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| Li Geyang Deserved a Crown and a Therapist After That Ending in Dominion and Devotion. |
Dominion and Devotion might look like your usual short-form historical C-drama—palace plots, slow-burn romance, tragic backstories.
But no.
This one drags you in with its clever premise and then stabs you straight through the heart with court politics, secret identities, and, yes, emotional devastation via Li Geyang and Huang Haoyue’s painfully good performances.
Directed by Fortune Writer’s Zhang Zhiwei, this isn’t your typical gender-bending palace fluff. Set in the fictional Da Ning dynasty, we follow Empress Ning Jinyi—born a princess of a fallen dynasty, raised pretending to be a prince—and her most loyal “eunuch,” Pei Shenzhi—who’s also living a lie as he’s actually a hidden prince himself.
Confused? Don’t worry, the drama lays it all out slowly, then hits you with the payoff like a ton of imperial bricks.
Let’s talk about that ending, shall we?
Spoilers ahead, obviously.
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In one of the most gutting finales I’ve seen in a while, Pei Shenzhi literally sacrifices himself, taking thousands of arrows to the chest to protect Jinyi.
And she—now ruling alone—has to carry on the throne with no one truly by her side.
Her arc from hidden heir to ruling Empress was powerful, and seeing it end in tragedy... well, let’s just say tissues were deployed.
But then—just when we thought all hope was lost—Tencent came in like a chaotic fairy godmother with a surprise bonus scene.
We get a glimpse of Jinyi, now Empress, being presented with a selection of male consorts.
And among them? A very familiar face—Li Geyang looking suspiciously like Pei Shenzhi, but without the iconic mole.
Is it really him? A doppelgänger? A fantasy? A soft reset from the trauma?
Honestly, I don’t care. I’m choosing delusion: Pei Shenzhi lives.
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Please. Someone give me a Season 2. Or a side story. Or a modern AU. I’m not picky.
Let’s not understate the performances either.
Li Geyang absolutely smashed this role.
Anyone who remembers him from In Blossom already knew the boy had range, but this?
This was full lead actor realness. The nuance, the pain, the chemistry—he was magnetic.
Huang Haoyue, too, gave a layered, striking performance. I still don’t buy her as passing for a male heir (girl, you're too pretty), but emotionally, she nailed it.
Ning Jinyi was complicated and commanding—never just a cardboard “strong female lead.”
Also, can we take a moment for the supporting cast?
The older generation in this drama? Chilling.
That godfather character? One eyebrow raise away from murder at all times. Love it.
Bottom line?
Dominion and Devotion might not have had the budget or runtime of a major historical epic, but it delivered more emotional impact than most full-length dramas this year.
It’s bold, it’s well-acted, and it’s left a whole lot of us wrecked—in the best way.
Li Geyang is insane. And I’ll say it again: bring him back. Mole or no mole.