Love between Fairy and Devil

It started off well enough.

I was excited the first few episodes of this show. Finally a Xianxia I might really enjoy. The first few episodes certainly feel promising but by the middle end of the show, it starts to fall apart. The show has the same major problems of almost every Xianxia I have ever watched. Plot lines that just don't make sense. Conflicts that had a lot of potential that just get dropped, and really stupid storylines in place of better ones. Eye rolling soap and dramatics. The story really starts to fall apart the more nonsensical it becomes.

Production was beautiful. I loved the landscapes, costumes, scenery. Much to be expected from this genre.

I felt a little annoyed that the guard and the bandit girl get so much screen time to try to develop a love line I didn't care for. I wanted more scenes of the main leads together. I also didn't like that they didn't curate a better second lead syndrome, which they set up so nicely and completely destroyed instead of exploring further. Added a few weird storylines that seemed kind of pointless to include. Ugh some plots were so bad, it really ruined the show for me.
I will say, I'm really glad they made Fairy Dan Yin redeemable and did not include a crazy female who plots and manipulates due to love.

The show had a lot of potential to be so much better.

Do I recommend it? If you like this genre, it's worth at least watching. Will I watch it again? I mean, I guess I'd rewatch a few of the first episodes? Where the show succeeds, it is great, where it fails, it fails in ways that's hard to salvage.
All I can really say is, Dylan Wang does a great job for this leading role. The character type suits him.

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My first cdrama and my introduction to Dylan Wang!

I found this on Netflix when I was bored over the holiday season. The picture and the trailer of Dylan Wang acting cold, brooding, and demanding along with his outfit and powers had me intrigued. It took only one episode and I was hooked.

As many people covered, this is a fairytale about sacrifice, redemption, and love. You meet our main character, Orchid, who is portrayed as a kind, naive fairy who takes care of fate leaves. Alone, she tends to her garden and thinks about her master who had been banished / punished for a crime she committed (falling in love with someone she shouldn't have). She has a secret of her own - she has fallen in love with a god of war who appears to not care much for her. The god of war is charged with the important task of re-sealing the prison to a mysterious demon king. He was sent into the prison 1,000 years earlier due to a war that left both armies - his and the gods - frozen in stasis. Orchid follows her crush and sacrifices herself in attempt to protect him from falling into the prison. There, she meets the demon king and awakens him with a kiss. ... which causes problems for them and begins the story of their hatred, to friendship, and finally love.

There is a reason why this show has rocketed up in popularity - it is so damn good! They spent 3 - 4 years making sure this project was perfect. It is also said that the FL's father backed this with his money as well. The costumes, CGI, down to the score shows that this is more than just a TV show - this is a phenomenon. The costumes are top notch - gorgeous - from the fantasy world, to the darkness of the Moon Kingdom, to the mortal world. The actors are perfectly cast - from the gods, to the friends, to the leads themselves. Dylan's ability to act with such coldness at first and his thawing due to the kindness shown by Orchid is what sold me on being fan of his, but also what made DFQC work. I think to this day no one else could play him like he did. Same with Esther as Orchid. She plays three different versions of herself - fairy, bodyswapped DFQC, and her final form in the last five episodes (which I won't spoil).

The music is also gorgeous - the opening song, the two various end songs used, and various other songs that pop up here and there through the show. The entire album has become a repeat, and I love finding the actors and the original artists singing the songs live here and there.

Overall, it has a mixture of everything - mystery, comedy, romance, action. Many people who don't finish the show complain because of the main character's voice. While her voice was shocking at first, you get used to it and find it perfectly suited for the character. The fact that Esther could transform her voice into three distinct styles is amazing and worth the pay off if you make it through the show to hear all three.

There is a happy ending, but prepare to shed some tears.

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Love Between Fairy and Devil: The Power of Emotion (and Destiny)

Beyond the mortal realm lies a place above the heavens, inhabited by immortal beings — gods, fairies, demons — each with a destiny sealed from birth. Yet among so many powerful beings, there is a small Orchid in the fairy realm who knows nothing of her origin or identity. Because of this, she feels inferior and rejected by the other beings of Shuiyuntian. Living in isolation in the Arbiter Hall without her master, she spends her days alone among the flowers. Xiao Lanhua, the orchid, is an utterly lovable character — intelligent yet innocent, funny and honest. Her heart is pure, and within it she holds an unrequited love for Chang Heng, the god of war of Shuiyuntian.

