A weird first episode, a great middle-part and a totally rushed finale
I've only recently entered the Xianxia universe, everything is still fresh and new to me, so bear with me and my totally subjective point of view and rating. My first one was Ashes of Love which I binged within one week (and only two weeks ago at that, hence still present when I started this one), so the bar was set quite high from the very first minute.The story is intriguing and the title itself already hints to what you can expect (even though it sounds a bit cheesy). Two completely different beings fall in love with each other. You can already smell the scandal, the passion and the tragedy. Everyone who's a sucker for starcrossed lovers would take the bait. Me included, even though I didn't want to give in to the hype during its airing time. But the temptation was too big and I didn't regret it afterall. I'm actually glad because I can't be spoilered anymore (the risk was high, believe me).
The first episodes didn't pick me up right away. It was quite slow-paced and the female lead's voice was very high pitched. Many people complained about it. I bore with and got used to it pretty quickly though, until I didn't mind it at all anymore. At some point it started to fit her. It formed her character throughout the drama and became a special trait while she was evolving. It also helped distinguish different sides of her later on. She started off as a somewhat naive young woman who already experienced some hardships, i.e. not being accepted by others but her master, or loneliness. But she also got a sense of responsibility and took care of the destiny books in Arbiter Hall where she lived. Sometimes she behaved a bit childish but at the end she instinctively did the right thing. I wouldn't call her foolish either. She often found solutions on her own, even though those caused inconvenient consequences once in a while and were not always to my liking. But as the story went on, she grew with her tasks. I was really impressed by her resolution whenever she made a life-changing decision. Once she realized her biggest desire, she never wavered. I didn't always know what she was going to do, but I was never let down by her.
Dongfang, the male lead, had a hard time to win me over. But once the ice was broken, it was a pleasure to watch his character grow. In the earlier episodes he was moody all the time, what I could totally understand regarding the situation he was in. Sometimes though I found his expressions somewhat lacking, albeit that part was intended right from the beginning, and got explained later on. The missing emotions had positive effect though. It was quite impressive whenever his cold demeanor unexpectedly burst into fury. In the second half then, Donfang's character also gained a lot more layers and got complexier which made me happy beyond explanation. There was a point that completely changed my impression of the actor himself and allowed me then to fully enjoy his performance while finally wholeheartedly diving into the abysses of the lead.
The God of War, Changheng was never a character, I liked a lot. He was the second love interest which didn't even bother me. But he never thought twice about his implusive decisions. And when consequences hit him or bystanders hard, he rowed back. He decided on his own what was good for others. At some point though, he actually changed to the better, made me like him in some way which I didn't think was possible in the beginning.
The side cast was as intriguing as the main leads, I was invested in their stories alot, esp. Rong Hao's. Without telling too much, his tale was one of the most understandable and heartbreaking ones. On the other hand, Dongfang's brother got a reasonable history on his own. Whether intended or not, he never made me trust him completely though. There were also some loose ends of other people which I had liked to be explored some more, but I guess I can't have everything.
The acting was overall really good, however one or two people still need some fine-tuning, for example Dongfang's ~sidekick. At times he acted really well, in other situations he didn't seem confident at all.
What I really appeciated was that the love story took its time. It was slow-burning and subtle, hence it released a satisfying feeling when it finally bloomed, and got poignant at its climax. Misunderstandings get cleared pretty fast, too.
But as great as the middle-part became, the end itself was a small let-down for me. Alot of things suddenly happened in a really short amount of time. As if the writers didn't have enough time to tell everything. Fast changing scenes and small time jumps that led to a dysbalance of the overall atmosphere. Because it felt so rushed, the tension somewhat abated and didn't touch me as much as previous events in the drama. That part would have been a great finale if they had added one more episode.
As for the framing, beautiful music and CGI, and stunning costumes make this drama a feast for eyes and ears, but my absolute no. 1 highlight is Dongfang's hair. I can't even fathom what spell bewitched me here. I was always in awe whenever I saw it (which happened like... 90% of the drama, yes).
If someone is considering whether to watch this one or not, I'd say yes. It doesn't have that many episodes, the story is easy to understand and the character development is quite presentable. Also, there's a nice shifting of who the actual villain is even though it's predictable (if you include jerks, that damn almighty emperor would get first place, but who asks me).
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Surprised with this show
Best surprise here is Dylan Wang. I didn't expect that he will be able to nail the character. Also he looks good all in all.Esther was okay too. Some don't like her voice but for me, it was tolerable. I do get annoyed sometimes by her and tend to fast forward but I stop getting annoyed when she was in mortal realm onwards. She got more intelligent.
The effects were so good. I love it. Costume was nice too. They deviate from the ones similar to TMOPB. Kinda getting tired of them.
The story was good too. I love the body switching idea. I love dongfang orchid too. Wish for more scenes like this.
