- Drama Title: Kill Me Love Me
- Also Known As: 春花焰, Weariness of Spring Flowers, Chun Hua Yan
- Genres: Historical, Romance, Mystery, Political
- Director: Vicky Wong, Cheng Lu
- Cast: Liu Xue Yi, Wu Jin Yan
- Number of Episodes: 32
- Date of Release: October 14, 2024
- Original Network: Youku
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Youku, Viki
- Adapted from the novel “Chun Hua Yan” by Hei Yan
Dear readers… Just last night I read many news about the natural disasters happening all over the world. My condolences to all those who died in the floods in Spain. My heart goes out to you. Anyway, I have just finished the Kill Me Love me drama and I am ready to share my thoughts on it through this review. So, without further ado, let’s get started. Happy reading!
Kill Me Love Me Drama Synopsis
The third prince of the Great Yan Kingdom, Murong Jing He, led his Weibei Army to reclaim Qingzhou City. His triumphant victory turned into a catastrophe when Qingzhou City was burned to the ground. Rumors spread that Murong Jing He was behind the devastating fire that killed 100,000 citizens of Qingzhou.
Among those who perished in the fire were Mei Lin’s parents. Fueled by rage and hatred, Mei Lin vowed to avenge the innocent lives and killed the mastermind. She spent ten years of her life training as an assassin in a secret guild called the Shadow Works.
Mei Lin consumed a deadly poison that would make her an unstoppable assassin. Her first mission matched her desire: to kill the Third Prince, Murong Jing He.
Mei Lian entered the palace of the Great Yan Kingdom disguised as one of a hundred Xiyan beauties. The ladies were sent to be part of a political marriage alliance between the Emperor of Great Yan and the Princess of Xiyan, Zi Gu. Inside the palace, she meets Yue Qin, the hostage prince of the Xiyan Kingdom.
Mei Lian patiently waits for her chance to strike. As time goes by, new facts are revealed before her eyes, the culprit of the fire may not be the real culprit. The constant interaction between Murong Jing He and herself opened a path of no return: the path of love.
The last thing Mei Lin learns is that the man who ordered her to kill Murong Jing He is none other than Murong Jing He himself.
Kill Me Love Me Drama Review
Hola dear readers, Kill Me Love Me is a 32-episode drama directed by Cheng Lu and Huang Wei Jie. I came across it when I was leisurely browsing through my Youku apps. I didn’t plan to watch it at first because I wanted to watch an urban drama. But I was attracted by the poster and the trailer. It has a mysterious aura and a promising story.
That, and the fact that the male lead is Liu Xue Yi. My dear readers must know that I love to see some pretty faces on the screen, so when I see one, I don’t waste my chance. 😁
The Inconsistent Plot
The premise of “Kill Me Love Me” is quite simple and yet complicated. Simple because it’s about Mei Lin’s revenge. But it gets complicated because she targeted the wrong person. In the end, Mei Lin works together with Murong Jing He to uncover the hidden conspiracy behind the catastrophe. Besides the wrong target, there was also a power struggle in two countries.
The main conflict of Kill Me Love Me is the on-off relationship between Mei Lin and Murong Jing He. As a couple, they had a very bad start. Mei Lin didn’t know that Murong Jing He was the leader of the Shadow Works and Murong Jing He didn’t know that he would fall head over heels for his own assassin.
The way the Shadow Factory trains its assassins is quite cruel. It is almost the same as what happened to Yun Wei Shan in the My Journey to You drama. Both guilds use poison to control their assassins. But this time, the cruel technique backfired on Murong Jing He because he had to see his beloved suffer as a result of his own plan.
There were also side stories about Princess Zi Gu (Huang Ri Ying) and her love for the much older Emperor of Great Yan, played perfectly by Jiang Kai. Historical palace dramas often featured scenes of young beauties being sent to the emperor’s harem.
And even though the emperor was much older, I can’t remember any drama that showed the bond between the older emperor and his young concubine. Kill Me Love Me is different. Although there wasn’t an intimate scene, the affection between the two characters is clearly shown.
Meanwhile, I always see Jiang Kai as a charismatic leader in many dramas, such as She and Her Perfect Husband drama, Tiger and Crane, Wonderland of Love, Blossoms in Adversity, and The Princess Royal. This time he plays the role of an infatuated husband. It’s interesting to see Jiang Kai act like one.
But even though this plot was interesting in a way, I have to say that I was dissatisfied with the rendition. There were some plot holes in the story and the character development was not what I expected to be.
Mei Lin, who was portrayed as a strong, ruthless and cunning woman at the beginning of the show, slowly turned into a weak woman who needed help at every turn. Murong Jing He, the cruel prince, ended up as a forlorn man who suffered for love.