The universe has its own ways of working and even playing and that’s exactly what happens when destiny decides to unite the light and shadow that separate the radiant realm of Shuiyuntian from the dark and fearsome Moon Tribe. It all begins when Xiao Lanhua enters the Haotian Tower, where deep inside lies the feared Moon Supreme, Dongfang Qing Cang, imprisoned for 30,000 YEARS(!!) after a fierce battle between Shuiyuntian and the Moon Tribe, in which Dongfang was defeated by the former goddess of war, Chidi.

Then, by accident, their lips meet in a life-giving kiss that not only frees Dongfang, but also binds their hearts through a curse! From that moment on, things get interesting and fun, because the contrast between them is so stark it’s often hilarious. Xiao Lanhua only knows the Moon Supreme through books and legends, so she has no idea what the cruel and feared Supreme looks like. Dongfang is a complete stranger to her, and she quickly nicknames him “hard-headed” sharing moments with him fearlessly — moments they would later miss. Dongfang, on the other hand, is direct and authoritarian, shaped by the fact that his emotions were removed by his own father when he was still a boy. As a child, he took the position of Moon Supreme after killing his father, and his reputation as a ruthless tyrant spread across all realms, earning respect through fear. But near Xiao Lanhua, he’s just a hard-headed man who doesn’t understand his own heart. And when their bodies are swapped, the acting show begins — the delicate orchid with a dark gaze, and Dongfang with a tough exterior throwing tantrums.

What was once silent and lonely becomes filled with Xiao Lanhua’s loud laughter, Dongfang’s impulsive actions and confused expressions, and many arguments. Subtly and unexpectedly, love begins to bloom through care — even if unintentionally. All Dongfang wants is to be freed from the curse so he can fulfill his purpose as Moon Supreme and rescue the soldiers trapped during the battle. Though 30,000 years have passed, the war’s remnants still echo, and hatred remains, despite Chidi’s sacrifice and Dongfang’s imprisonment.

The central plot is captivating. The curse of a heart was a prelude to the origin of the little orchid, who in the end wasn’t so little after all. Her noble heart, seeking fairness and believing in everyone regardless of their origin, was a sign of her true identity. Her birth was no accident, and even though she doubted herself, her destiny was written. On this long journey of self-discovery, Dongfang accompanies her while seeking redemption, transforming from a merciless tyrant into a compassionate and just leader. By episode twenty-eight, my heart was already surrendered to the true vision of love between them the bond they built over time, the loyalty and certainty that, despite defying ancient laws, they were willing to risk everything because they had saved each other. In a world where things happen so fast, love is not one of them. It is forged through sacrifice, misunderstandings, but also sunrises, flower soup, morning dew, and dumplings. Giving oneself to the other wasn’t difficult it was an honor.

Beyond the central plot, the supporting characters are essential. Chang Heng, the god of war, lives in constant conflict between obeying celestial laws, a promised marriage, his love for the orchid, and his mortal hatred for Dongfang (and a little mutual jealousy too why not? haha). Another interesting and frustrating character is his best friend Rong Hao, disciple of Chidi, who at first seems devoted and longing for his master, but is later revealed to be deeply obsessed. He is complex, cunning, manipulative, and willing to do whatever it takes to bring his master back to life even if it means betraying or killing someone.

It’s impossible to talk about cunning and betrayal without mentioning Jieli, an orphan who loves money and has a silver tongue. She does whatever it takes to survive, including deceiving others. Her bond with Xiao Lanhua starts as a seller-client relationship, with our dear Orchid owing her a huge debt (😂), and in return, offering her most genuine friendship. But Jieli always expects the worst from people, trusting no one and believing only in what she can gain. Through this cleverness, she develops a funny yet incredibly charming and lovable relationship with the loyal and naïve “Stupid Dragon”, Shang Que a dragon who serves Dongfang faithfully. Shang Que has a beautiful, honest heart and can’t tell a lie. Together, he and Jieli form quite the duo!

