is going to have at least one (confirmed) psycho breakdown before the end.

DDDDD:

(And you're right, this is considered a comedy/romance. Only in historicals, yep.)

Re: Hijack! Because I work like that...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Suyan, is she the mopey assassin? She annoys the living daylights out of me. Get a spine and stop killing people for the sake of guy who treats you like an inanimate object.

[kitkat-cat.livejournal.com]

ok, i take back everything i said about 4th prince. have just been watching long trailers for this, and hello 4th Prince! All repressed emo, helping Han girl become Manchu court lady, you obviously lurve her you!

on the plus side, there is Liu Xue Hua in this as some senior court lady. Seriously, she is THE ultimate leading lady in romance dramas from Taiwan in the 80-ies and 90-ies!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I hate to break your newly found liking for N4 but he only made the girl the Manchu court lady so she could get close to his father, seduce him, become a favorite, and then rec him for the throne.

He's eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil. I could go for some repressed imperial hotness but not under those circs.

[hollyxu.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEEEEE I'M WATCHING THE LIVE BROADCAST, AAAAAAAAAAAHHH

You're going to love this show. :DDDDD

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I AM SO JEALOUS!!!

You mean love it more than I do already? :P

[rectherapyfreak.livejournal.com]

I <3 every version of Hanadan!! I am excited to watch a show similar to it in period form! Nice! I will watch this once I finish East of Eden!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yay! It's really good!