It was a nice xianxia all in all. Not too tropey
Was this review helpful to you?
crying weeping sobbing etc
-Stefon voice- this show has it all, glorious romance tropes, infuriating politicians, beautiful scenery and vfx, multiple female characters with great depth, at least three hotties with a bodies, and a happy ending.Okay all jokes aside, every time I started to think maybe the show was lacking a little big or lingering on something a little too long, I was swiftly proven wrong. Dylan Wang and Esther Yu are absolutely amazing in this, though I also want to give a shout out to all the actors playing the other leads and side characters -- truly so many characters felt fleshed out and real in their emotions and reactions. The relationships between them grew over time in a really interesting way, and it's so fun to look back at the start and see how much they've all changed.
Amazing, amazing work. I think one of my only real gripes is that I love Changheng too much for being the other guy in the love triangle :sob: -- edit, I forgot about this but I also didn't love the complete tone shift about DFQC's dad, I'm not against him being forgiven but I wish it had been handled better.
Was this review helpful to you?
An epic romance fantasy done right!
I have a short attention span and am very critical. I usually watch jdramas that run max 10 episodes at 24 min. each. So very quick dramas. It takes an exceptional show to keep my attention beyond that. I have, however, watched some really great cdramas that were so addicting I didn't even realize I had watched 30-50 1hr. long episodes.This is where Love between Fairy and devil come in. This show was my first xianxia drama and the bar has been set very high. I binged all 36 episodes in a few days and finished today. I couldn't stop watching, it was perfection, and I didn't want it to end. I could actually watch another thirty plus episodes about Orchid and Dongfang Qing Cang. It was hands down the best drama I've watched in 2022!
I loved everything about this drama. From the character development, forbidden slow burn love story, to the costumes, and amazing CGI. Also, this show's OST was one of the most beautiful I've heard and fit scenes so well. Every character comes to life here and I found myself growing attached to all of them.
The acting in this drama was amazing as well. Everyone did a phenomenal job with their roles. I had never seen the fl actress that plays Orchid in anything before this, but she really blew me away with her performance. She had several character shifts in this story and she acted them out flawlessly. Plus, she had great chemistry with the ml and 2nd ml. I also want to give mention to the actor that played Dongfang Qing Cang's brother. He was awesome as the semi-villain character. Lastly, a stand out of course was Dylan Wang as Dongfang Qing Cang. He never dissapoints. I, like a lot of others have been a fan of his since his debut in Meteor Garden. I thought back then although he was so young that he had a lot of potential and then I later saw him in the drama The Rational Life (which I highly recommend btw) and it just solidified how talented and versatile of an actor he is. I think he is the king of facial expressions and he really outdid himself in Love between Fairy and Devil. And since as I write this review it's Dec. 20th, I want to wish Dylan a happy 24th birthday. Its been great seeing him grow as an actor :D
Was this review helpful to you?
Love it! It made me laugh and cry a lot. I also love the OST
Love it! It made me laugh and cry a lot.You'll enjoy watching how litle by little their love for each other grow. The main leads have good chemistry.
I also love the OST. The CGI is also good especially when you watch it in 1080p or 4k on iQIYI
I already finished watching it on iQIYI app, but
It will also be available on netflix by mid-September 2022.
If you enjoy watching xianxia cdramas you can try watching this.
Other Xianxias/Wuxia:
I also want to suggest other xianxia cdramas like Ashes of Love, Love and Redemption, Legend of Yunxi,
Immortal Samsara is also good it is currently airing and it is available on youku and viu app.
Was this review helpful to you?
Why love Between Fairy and devil is one of the best xianxia cdrama
I would actually never watch a Xianxia cdrama i just started with love Between Fairy and devil because of the Female Lead she is my favourite actress. But i can tell you this one is now my favourite cdrama i really enjoyed the story the costum the acting how they do the magic even the sad moments where so beautiful i just can tell the people who never watched this Serie that the miss something you will not be disappointed i don't know which Serie you guys like but if you think this one is childish or the actress acting like a kid then you wrong you have just watch more episodes and she isn't childish or anything like this it's just her role and she did a amazing job if she were childish like the most people say then why is she so popular she has so many fans and she is a amazing actress and love Between Fairy and devil serie show that she can be a weak girl but also a really strong woman who will do everything to rescue her husband friends and clan. And about the male lead he also did a great job he will also do everything to make the girl he love happy and do everything just to keep her save the love story that they have is the best love story i ever seen in a xianxia cdrama i would definitely rewatch love Between Fairy and devil i hope you guys also support it and love the serie the way i do.( sorry for my bad English this isn't my first language but i tried my best to write the review so that you can still understand what i mean)
Was this review helpful to you?
