- Title: Different Princess
- Also Known As:花青歌, Flower Green Song, Hua Qing Ge
- Director: Shen Jin Fei
- Cast: Song Yi Ren, Ding Ze Ren
- Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Historical
- Number of Episodes: 36
- Date of Release: January 12, 2024
- Original Network: Youku
- Where to Watch: Youku
Hello readers. How has your day been? I hope everything is going well. It’s been raining nonstop at my place. I hope today will be sunny so that I can go out for a walk. I have been watching this Chinese romance drama ‘Different Princess’ for some time now.
However, my computer is acting up again, so I am a little bit late in posting my review of the drama. I hope you don’t mind. Enough with the chit-chat, let’s get down with the business. Here is my review of the drama, I hope you enjoy it.
Different Princess Synopsis
Hua Qing Ge is a modern web novel author. She wrote a story about a villainous prince from ancient times who killed the protagonist prince out of revenge. Although Hua Qing Ge was satisfied with the story’s ending, her readers were not.
They cursed her and the ending of the novel. All of them demanded that Hua Qing Ge change the ending. However, their words did not sway her. So she went to sleep, unaware that when she woke up, Hua Qing Ge would be living in her own novel.
Ji Chu is the villain in the story, known for his ruthlessness and evil nature. Unfortunately for Hua Qing Ge, she woke up as Princess Hua Qing Ge from Fuyu Kingdom, Ji Chu’s newly wedded wife. In order to return to her world, Hua Qing Ge had to change the ending of her novel.
As an author, she thought it would be easy, but she soon realized that every character has their own thoughts and desires. Additionally, she discovered many details that were not written in her book.
Unknowingly, Hua Qing Ge became a part of the world she had created. Although she is still guarding the story plot, Hua Qing Ge gradually begins to treat the people in that world as real human beings. She makes friends with the male lead, the female lead, and other supporting characters.
Hua Qing Ge’s main purpose of changing the ending becomes a dilemma when she realizes that she has fallen in love with the villain prince, Ji Chu. What will Hua Qing Ge choose in the end: to return to her world or stay with her loved one?
Different Princess Drama Review
Some time ago, I was addicted to reading C-novels about transmigrating into novels. Many web novelists wrote about this, and I spent hours reading these stories. It slowly became my guilty pleasure. When I came across this drama, I knew I shouldn’t miss it. I clicked on it and spent a few days binge-watching it.
Different Princess is a 30-minute show with 36 episodes. It did not feel that long because the ending was always a bit abrupt. I had no idea why many Cdramas have this kind of ending. Suddenly, the scene was cut, and the ending song played in the background. Why did they not make it like Hidden Love, where the ending was carefully arranged? I think the issue was related to the production budget.
It’s often said that money can’t buy happiness, but in this case, it could have improved the CGI and the ending scenes, which would have made me happy. LOL.
Moving on to the drama itself, I was a little confused about the genre of this drama. I feel that Different Princess should be classified as a romantic comedy rather than just a romance. Song Yi Ren has an incredibly expressive face and her exaggerated gestures are perfect for comedy.
Several characters, such as Lin Xi Yao, also seem suited for comedy. Lin Xi Yao is the female coroner who is intelligent but completely clueless when it comes to directions. It took her four hours to complete a one-hour journey. Gong Ye Qi is a poison master who exudes a cold aura and is always full of negativity and resentment. This scary character has a strange habit of carrying his pet fish in a portable aquarium.
Confusing Genre
I was initially convinced that this drama would be a comedy, given the humor in the first episode. However, subsequent episodes were lacking in comedic elements, with the exception of scenes featuring Song Yi Ren. As the story progressed, I found the mystery of the story to be quite appealing.
As I write this review, I am still contemplating why this drama seemed like a failed attempt at comedy. Was the script not funny enough, or were the actors unsuitable for comedy scenes? I hope this thought does not keep me awake tonight.
The story itself had good potential since Different Princess drama had been among the top Youku dramas in my region. I am sure many people liked this drama and decided to watch it despite many good dramas lately (I was pretty preoccupied with Judge Dee’s Mystery, Amidst the Snowstorm of Love, and Fighting For Love).
The drama had a clear characterization though I did not see too much character development in this drama. Only Ji Chu transformed into a better person, showing less cruelty and indifference. Ji Yun is still a soft-hearted person, Lin Xi Yao is still a kind and big-hearted person, and even Hua Qing Ge is still as impulsive as she used to be.
