The Princess’s Gambit – the most disappointing C-drama of 2025?
When it comes to most disappointing Chinese dramas of 2025, The Princess’s Gambit has to be close to the top of my list.
Horribly written, with one of the most idiotic storylines I have ever come across, and with the only saving graces of this entire drama being male lead Liu Xue Yi, who can actually act, alongside several of its equally talented supporting actors, and the pretty cinematography and the gorgeous OST.
Other than that, the C-drama is an utter disaster, with Meng Zi Yi and her one-dimensional acting skills at the top of the reasons why you may want to avoid it at all costs, followed by a screenwriter (Su Ni) who has no idea where they want their script to go, so shoves in every C-drama trope on their way to getting there.
Then again, Su Ni’s Wrong Carriage, Right Groom was almost equally as frustratingly watchable, so there’s that.
So terrible is The Princess’s Gambit, though, it is at the top of my list of ‘C-dramas That Started Out So Well and Ended up as Pure Drivel‘.
Especially because, as someone who thinks Liu Xue Yi (who was also amazing in Kill Me Love Me) is one of the most underrated Chinese actors of his generation, I was depressed to see him being served a script that bad, and a co-star who… well.
I think it will be a while before I am able to find one worse.
The Princess’s Gambit earning a terribly low 5.4 on Douban
Don’t worry, though, I am not the only one who hated The Princess’s Gambit, as the Chinese historical romance drama is now earning an abysmally low 5.4 on Douban — China’s online database of film, TV, books, music etc, and, as ratings sites go, a relatively reputable rating site.
Considering a 6.0 out of 10 on Douban generally means “watch at your own risk”, you can only imagine how much the Chinese hated The Princess’s Gambit for viewers and critics to rate it so low.
About as much as I did, I would say. If not more so.
The Princess’s Gambit – My Favorite Douban comment
As the first in my new series ‘My Favorite Douban Comment‘ then, here is the best one from a viewer who watched The Princess’s Gambit and despised it even more than I did.
Although I suffered through to Episode 31 before I dropped it for good, while they only survived up to Episode 5.
That Chinese viewer (called 华丽一腐 or Gorgeous and Rotten) expressed their disgust with The Princess’s Gambit, but in particular Meng Zi Yi’s “acting” skills like this.
Meng Zi Yi’s portrayal of stitching a wound without anesthesia is utterly disastrous. It’s as if the wound itself is something else entirely, while she herself seems like a bystander, occasionally empathizing with the victim’s pain.
Her performance of feeling like she’s being choked lacks any realism. Whether it’s internal or external injuries, or poisoning, she invariably clutches her chest as if in menstrual cramps.
At the end of the first episode, despite being in a predicament, she gives a sweet smile—not the kind of positive, confident acceptance of hardship, but rather the joy of being unaware of impending death and preparing for a happy life.
The acting is also superficial.
Upon entering the Prime Minister’s mansion, her smug expression during her wedding night prank on a high-ranking official from an enemy state is blatant. What the hell? A princess marrying the Prime Minister of an enemy state is humiliating enough, yet she dares to defy her superior? Does she think she’s an omnipotent god, or a beloved fairy? Did the actress even study the script? Did she even consider the character’s situation and psychology?
Yes, Meng Zi Yi’s good looks are undeniable, but she’s overly focused on her image, making her every move in the drama appear clumsy and artificial, and extremely distracting. If she can’t shake off her idol image, she should stay in variety shows and not ruin the audience’s viewing experience.
The male lead, Liu Xue Yi, is the complete opposite of Meng Zi Yi. Looking back, Liu Xue Yi has acted in many bad dramas, but his professional skills are unquestionable. His nuanced acting, coupled with his serious approach to each role, strives to make every character believable. With him in a drama, at least one character is reassuring.
In this drama, Liu Xue Yi’s acting has improved again, his eyes becoming increasingly sharp. However, paired with Meng Zi Yi, Liu Xue Yi’s angry expressions seem more like frustration at his co-star’s poor performance.
As for the plot, there are too many plot holes. It’s one thing for a princess sent to marry a powerful minister of an enemy state to be so arrogant, but a prince who grew up in a palace, suffering cold treatment and neglect, doesn’t even dare to be obsequious and cautious when facing a minister second only to the emperor; he actually dares to confront him head-on.
Is he some kind of fairy godmother?
Before watching: Avoid Meng Zi Yi! But Liu Xue Yi is also there, so I’ll bear with it. While watching: I’m ignorant, but Meng Zi Yi’s performance is far more distracting than I expected, and the plot is incredibly boring. I can’t stand it at all. Episode 5, dropped it.
Yep. Pretty much.
And I will add here that, as Chinese actresses go, Meng Zi Yi is usually not the worst.
She turned in a decent performance in Blossom, at least during the four episodes I have viewed so far (need to get back to that soon!), and I don’t remember being so annoyed during The Legend of Heroes that punching the screen was preferable to watching than it was with her performance in The Princess’s Gambit.
What makes her so insufferable to watch in The Princess’s Gambit, though, is that it’s obvious from the minute she arrives on screen, as the Chinese Douban commenter intimated, she knows she’s pretty, she’s going to make damn sure YOU know she’s pretty, and that thought takes over her every movement and facial expression from then on.
Because, damn it, her face cannot possibly feature any “ugly” expression, as where would she be then?
Being poisoned – a blank expression. Being attacked in her carriage by an assassin – a blank expression. Being fallen on by a strange man in a brothel – no expression at all.
Falling off a cliff backwards – such a blank expression as she plummets to her supposed death, you wonder if she was hit on the head before she fell. (She wasn’t!).
Now, I could blame director Yi Nun for this but, if it was his fault, why was Liu Xue Yi able to give a superb performance as Chancellor Shen Zai Ye, and why did most of the supporting cast – including Liu Ling Zi, Bian Cheng, Gao He Yuan and Shao Wei Tong (don’t get me started on Fan Jing Wen, as Shen Zei Ye’s sister as she was equally as bad) – give solid performances as well?
So, yep, my favorite Douban commenter on The Princess’s Gambit gets it just right, and in such nicely written prose as well.
Now, if you must, you can watch all 36 episodes of The Princess’s Gambit on WeTV. – a streaming service that I think is well-worth an annual subscription.
Just don’t you dare come back here and tell me I didn’t warn you.
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