Oh! My Emperor 哦！我的皇帝陛下 Review

★★★★☆

The 2018 Chinese drama starring Zhao Lu-Si as Luo Fei-Fei, Gu Jia-Cheng as Beitang Yi, and Xiao Zhan as Beitang Mo-Ran. Directed by Gao Bo and written by Yu Hai-Xia and Yin Hang. 42 episodes (21 per season), about 25 minutes apiece.

Brief summary: On her way to an idol concert, medical intern Luo Fei-Fei gets into a bike accident that literally knocks her out of this world. She wakes up in a world ruled by the twelve star signs of the zodiac. New faces, a new way of living, everything is new to Luo Fei-Fei, except for one thing—the Crown Prince Beitang Yi’s face. He looks exactly like the idol Jia Cheng and Fei-Fei believes he may be the key to understanding her mysterious travel and returning home.

The cast makes this drama successful. Everyone delves into their roles very well and play their parts convincingly. Their hard work puts together an entertaining story that gets us attached to the characters. Paired with an OST that will stick around in your head for hours, it is difficult not to binge!

While the plot is shallow enough that it won’t induce any headaches, the characters add a certain amount of depth. Beitang Mo-Ran isn’t quite the second-leading male that makes a strong love triangle, but he helps add emphasis to the story between Beitang Yi and Luo Fei-Fei. Xie Yan-Ran isn’t a jealous contender, but she’s the best friend that every heroine should have.

Even Jia-Cheng, the elusive idol of Luo Fei-Fei’s affections, has a role that leads the plot. In the first two episodes, Fei-Fei’s concentration is all on Jia-Cheng. Because Fei-Fei is the fan club president, she gets close to the emperor Beitang Yi under the belief that he really is Jia-Cheng. Spending more time with Beitang Yi shows her how to let go of Jia-Cheng and fall for the emperor. The irony is that Jia-Cheng is the unsuspecting one that brings them together in the first place, but also in the finale.

The short episodes are easy to plow through. Do not be surprised if you find yourself binging episodes on end. The editing and collaboration of scenes is something to be examined, however. Many parts of the drama seem like a serious production. Others are just animated snippets trying to sum up the plot. While they clash, the two techniques both create unique fun and entertainment. The clashing isn’t anything to compliment, but we’ve definitely seen worse.

The ending is unexpected, but the final episodes are truly emotional. All things considering, although the editing does not fit together perfectly, I would still recommend this drama for high-quality entertainment and talent! 4/5 stars.