The fictional world that Hua Qing Ge enters is inside her novel, titled The Tale of Yun and Xi. The world focuses on the relationship between Crown Prince Ji Yun and the coroner of the East Office, Lin Xi Yao. Ji Chu is the villain, while Hua Qing Ge is the cannon fodder who is killed on her wedding night, and her body is found in the Prince Lv Mansion’s pond.
Cannon fodder refers to soldiers who are considered expendable in battle. In Chinese dramas and novels, this term is used to describe characters who typically die early on and serve as a stepping stone for other characters, particularly the main leads.
However, there are also stories of cannon fodder characters who refuse to be killed and strive for a better life, including in this drama. Hua Qing Ge is the cannon fodder who is destined to die as soon as she marries Ji Chu. it could be seen in the first episode when she was just transmigrated into the novel.
Oblivious to her fate, Hua Qing Ge was killed by Ji Chu on their wedding night. However, she was given a second chance to change the ending by the system. If Hua Qing Ge wanted to return to her world, she must make Ji Chu a better man and ensure Ji Yun’s survival until the end of the story.
Background Story
The drama revolves around the royal family, with the main conflict centered around the power struggle between the princes (and their mothers): Empress Hua supports Ji Yun, Imperial Consort Wei controls Ji Feng, and Ji Chu is left alone after his mother, Imperial Consort Xian, dies.
In my opinion, their father, the Emperor did not seem reliable. He seemed less powerful than his sons. So far, I have never found a good emperor or father, except for the emperor in Love Like the Galaxy drama.
The intrigues within the royal family destroyed the four siblings’ relationship. Ji Yun, Ji Feng, Ji Chu, and Ji Wan’er used to be on good terms when they were young. But now, no matter how much they longed for it, they could not return to their former relationship. Nevertheless, Ji Yun, Ji Chu, and Ji Wan’er still felt sad when Ji Feng died.
Power struggles are a common theme in Cdrama. Often, we get an outsider’s perspective. However, this drama was unique because the outsider, Hua Qing Ge, was not an ordinary one. She is the author of the novel, yet she is surprised by many things she never knew before.
Additionally, she experienced firsthand how the story went in a direction she never thought possible. This is the main point that sets Different Princess apart from other palace dramas. Hua Qing Ge truly felt like a stranded character in a strange world.
Although the drama genre was a bit confusing, I enjoyed the storyline. Many secrets were unraveled as the story progressed, and the twists and turns kept me engaged. I was curious to know who was the mastermind behind the murder of Imperial Consort Xian and why they killed her. The mystery aspect of this drama was more compelling than the romance.
Speaking of romance, Different Princess has a slow-paced romance. Be patient with the progress of Ji Chu and Hua Qing Ge’s relationship. Their first kissing scene only occurs in the 24th episode, which is quite late. Although the scene was dramatic, Hua Qing Ge’s actions were a bit strange. She was shy at first but then turned into a madwoman in a split second.
However, this behavior is not uncommon when someone is in love. Sometimes, we do stupid things in front of our loved ones. It reminds me of my teenage years. I was extremely nervous in front of my crush, causing my brain to have a short circuit, and I ended up embarrassing myself.
Hua Qing Ge is an adult, but perhaps she has never experienced love before. Besides, don’t forget that she seemed to have a low EQ. Considering these reasons, the strange scene now makes sense.
Oh, I almost forgot one thing. At the very beginning of the story, Hua Qing Ge realized that she could jump high, it might be her superhero ability that she gained after she moved into the story. I was waiting for her to use it in the latter episode only to be met with disappointment because other than at the beginning of the story, Hua Qing Ge never used it again.
A good drama is a result of good cooperation between the director, the scriptwriter, the actors, and the rest of the production team. Different Princess excels in visual and cinematography aspects.
However, I did not feel enough chemistry between the characters. They seemed to live in their own bubbles, touching each other but with a barrier between them. I hope this is only my imagination because I can imagine the hard work behind this drama.
Although there was an unprecedented death in the ending, the ending itself was quite satisfying. I will write about the ending of Different Princess in a separate post of Different Princess Ending Explained, don’t forget to drop by, dear readers. Your visit would be much appreciated.
The Cinematography
Different Princess deserves high praise for its cinematography. The shooting angles, lighting, sets, and costumes were all impressive. I enjoyed watching the visuals so much that I was willing to overlook other aspects.
The first one to admire is the costumes. Every character in this drama wore beautiful clothes. Unlike other dramas, I was particularly fascinated by the male characters’ robes. They wore heavy, structured robes with beautiful embroidery. It might not be very ancient-like, because their collar was quite modern.
