We’re back and checking out the latest Chinese web series craze that all of social media seems to be talking about. Namely, the web drama The Eternal Love. Not only are we recapping, but upon deciding that we were sick of having to pull apart dramas for our weekly reviews, we decided to take a different approach. Did your mother ever tell you that if you don’t have something positive to say then say nothing at all? Well, we are taking that saying to heart and only saying positive things this time around. Sure that might mean that we spend a lot of time waxing poetic about the leading man’s hair. Or maybe there is a flower sitting in the background that we find quite winsome. No matter what, we will bite our lips and only be cheerful and positive for these recaps. Come hell or high water…..even if it kills us to contain our inner snark. Hmm, I think we all need to pray that this drama has a lot of positive and little negative if we are going to survive. So without further ado, let’s dive into the positive surrounding the first three episodes.

Just a quick word of warning. This is not going to be a step by step recapping project. For one, I really doubt we could do that and remain positive. And two, that is just not how we roll. So be prepared for random moments of insight which might not always make the most sense if you don’t have at least a basic idea of the synopsis. Even better, you could always watch along with us. The episodes are only 30 minutes each (maybe less if you take out the opening and closing song) so this is a really easy drama to fit into your tight schedule.

KMUSE: Right off the bat, I am enjoying the setup. I loved Princess Go Go and its time travel shannanagins and already this drama reminds me a bit of that story, minus the whole guy in a girl’s body aspect. But still, the heroine is somehow stuck in the past and trying to get back to her own time… that is my type of plot.

Drama Geek: The set up does feel familiar, but I love time travel dramas and I also love body swaps so when KMUSE mentioned this one I had to check it out. Plus, I have a hard time with the longer dramas so the 30 minutes episodes and the fact that it isn’t a gazillion episodes a week made this a perfect Chinese drama to watch.

KMUSE: YAY! Pretty princes and bodyguards have made their appearance. These type of dramas always make me wonder if there is some kind of vetting process when picking one’s bodyguard. Nope, sorry. You can kill 15 men with one swipe of your sword, but your chest is just not chiseled enough for this position. Bwahahahaha.

Drama Geek:  There is a green room full of men who apply to be the prince’s body guard and none of them have their shirts on and they’re all holding a bloody sword. Flawless skin and great hair are also requirements, but a wig and CGI can fix that.

KMUSE: So we have a leading man who is hiding his strong personality in order to take down his rivals and a leading lady who switches personalities anytime she passes out. Ha. I wonder how long it will take these two to realize that there is more to each other than meets the eye. Especially when every other time our leading lady comes to her senses she tries to beat up her rivals…..literally. Also, on that note, I will say that I like the boring version of the main girl as well. And before you wonder if I have lost my marbles, let me clarify that I like her simply because it makes the spicier personality all the more fun. YAY for sticking up for one’s self.

Drama Geek: Every time the modern girl takes the reins and stirs things up, I know the original girl will have to live with the aftermath. The thing is though, this girl would have been miserable even if she quietly endured her life. Having Tan Er stand up for her and not take all the crap being piled on might not seem the best for her now, but even if Tan Er returns to her own time, she’ll leave the other girl in a more powerful position to live her life. Of course, original girl will be married to man who likes the spicy version, but we won’t think about that for now. Maybe original girl will get catapulted to the future a find the modern 1st prince and live a totally boring life.

KMUSE: Their first meet up was fun.  I was cracking up when Tan Er attempted to climb over the house walls only to fall flat on her face in front of her fiance.  I was a bit sad that it promptly brought back the boring version and we didn’t get to see her yell at 8th Prince for lacking in gentlemanly manners.

DRAMA GEEK: The 8th prince is ever the perfect Chinese drama lead. Stone faced, wise in all things politicky, and good with a sword. What I like about this prince and the actor is that he has the straight face down pat, but he does really good side glances that give you a glimpse into what he’s thinking. When he meets our not-a-damsel hanging from the wall he keeps his straight face and barely even looks at her but you can tell she made an impression. I love that she calls him names and he doesn’t know what the words means, but totally gets that he’s been insulted.