When I watched this drama, I expected to see a drama full of intrigue, fierce battles, and the war of the worlds. But I stepped into the world of romance between two people who carry heavy emotional baggage that led to angst, which I felt was a bit forced. How sad it was!
And let’s not even talk about character development. Can we just have main characters who are true to their nature? Even though there were many obstacles in their way, they shouldn’t change so much that I started to forget how they were before. 😫
The Best Parts of This Drama
Anyway, even though I rant a lot, I still have some praise for this drama. The visuals of Kill Me Love Me are good. Well, let’s just forget about some flaws like the horse-riding scenes. The directors seemed to forget that when someone rides a horse fast, their hair should be blown by the wind. I forget which episode it was, but you can do your own research. 😁
But I mean it when I talk about good visuals. I always love it when a drama uses many camera angles to capture the emotions of the characters. Good lighting also helps to create the dark atmosphere of the story without me having to increase the brightness of the screen. And the best part is none other than the costumes.
The costume designer of this drama is Li Meng, who also did an excellent job on Snowfall and Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 2: To the West drama. Contrary to my usual style, my favorite Wu Jin Yan costume is the simple one she wore in the last episode. The pastel robe has flower embroidery on the front, starting from the right shoulder down to the bottom. It is really beautiful and emphasizes Wu Jin Yan’s youthful appearance.
I loved seeing how the actors perfectly matched their characters in terms of appearance. This is very important. If the actor didn’t match the character’s appearance, it would affect the presentation of the story. I was glad that this drama excelled in this aspect.
Wu Jin Yan may have the delicate appearance of a damsel in distress. But she also has a slightly cold and brave disposition. This is perfect for Mei Lin, who has two different identities as an attribute woman and an assassin.
The same traits could also be seen in her character in The Double Drama, Jiang Li. However, I think Wu Jin Yan’s acting in The Double is better than in this drama. This time, she was completely overshadowed by Liu Xue Yi’s excellent acting.
Liu Xue Yi’s sharp facial features are perfect to describe Murong Jing He. Sometimes, he looked handsome and playful. But in another scene, he looked like a bitter and cruel person. Liu Xue Yi is an actor who often plays risky characters.
I saw him in A League of Nobleman. But I remembered his acting in Unshakable Faith drama and In Blossom very well. His character in Kill Me Love Me reminded me of Pan Yue in In Blossom. Deep down, Murong Jing He and Pan Yue are good people with fragile hearts, but they show their cruel side to the world. I think Liu Xue Yi’s acting is better in this drama. I cried a bucket of tears when I saw him regret what he did to Mei Lin.
Bi Wen Jun and Huang Ri Ying are a perfect match as siblings. Both of them have the same gentle and kind appearance. A perfect choice to portray Yue Qin and Zi Gu. In Kill Me Love Me, my favorite character is Huang Ri Ying’s Princess Zi Gu. Huang Ri Ying played this character very well. Zi Gu is beautiful, kind and sweet. Truly a charming character.
Bi Wen Jun did a good job as Yue Qin, who was deeply in love with Mei Lin despite being rejected. The heartbroken expression on his face made my heart sad, and seeing him trying to be strong made my heart flutter. I really want to pat his shoulder and comfort him. This young man needed a little happiness in his life.
Sadly, the least attractive character is Zhao Xiao Tong’s Luo Mei. As a general from a military family with the powerful Tiger Clan, Luo Mei lacked the charisma that a general used to have. For me, the best portrayal of a female general is still Zhang Tian Ai’s A Mai in Fighting for Love and Ma Si Chun’s Ye Zhao in the 2017 drama Oh My General.
The ending of this drama is predictable without any twist. By the third part of the drama, you could see for yourself where the Kill Me Love Me drama would end, you can read it at Kill Me Love Me ending explained post that I also wrote. Just keep tissues handy because Liu Xue Yi’s acting will make you cry.
The Characters
Mei Lin
The young Mei Lin (played by Wu Jin Yan) is a cheerful and lovely girl. She lived a happy life with her parents. However, after their death, Mei Lin’s personality changed drastically. She carries resentment and hatred in her heart. Her determination to avenge their deaths is as strong as steel. Mei Lin could survive years of excruciating training with only one thing on her mind, the death of Murong Jing He.
When she carried out the missions, Mei Lin showed her cunning and sharp mind. She could think of the most efficient way to get close to Murong Jing He, and she wasn’t afraid of being a seductress.
