

It's very thoughtfully written with nice pacing, witty dialogue, complex plotting, and twists/revelations that are well-justified (ie if you look back, the twist makes sense in-world, it's not just a shocking twist for the sake of it). I also really appreciated the depiction of friendships, especially between women, which is pretty rare in this type of drama. It's not at all conventional, and the two have such a unique chemistry that is quite interesting to watch. There is a bit of romance, but it feels really natural and doesn't drive the plot. Even the most minor characters are multifaceted and have their own stories and motivations. It's an bition, world-spanning epic with some of the best world-building and characterization I've seen in any drama - not just the ML and FL, but the supporting characters are more memorable than many leads I've seen. The Rise of Phoenixes has a very similar feel to Nirvana in Fire but focuses on a much larger cast and their web of connections. The story follows a young man who has spent years studying the political situation and the personal habits of the corrupt officials and power-hungry royalty who are in power and his elaborate plans to put a good King on the throne. All of the characters are well-acted, and the ML is such an interesting character that I was immediately hooked. NiF is consistently well-written from beginning to end, beautifully produced, and doesn't rely on the usual tropes and cliches but builds a very interesting world. Nirvana in Fire } completely earned his reputation - I thought no drama could live up to that amount of hype, but I'm happy to say I was wrong.
Since I don't know what you're looking for exactly, so hopefully the summaries help you (no spoilers aside from maybe like the first episode), though I will say that Nirvana in Fire is a favorite of pretty much everyone both internationally and in China.

I mostly watch historical dramas with the occasional touch of fantasy, so I'll just link my favorites here with trailers and where to watch.
