My brainbox will not shut up about Story of Kunning Palace, so if you haven’t watched it, you should, and here’s why!

Story of Kunning Palace is a costume (or historical) C-drama (Chinese drama) with thirty eight forty five minute episodes starring Bai-Lu (Only for Love, Til the End of the Moon) and Zhang Linghe (My Journey to You, Love Between a Fairy and a Devil). It was highly anticipated, due to its all-star cast, but also heavily delayed because of censorship issues and political drama. It can only be speculated why it was controversial, possibly because of its relatively risqué sexual content, feminist messages, or overtly lesbian character.

Story of Kunning Palace is a story of redemption, which, through the story of Jiang Xuening (Bai-Lu), examines what it means to be good and evil. Jiang Xuening spent her life conspiring and seducing her way into the court of the Xian empire, aiming to fulfil her lifelong ambition of becoming Empress. She achieves this, but in the process, betrays everyone close to her, directly leading to the rebellion of Xie Wei (Zhang Linghe) and the slaughter of innocents. Realising her mistakes, she makes a deal with Xie Wei, exchanging her life for Zhang Zhe’s (Wang Xingyue), a righteous court official imprisoned due to her scheming. Jiang Xuening dies regretting her life of mistakes and cruelty.

But this is only the beginning! Jiang Xuening is transported back in time to before she enters the palace and betrays everyone. She can redo her life again, fix her mistakes, and save the ones she cares about from their cruel fate. But can fate be changed? And can she be redeemed after everything she’s done?

The Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

Originally marketed as an enemies-to-lovers time-travel romance, there is far more to Story of Kunning Palace than meets the eye. I described the drama as a redemption story because a large proportion of the show is focused on Jiang Xuening’s character arc rather than the romance itself. So the romance(s) are more of a subplot.

But lets begin with the original draw, the heated enemies-to-lovers relationship.

Despite Xie Wei being, well, a murderer, this is not a standard enemies-to-lovers dynamic where the male is a terrible person and the female has to forgive him. They’re both terrible people. Together! Usually because of their inability to process their emotions. It is a trauma fest with these two.

I’m not selling this well. Really, the phrase “enemies” is a bit harsh, they were enemies in their first life purely based on circumstance and misunderstanding. Once Jiang Xuening is reincarnated, they’re not necessarily enemies as much as they are incredibly cautious of one another. Why are they cautious of each other? The crux of Xuening and Xie Wei’s relationship is that, because of spoiler plot reasons, they know each other very well. For two people who are manipulative and traumatised, someone who actually knows and understands you is highly dangerous.

Yet also, for two people with serious identity issues, low self-worth, and a chronic case of loneliness, an equal who knows and understands you is incredibly appealing. And thus, their relationship. How could someone who knows I’m terrible still have affection for me? How can I be vulnerable when I can’t even accept myself? Can we forgive ourselves by forgiving each other?

The “Love Triangle”

But that’s not all! Trailers also set this up as a love triangle between the enemies-to-lovers and the second male lead, the honourable and virtuous Zhang Zhe, who Xuening sacrificed herself for in the first life.

Zhang Zhe is a hilarious character. He’s not simply the “good boy” choice in the love triangle (you know you were thinking it). No. His strongest trait is his commitment to abiding by the law in every situation. And I mean every. Single. Situation. He has absolutely no survival instincts. He is a fantastic symbol of a strict, inflexible moral system and his romance subplot with Jiang Xuening perfectly demonstrates how unforgiving definitions of good and bad can be more damaging than beneficial.

What I love most about this love triangle is that Zhang Zhe and Xuening get a chance to be together, and their relationship plays itself out. Jiang Xuening is a character that cannot and should not be controlled. She deserves to make her own decisions. That’s not to say Xie Wie doesn’t crack some jealous tantrums, his character’s control issues kinda require it, but they’re just that. Tantrums. Unlike in other love triangles, Xie Wie and Zhang Zhe don’t fight over her. Xuening isn’t forced to “pick” one. Her romance has better things to do than prove her loyalty to a guy. Like answer Xuening’s “Can I love someone when I don’t love myself” with a solid NO. And girl please get therapy.

Feminist Messages

Pretty much every female character in this show has a feminist angle and critique built in, from the side characters to Jiang Xuening herself, and all are very varied depictions of women and responses to oppression. Naturally I’ll mention Jiang Xuening, but, this being a C-drama with over 30 hours of content, I can’t talk about all the side characters, so I’ll just give you one.

But first, Jiang Xuening, our heroine, was not raised in nobility or court-life, she was raised on a farm as a commoner. She was fearless and bold and ambitious: obviously oppression was present in commoner life, but not as much for Xuening, who was raised fairly independently by a single mother. So when she gets dragged into nobility, she hasn’t been socialised into any of the rules, she can’t pretend, she can’t be quiet, she doesn’t know how to deal with it. She’s constantly doing things wrong, she doesn’t know why it’s wrong, so she just internalises that she is “wrong.” And she enters her second life hating herself. Story of Kunning Palace could very well be called Story of How Jiang Xuening Panders to Everyone’s Requirements of Her Because She Doesn’t Believe She Deserves an Identity. And (spoilers) Story of Jiang Xuening realising she’s not inherently flawed.

Subverting the Cinderella Trope

You Fangin (Tang Mengjia) enters the story as a victim. Soft-spoken and solely dedicated to her saviour, Xuening. This lack of self-drive and singular dedication is certainly the product of the abuse she has suffered. She has spent her whole life trying to make herself take up as little space as possible. She is also, however, incredibly kind and just.

Despite her seemingly Cinderella archetype, Fangin’s entire character arc is about gaining self-determination and allowing her natural intelligence and talent to shine. Encouraged by Xuening, You Fangin maintains her kindness and integrity, but also gains strength and self-confidence. Fangin is a perfect critique of the Cinderella victim role women are forced to play, where she remains sensitive but also strong and capable. Kindness can be a strength. Victims can be capable. So on.

The Ending

I know what you’re saying. Jocelyn, this is way too much to set up, there’s no way it ends in a satisfying way. Buddy. This is one of the best endings I’ve ever seen. Bitter and sweet, suitably ambiguous about fate, satisfying and heartbreaking.

If you can handle a very slow burn storyline, a whole lot of characters, and some questionable cinematography, watch this. It’s fantastic. There is so much more to it than what I’ve said, and I love it so much.