As time went by, Mei Lin could figure out that the real culprit behind the fire was not Murong Jing He. She begins to see him from a different perspective and realizes his value. Murong Jing He is not a bad person. Mei Lin’s beauty, kindness, courage, and sharp mind were the qualities that made Murong Jing He fall in love with her.
Murong Jing He
Like Mei Lin, Murong Jing He (played by Liu Xue Yi) used to be a cheerful and charming young man. But after the Qingzhou incident, which left him with a crippled leg, Murong Jinghe became somber and resentful. For years, Murong Jing He pretended to be an idle prince who liked to drink wine. He often acts rudely toward his father and brother just to hide his calculating mind.
Murong Jing He is skilled in martial arts and strategy. He is a good general and leader for his Weibei Army. But guilt and remorse corroded his heart to the point that he neglected his own life to seek justice for his comrades.
Murong Jing He is a very patient man. He has been slowly building his plan for years, sticking to it no matter what. However, he failed to consider that Mei Lin would one day take up a place in his heart.
Yue Qin
The Prince Heir of the Xiyan Kingdom is gentle, kind, and friendly. Since his youth, he has been a hostage prince in the Great Yan Kingdom. Back in Xiyan, people said that being a hostage prince was a miserable way of life. However, Yue Qin (played by Bi Wen Jun) drew his inspiration from the Emperor of Great Yan, who was benevolent and cared for his people.
On the contrary, Yue Qin’s father was obsessed with immortality. They didn’t share the same vision as father and son, let alone monarch and subject. And his home, the Xiyan Palace, was full of traps and murders.
Yue Qin and his sister had to live their days carefully. But no matter how hard their lives are, the siblings care for and protect each other. For Yue Qin, the most important person in his heart is Zi Gu. Until he met Mei Lin
Zi Gu
Zi Gu (played by Huang Ri Ying) is the princess of Xiyan. She was sent to Great Yan as one of the hundred beauties along with Mei Lin. Unlike any other princess in other dramas, Zi Gu is a humble princess with a childlike spirit who longs for freedom and love.
Yue Qin loves his sister dearly and always does everything to keep her happy and protected. But that doesn’t make Zi Gu an arrogant and spoiled princess. On the contrary, she has a strong sense of justice and responsibility. Even though she is often afraid of small things, Zi Gu could transform into someone who is brave and dares to do the impossible.
Luo Mei
Luo Mei (played by Zhao Xiao Tong) is the only daughter of General Yan of the Great Yan Kingdom. Ever since she was a young girl, Luo Mei used to spend a lot of time with Murong Xuan Lie and Murong Jing He.
Murong Xuan Lie was always in love with her, but it was Murong Jing He with whom Luo Mei first fell in love. Unlike her younger self, General Luo Mei is a cold and distant person. However, she put her loyalty to the emperor above everything, including her feelings.
Murong Xuan Lie
Murong Xuan Lie (played by Baron Chen) is the elder brother of Murong Jing He. He was the first prince of the Great Yan Kingdom and was appointed as the Crown Prince and heir to the throne.
Murong Xuan Lie has always maintained a gentle and friendly demeanor. However, deep down, he is a cunning, ambitious, and ruthless person. Since he was young, Murong Xuan Lie was in love with Luo Mei. Unfortunately, Luo Mei only had eyes for the lively Murong Jing He.
The Conclusion
Kill Me Love Me started strong as a revenge drama but ended as a romance. Regrettable indeed. Although the story has many plot holes and disappointing character development, I really enjoyed the visuals and costumes.
Well, if you can’t enjoy the story, at least there must be something to enjoy, like the pretty faces of the actors, or the beautiful costumes and sets. For your information, I am an optimistic person. So some of you might not feel the same way I do, and that’s okay.
This Kill Me Love Me drama may not be my cup of tea and I would never consider watching it again. But that doesn’t mean you have to hate it too. Just give it a chance. Who knows, Kill Me Love Me might be a source of happiness in the days to come. Hope this review helps. Happy watching!
Elaborate battle scenes, scheming plots, conspiracies and palace intrigue do not have the capacity to make an audience feel. We’re exposed on a daily basis to crap in the real world, we’ve become insensitive to the real pain and suffering of people, so how is it a simple movie like this can elicit my tears, make me angry and make me laugh? As one who indulged in the art of screenwriting I can vouch for just how difficult it is to do this. Its the relationships in the story that makes one cry, laugh, feel anger etc. Imagine a horror film that doesn’t elicit even the slightest reaction of fear – that is considered a failed movie. The same holds true here. Its worth watching this film for the privilege of being able to go through the narrative journey with two main characters played by lead actors that draw you in. The male lead is truly an excellent actor, I can’t think of a single Hollywood actor who was able to convey his character so well, you can’t help but shed tears along with him.