Ji Chu often wore a deep V-neck robe, which looked great on him. However, he surprised me by showing up in a high-collar black robe, which made him look even more dashing. Ji Yun frequently wears robes with collars, which vary between wide and stand-up styles. Gong Ye Qi has been seen wearing a loose turtleneck collar.
Female clothing also differs between characters, although it generally follows an ancient-like style, except for Hua Qing Ge. Her clothes have a more modern touch compared to others. For instance, her red and cream dress in episode 24. The dress has a deep V-cut in the front and back, with cream fabric covering the chest area.
A red ribbon serves as a choker necklace. At first glance, you can see a European charm on her dress. Ji Wan’er’s dress is more traditional, while Lin Xi Yao wears an off-shoulder collared dress. The dresses and robes are stunning, with vibrant colors adding to their charm.
I did not like the makeup because it felt too thick, and the actors’ lips were too red, especially for the male actors. In my opinion, the wigs were also a big no-no, as their hairlines looked unnatural. I hope they can do better than that.
On the other hand, I appreciated the detailed and meticulously arranged sets in this drama. My favorite part was not the palace sets, but the Jingzhi Library with its rotating bookshelf. As a book lover, I tend to pay more attention to library collections. Despite the chaotic appearance due to the numerous books and scrolls, the library exuded a warm and homey atmosphere, just like Ji Wan’er’s warm personality.
Additionally, I was impressed with the lighting and the camera angles. Good lighting and well-chosen camera angles can enhance the mood and emphasize the emotions of the characters. The director did an excellent job in this aspect. I was instantly drawn into the scene when Lady Wuxue danced in the early episode. The director used fast and slow motion to capture the beauty of her body movements and flowing dress.
This is the first drama in 2024 that suits my visual aesthetic. I hope there will be many more dramas to come. I am optimistic since it is only February. Yay!
The Characters
Hua Qing Ge (played by Song Yi Ren)
Hua Qing Ge is a modern web novelist who wanted to create a unique and unconventional story ending. She went against the norm by keeping the villain character as a villain and having the main leads killed by him. However, when she made the villain character remain a villain and allowed the main leads to be killed by him, the story’s ending was hated by readers.
This increases the reader’s enmity level to its limit and activates the mysterious system. The system warned Hua Qing Ge that if she refused to change the ending, the plot would backfire on her. She ultimately had to change the ending to avoid the consequences.
Hua Qing Ge who is carefree, creative, cheerful, and lacking in emotional intelligence, transmigrated into the fictional world of The Tale of Yun and Xi. She woke up in the body of Hua Qing Ge (she used her own name for this character), a princess from the Fuyu Kingdom and Empress Hua’s niece.
Hua Qing Ge did not change her personality to fit into the world but the world seemed to accept her ingenuity. Initially, Hua Qing Ge appeared to be a bystander in the fictional world. She saw everything with wide eyes, full of curiosity. She admired Miss Wuyue like a long-time fan, she stared at Hong the fish with interest and instantly idolized Ji Yun when she met him for the first time.
Gradually, she began to think of them as her friends. With her gentle and kind heart, Hua Qing Ge wanted to help everyone out of the predicament that she, as the writer, had created for them. She began to regret her rash decision regarding a character’s fate after learning about their past and events of which she was unaware.
Hua Qing Ge never loved Ji Yun; her feelings for him were merely admiration. However, she truly fell in love with Ji Chu. She even got jealous when Wei Nan Yi appeared in Liang. This love became a dilemma when Hua Qing Ge remembered that she had to return to her world.
Ji Chu (played by Ding Ze Ren)
Ji Chu, the villain prince, lived up to his reputation. He is handsome but has a cold and lazy attitude. He is also smart and ruthless, likely due to being nurtured in a cruel environment.
Ji Chu was sent to the neighboring country as a hostage prince for years. He was chosen because of the Imperial Consort Wei’s plan. During his stay in Nan Jing Kingdom, he was abused and humiliated by others. When he finally returned, he was full of resentment and anger.
Ji Chu harbored deep-seated animosity towards the royal family due to his painful years as a hostage prince. Additionally, he sought to avenge the death of his mother, Imperial Consort Xian. She was tragically killed after being drugged and turned into a monster. Ji Chu’s mother is just an ordinary person. It was the special drug that changed her.
Ji Chu was not always a villain. In his youth, he had a good relationship with his siblings Ji Yun, Ji Feng, and Ji Wan’er. However, their elder’s ambitions caused their friendship to crumble. Only after falling in love with Hua Qing Ge did Ji Chu’s heart begin to soften. Ji Chu has a good heart, but the situation has forced him to become cold and ruthless.
