Yu lou chun

While the beginning seemed to come off as a bit campy, the investment into the series definitely paid off. This drama centers around the fragility of life under absolute monarchy in China's Ming dynasty. Because of this, the story-line almost needs to mix in a bit of humor to keep one from going into a deep depression at the magnitude of loss taking place (i.e. Entire families being annihilated/being wiped out). And the VERY intimate personal stories about relationships draw you in because they are so compelling; there is very little stiffness or room for guesswork as you begin to completely understand the characters' motivations and cause-and-effect at work. The plot-twists and surprises are amazingly written, specifically because the root of the story is so universal; no one is 100% good or evil, we all have flaws and strengths and it's how you DEAL with situations and the people around you who define who you are in life ultimately. I can't recommend this highly enough.