Magical Love Story
This was a real surprise for me! I didn’t expect it to be sooo good! 💖 Dylan Wang’s acting has come a long way and the role of Dongfang Qingcang was perfect for him. He plays the powerful, merciless, emotionless Moon Supreme in such an elegant way that it’s hard to keep your eyes off him. Esther Yu as Xiao Lan Hua is someone that I find that will grow on you. She is a typical fairy like in a lot of dramas but she has standout moments that make you want to cheer her on. The 2 leads chemistry is off the charts awesome! Its a Romeo and Juliet/sacrifice story at its best. The development of the leads love story is one of the best I’ve seen yet. Oh and the costumes! Dongfang Qingcang’s costumes are so magnificent and fit Dylan’s look handsomely. They must’ve spent a lot on effects because the CGI in this is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen. Cinematography was excellent and scenery is mesmerizing. While waiting for new episodes I found myself rewatching the already aired ones because I was having trouble tearing myself away. It’ll be a definite rewatch for me and I highly recommend this one especially if you’re looking for fantasy and a great love story. 💗💗💗🥰Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Brilliant
This drama I have to say was very very good. The acting was amazing, the Leads (Wang Hedi & Esther Yu) have emerged as a super pairing as a result of this drama.Both Wang Hedi & Esther are perfect for one another. Both can act and do live performances! The ending was very moving, I felt prescense about the chemistry both Wang Hedi & Esther Yu have, how often can we say that?
I did feel in a way the ending was incomplete but watching so many dramas, this is a common playbook by producers to leave the door open to future dramas & projects, it happens all the time!
The story was good but incomplete
The support cast good but not outstanding, the outstanding performance was the leads as honestly, intended!
Wang Yue Yi is a future star, she was amazing as a support, again give her an incomplete ending to bolster her stocks!
If I have to be honest with myself this drama left me with 3 things!!!
1. Wanting to see more of Wang Hedi
2. Wanting to see more of Wang Yue Yi
3. Wanting to see more of Esther but only paired again with Wang Hedi
The ending was amazing!!!! Can't wait see the 3 names I mentioned again!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Best. Drama. Ever
I've never written a review before but for this drama I have to.This drama shaked my world. I don't have words to describe it (and my english is not perfect, to be honest ^^)
The music, the acting, the story... everything was perfect. I loved the costumes, the universes.. everything. I laughed, I cried (a river !), I enjoyed, i loved every minutes.
To be completely honest, I'm a little frustrated of the ending and the lack of the marriage between Orchid and Dongfang.
We saw Orchid married twice (almost) but never with the one she loves. And we wait their wedding when they prepared it before the war. But it never happened. So it would be very symbolic to have their wedding at the end. Maybe, lets be honest because I wish this show never ends too :D
However, it doesn't change my appreciation of this drama. I loved it even with the abruptness of the end.
This drama will have a special place in my heart for sure.
Was this review helpful to you?
Will remain my favourite Cdrama
Love Between Fairy and Devil is my first ever Chinese drama and I enjoyed every minute of it. It’s a beautiful love story set in an enchanting fictional universe that attracted me as a fantasy lover.It was very well made and it had extraordinary characters that were beautifully portrayed by all actors.
My favorite character was that of Dongfang Qingcang which was played perfectly by Dylan Wang .It was an absolute pleasure watching the formidable and fearsome Dongfang slowly falling in love with Orchid and seeing how he relearned the emotions of love, jealousy, worry, and fear.
The love story of Dongfang and Orchid was so heart touching and unique, I appreciated how it never felt one sided and how both of them were willing to sacrifice everything for their love.
I wished that we had a longer epilogue because the end scene for me was too short. Overall this drama is a great introduction to the world of Xianxia dramas and it certainly deserves watching.
Was this review helpful to you?
Solid and fun romance fantasy that stumbles at the final hurdle
A fun show that's fairly romance heavy and light on the angst.Pros:
- Both leads are gorgeous.
- Well-paced drama that, in my opinion, never drags.
- Plenty of fun moments like body switching, going to the human realm, powerful magic spells etc. but these beats never last so long as to outstay their welcome.
- Set and costume design is very good.
- The romance aspect (while not mega steamy or anything) does include physical contact and kisses, unlike some other dramas.
Cons:
- The ending feels very very rushed.
- Plot can be a little predictable at times.
Possible cons:
- This is very subjective but some people I've shown this to have found the FL's voice difficult to deal with (this sounds really mean but the only real way to describe it is that she kind of talks like a baby? whether or not this is the actress's normal voice, it can be grating to some although personally it didn't bother me).
Possible triggers/romance preferences:
- The dynamics of the relationship could be seen as fairly lopsided as the ML is very powerful, old and scary from the initial perspective of the FL and the FL is portrayed as innocent and naïve in the extreme. However he's rarely overtly cruel and it's not a one-sided thing.
- At least one kiss is non-consensual.
Non-spoiler mood warning for the ending below: if you don't want to know if the ending is happy or sad, stop reading here.
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Ending is happy but is preceded by some angst.
Was this review helpful to you?
Season 2???
I came all the way here, created an account, just say……there needs to be a season 2!!!! This series….AMAZING!! Very addicting! There just has to be a season 2 coming soon! There is no way this show should be end! It tapped in to so many emotions! Love, hate, irritation, confusion, happiness, and so on and so forth. My review is just me simply begging for a season 2!!!! It keeps telling me I need to write 500 characters!! I didn’t want to write season 2 500 times so at this point I’m just searching for more words to say other than “I need season 2!” Lol this is my first review I have written about a TV series. Lol ignore my ignorance lol but really, this show is amazing. I really would love to see more!!I’ll be waiting!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Was this review helpful to you?