Ji Yun (played by Sun Zu Jun)
Ji Yun is the biological son of Empress Hua and the main character of the novel. The Tale of Yun and Xi, tells the story of his life and his relationship with Lin Xi Yao. As the protagonist, Ji Yun possesses intelligence, gentleness, kindness, and attentiveness. It is no wonder that readers cursed Hua Qing Ge when she caused his death in the novel.
However, Ji Yun lacked decisiveness. As a future emperor, he was too soft-hearted, Especially regarding those around him.
Ji Yun fell in love with Hua Qing Ge, and he could not hide his feelings because they were blatantly displayed on his face. Every time Hua Qing Ge was near him, his eyes would follow her around, and people could easily see his affection for her. Unfortunately, due to her low emotional intelligence, Hua Qing Ge never realized his affection.
Lin Xi Yao (played by Zhu Rong Jun)
Lin Xi Yao is the coroner of the East Office. She is known for her calm and composed demeanor, as well as her intelligence and uprightness. Her kind heart has earned her no enemies. She is meticulous in her job, her hand which holds an ancient scalpel is steady when she has to deal with corpses.
While on duty, Lin Xi Yao was always followed by Du Hui, the secretary of the East Office. His job was not only to record all the details of the autopsy, but also to act as her navigator since Lin Xi Yao had no sense of direction and would get lost without him.
Lin Xi Yao is Ji Yun’s wife and the Empress in the original story. Upon Hua Qing Ge’s transmigration into the story, Ji Yun had not yet become his wife. Lin Xi Yao had already developed feelings for the crown prince due to his kindness, but she never expressed them and did not become infatuated with him.
Eventually, Lin Xi Yao’s true identity was revealed as the long-lost daughter of the Duke. He intended to marry her to Ji Chu, but the Duke changed his mind and sided with the Empress. The Duke requested the Empress to arrange a marriage between Lin Xi Yao and Crown Prince Ji Yun.
From the beginning, Hua Qing Ge tried to matchmake between Lin Xi Yao and Ji Yun, unaware that it was impossible because Ji Yun had already fallen in love with her. Nevertheless, due to the Duke’s intervention, Ji Yun still ended up marrying Lin Xi Yao.
Ji Wan’er (played by Zhang Yue Nan)
Ji Wan’er is the biological sister of Ji Yun and was also born to Empress Hua. She is the owner of Jingzhi Library and is known for her intelligence, kindness, and affectionate nature. Despite being a princess, she does not display the arrogance of a spoiled princess. Instead, she has a strong sense of justice and is always ready to help others.
Ji Wan’er fell in love with Gong Ye Qi after reading his personality through his Weiqi game. Ji Wan’er decided to pursue him when she saw his flawless and elegant appearance. She believed he was a good person who had suffered injustice and was willing to help him, even if it meant putting herself on the line.
Gong Ye Qi (played by Chen Ze)
Gong Ye Qi is the Bai Wanshu of the Nangong Physician. He came from the Su family, which was exterminated due to an evil scheme. Gong Ye Qi is Ji Chu’s closest friend and private physician. He holds a grudge over his family’s extermination and, together with Ji Chu, has made a long-term plan to seek revenge.
Gong Ye Qi is skilled in medicine and poison, and he is both talented and loyal. He and Ji Chu have been friends for years since they first met in the Nan Jing Kingdom.
Initially, Gong Ye Qi had a gentle heart. After dating Ji Wan’er, he started looking for a sweet future for the two of them. When he discovered that the Empress was responsible for his family’s extermination, that soft heart began to harden again.
The Conclusion
Different Princess could have been a confusing drama. Although it seemed like a comedy, I couldn’t bring myself to laugh. However, it’s clear that the intention was to make it a comedy. Either way, this drama is something to try if you have some free time.
The story was good. However, the costumes and sets steal the show. Ignore the heavy makeup and focus on the bright colors, stunning fabrics, and bold style. The characters’ crisp clothes were pleasing to the eye.
The storyline was quite entertaining. The scriptwriter skillfully led us into a deeper conspiracy, which eventually led to a satisfying happy ending. This is a good choice for those who enjoy historical mystery dramas. Those who wanted to see the romance, well… you might be a little disappointed.
Anyhow, I hope you take this review with a grain of salt. Please keep in mind that this is all based on my personal preferences. I would like to read your opinion about this drama, so don’t forget to write it in the comment box below. Thank you for reading and happy watching, and see you on another Chinese drama review post!
