Overall Rating: 3/5
Status: Completed
Synopsis
This drama tells the story of Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao, who, despite their feud, choose to marry each other. After a lot of trials and tribulations, they gradually fall in love and eventually become a couple. The couple work together to protect their country.
The Good
I finally decided to give this drama a try after all the episodes had aired. I’m evaluating it from the perspective of an enemies-to-lovers storyline. I expected some violence and mistreatment, so I’m not viewing those elements negatively, as they are part of the plot. I’m not a fan of misogyny, but the trailer clearly sets the tone for what to expect, so I think it’s fair to judge the quality based on what was initially presented to the audience.
The production looks high-budget, detailed, and well thought-out. The settings weren’t anything fancy, but they were still well done. The costumes were beautiful. I didn’t find the OST particularly attracting, but it was at least decent. I loved the visuals. Great color harmony that complemented the dark tone of the drama, centered around revenge and hatred.
The female lead, Xiao Qiao (played by Song Zuer), was a great character. The writers did an excellent job of showing her intelligence rather than just telling us about it. Throughout the series, we see actual situations where she is clearly ahead in the strategy game, even outsmarting her enemies. However, I do have some issues with this, which I’ll expand on in the section about things I didn’t like.
Song Zuer’s performance was my favorite aspect of this character. She did an outstanding job portraying Xiao Qiao. Her tone of voice, mannerisms, and overall presence were all very convincing. I also appreciated that the female lead remained consistent from beginning to end. Even after falling in love with her husband, her skills never diminished.
The male lead, Wei Shao (played by Liu Yu Ning), was a mixed bag. I think his character was well-written, despite how toxic he was. He’s a deeply flawed person with a lot of room for growth. Wei Shao is a great warrior, leader, and protector but he’s not particularly smart. He’s impulsive, raw, and often violent. Over time, we see him grow into a more respectable man. He undergoes the most significant character development in the series, and I always appreciate a well-executed character arc.
That said, I’m not entirely sure his transformation was believable. In terms of acting, I’m not a big fan of Liu Yu Ning’s facial expressions. I had previously watched him in The Story of Pearl Girl, and his character there felt quite similar to this one. However, I will say that in the scenes where he lashed out at the female lead, I genuinely felt the fear so his performance was at least decent in those moments.
This drama truly excels in the romance aspect. The chemistry between Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao is electrifying, and both actors did an amazing job. Their heartfelt conversations and deep understanding of each other were the highlight of the show. Their intimate scene is one of the best I’ve seen. Mature, open, and natural. Once their relationship is solidified, their interactions become the most enjoyable part of the drama. There’s great communication and emotional maturity on both sides. They also make a very good-looking pair.
As for the supporting characters, I absolutely loved the Wei generals, the advisor, and Lady Xu. The generals and the advisor provided great comic relief, and I found their personalities both relatable and refreshing. The advisor, in particular, has the funniest facial expressions. Lady Xu is amazing. The way she holds the family together is truly admirable. She inspires others and even plays a key role in supporting Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao’s marriage.
Another point I liked is that this story actually has a message. The moral of the story is about replacing hatred with kindness. While I don’t think the story’s execution is very applicable to real life, it’s still commendable that the writer had a meaningful message and a clear idea they wanted to convey.
Last but not least, the story has a happy ending with a few mild surprises in the final episodes.
The Bad
My main issue with this drama is the plot. Once the leads’ relationship is established, there isn’t much left to look forward to. I felt that the core premise of the story wrapped up in the first half of the series. The political subplot wasn’t compelling enough, and aside from the states of Xiao Qiao and Wei Shao, the other cities weren’t explored in enough depth. The middle episodes felt like filler, with the writers relying heavily on comedy to keep things moving. The dark tone of the story fades quickly.
The last five episodes are a bit of a trainwreck, with increasingly ridiculous events (I won’t go into details to avoid spoilers). That said, I have to give the writers credit as they managed to put me on the edge of my seat after such a slow middle stretch.
Another aspect I didn’t enjoy was that the enemies-to-lovers dynamic wasn’t strong enough. The trailer hinted at a much darker story and a more intense push-and-pull between the leads, but their relationship was solidified far too early. By episode 15, Xiao Qiao had already fallen in love with Wei Shao, and her reasoning for doing so was practically nonexistent. He continuously disrespected, mistreated, and distrusted her.
While I understand that the mistreatment was part of the story, when both leads fall for each other, it needs to feel convincing and believable. It just didn’t do it for me. If someone were to fall in love with a person like Wei Shao in real life, it would seem more like an abusive relationship than a romantic one.
Back to Xiao Qiao, there were some things I didn’t like about the way she was written. She is a refreshing character, mature, kind, understanding, and, most importantly, smart. However, she feels too Mary Sue to me. She has no real flaws, which leaves little room for character development. Because of this, she felt somewhat flat to me.
Another aspect I didn’t like was how the writers used Xiao Qiao’s intelligence to justify Wei Shao’s aggressive behavior. If you want your male lead to be a toxic, pathetic, and violent man, fine—but don’t twist the narrative to excuse his actions just to make the audience sympathize with toxicity.
For example, during a misunderstanding involving a box important to Wei Shao, he grabs Xiao Qiao by the throat and refuses to listen to her explanation. This incident is quickly brushed off by Xiao Qiao, who says it was “just a misunderstanding.” She’s portrayed as this incredibly smart woman, yet every time her husband distrusts and mistreats her, she completely ignores her own feelings and insists that he must have been confused. Xiao Qiao’s emotional reactions are not explored properly.
Even in episode 32, when the leads finally visit the Qiao family as a married couple, Wei Shao admits he mistreated her and she brushes it off, claiming he never mistreated her. Girl, what?
The second female lead, Lady Yu Lou (played by Xuan Lu), felt irrelevant. Her story seemed to exist only to serve as an antagonist. I’ve seen Xuan Lu in other dramas, and her character here was a bit disappointing. I wasn’t convinced by her acting in this role, though I liked her performance in Who Rules The World.
The second antagonist, Liu Yan (played by Ji Xiao Bing), had the potential to be an interesting villain but also felt underwhelming. That said, the actor did a great job portraying a psychopath.
Another aspect is that some characters, like Bi Zhi and Da Qiao, were underutilized. I think the writers could have done more with this couple. I liked them overall. Personally, I felt that Da Qiao shouldn’t have been making decisions for her husband. They were a rather boring couple, but their presence could have been used to introduce more interesting elements to the drama.
I was glad that actress He Hong Shan finally took on a different role from her previous ones. I liked her in We All Lie.
Final Thoughts
The Prisoner of Beauty might be a good watch if you enjoy historical romance dramas, but I don’t think it truly fits the enemies-to-lovers category. It definitely has some great moments. The romance is amazing, the sense of family unity is touching, and the moral about letting go of hatred to become a better person and pursue happiness is meaningful.
Sadly, the plot got lost between episodes, and there was a lack of engagement and inconsistent tone. It’s still enjoyable, but not quite what it was promoted to be.
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