KMUSE: No wedding ceremony? Oh well, at least we get to laugh as modern Tan Er calls her hubby into their room for the wedding night. No, she didn’t suddenly decide that his perfect lips were worth being married for. Tan Er actually sets up an intricate trip wire and water system that would put a damper on 8th Prince’s libido. Or it would have if he hadn’t figured it out and made Tan Er fall into her own trap. Which of course makes her pass out and brings back boring girl. I wonder if the writers are going to get creative in the future when it comes to reasons for our heroine to lose consciousness. At this point, I am worried that a strong wind will knock Tan Er right off her feet just so we can get a personality switch.

Drama Geek: I have to laugh at her attempts to not consummate their marriage. I’m pretty sure most horny men don’t mind getting a little wet before they do the tango. Of course, the log to the back of the head was a nice touch. This scene is where I really started to like the 8th prince. He catches onto her booby-traps and then teases her a bit by jumping on the bed, but he leaves her without trying to go further. Of course, I’m sure that was all part of his larger plan, but it still made me happy that he didn’t get too upset and seemed to be amused by her antics.

KMUSE: Surprisingly, I am totally OK when Tan Er begins beating up on her horrible step-mother. What a meanie. Although, I do laugh every time Tan Er gets tortured by those needles. It would be a little more realistic if the needles actually touched her back/clothes rather than just relying on a stabby noise. I also enjoyed watching 8th Prince come and play the white knight. A white knight who is a tad bit tarnished since he knew Tan Er was being “tortured” via needle and let it go for a little while. Sure, he thinks this is all an elaborate ruse by his older brother, but still…..

Drama Geek: Ha! The needle sound is ridiculous, but it totally makes my stomach swirl. I hate needles. As for the prince, it is all a maneuvering game for both the parents and for him. Tan Er is the only one that isn’t really in on it. She just keeps waking up after being tortured. Who wouldn’t freak out on someone in that situation.

When she was alone with the 8th prince while traveling to the Queen Dowager’s place you could see that the prince realized the punishment might not have been a show. I’m sure he’s trying to figure out this bizarre creature that keeps going from meek girl who won’t even bring up that it’s tradition for a husband to return to the wives family and instead bare the brunt of the punishment, and the fireball before him who stands up to her step-mom and won’t back down. He probably thinks it’s all an act and I don’t blame him, but I do love watching him try to figure he out.

KMUSE: The way Tan Er relates all of her experiences to dramas she has watched makes me happy. Who wouldn’t see the Dowager Queen’s plotting coming a mile away when she brings in the niece who is 8th Prince’s childhood friend? Modern Tan Er is no dummy and figures out the intricate politicking right away and then promptly tosses it aside as she attempts to ditch her husband yet again.

An action that leads to skinship! Let’s hear a loud WOOT for skinship! Really, really good skinship. 8th Prince’s lips are obviously skilled in the art of on-screen smooching. I have a feeling we are getting a more passionate kiss than usual since this is a web series. This kiss gives me hope for even better smooching someday when it is actually consensual.

Drama Geek: Only positive, right? Kick him in the cojones next time he tries to kiss you without consent. I know you can do it, I saw you beat up his concubines.

KMUSE: And on a last note, I would just like to say….. THE MAID TOTALLY ROCKS!  She might be my favorite character so far.

Drama Geek: The maid really is the best character. She totally rolls with whatever personality shows up, and even prepares for both situations. She does listen to the boring personality when she’s there, but then when Tan Er suddenly arrives she is pumped because she knows this girl will stand up for herself.  It helps that this actress is cute as a button.

And this concludes our positive recap of the first three episodes.  What was your favorite positive moment?  Share in the comments and be sure to check back as we recap the next three episodes ASAP.

Are you interested in watching along?  Check out the drama HERE on VIKI

Til next time,

Kmuse & Drama Geek