My journey through Love Between Fairy and Devil was fascinating. Every event connects in a surprising way from beginning to end (almost literally). The plot offers twists and dilemmas that ultimately boil down to a love that unites all things.

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Dropped it so many times but finished it for Dongfang Qing Cang

The production is stunning, anyone could see this drama had a BIG investment. The cast's visuals are so ridiculous that they look like they popped out of paintings. Costumes and sets are works of art and I can't complain about anything. Dongfang Qing Cang is honestly godly. I wish I could say the same for little Orchid, but she's the reason I struggled to watch it till the end. I'm not fond of innocent and cutesy characters, especially if they were done like Orchid. At first, I really thought they fell in love just cause. They're the titular devil and fairy, of course, they had to fall in love with each other. There are many examples of good stories where a powerful male lead will fall in love with his sweet and kind female counterpart despite the difference in their rankings. That was the story that this drama is selling but surely Orchid has to be special somehow to justify her role in DFQC's life and for me, that's just lazy writing. I came to the finale thinking what does love between fairy and devil means? At this point, I think I missed it and I'm unbothered. I just think this drama is entertaining enough.

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All the Feels

It seems so simple. Create nuanced characters that don’t slot neatly into standard role types. Give them time to build relationships. Make their choices hard. And yet, it’s rare to see shows do these things, and even rarer when one does them well. And, holy mother of demons and deities, does Love Between Fairy and Devil do them well. It understands that a show about emotions works best if it can make the audience feel every single one of them, and it uses carefully crafted storytelling and skilled directing to ensure just that. Whether it’s a moment of laugh-out-loud humor, sexy skinship, or heartrending grief, this team ensures that it lands, and lands hard. It’s a good old-fashioned melodrama in the best sense – one that recognizes that what we feel is the defining fact of who we are.

The show may be a fantasy, but when it comes to matters of the heart, it gives its characters no magic ways to fix things. Love is not instant, trauma lingers, and all loyalties cannot be honored equally. The cast’s skill levels vary, some of the visuals can be alarming, and the female lead makes a strong case for voice dubbing, but the show gets things right when it counts. While it may cop out ever so slightly in the final seconds, it argues that our real power comes not from what we cling to but from what we’re willing to sacrifice, and that while love may not conquer all, no conquest is worth a thing without it.

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I do want to kill you very, very much, cut your limbs to feed the crocodiles. But I can’t do that.

Welcome to the hilarious plot about almighty and powerful devil being bound with a weak and dim-witted fairy, whom he wishes to kill very much, but can’t since her pain equals his pain – quite literally.


Plot: 8
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★★★★★ Main idea:
--> Intriguing, pretty original and hilariously funny. I found hilarious the contrast of a powerful devil being grounded by a little fairy and his frustration over this turn of events.
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★★★★☆ Logic:
--> Plot makes sense, there are a few dumb twists, but it can be easily forgiven.
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★★★★☆ Pace:
--> I started to get bored in the third quarter of the story. It was simply dragged for a bit too long by the end and the story lost the continuity, but it can be easily forgiven.
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★★★★☆ Impression:
--> Impressed.
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★★★★☆ Skip rate:
--> I skipped some of the side plots, but not much.
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★★★☆☆ Annoying factors:
--> I hated the love triangle with the war god – for the love triangle to work, the opponents should have at least equally strong personalities. But god of war is weak, backing down from his brother and has a mouthful of bullshit, instead of admitting, he maybe should have taken a strong stand before he had lost what he loved.


Characters: 9,5
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★★★★★ Lead 1 - Dongfang Qing Cang:
--> Loved this character. Although it’s a typical prototype of a strong male lead, who has to give up a lot of humanity to become a strong leader, I like the way he is gradually learning to love and to allow himself being loved.
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★★★★★ Lead 2 - Orchid:
--> Loved this character. She is naïve and child-like, but loyal and strong minded. She is unable of treason and once she makes a decision, she stays strong in her opinion.
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★★★★★ Overacting:
--> Kind of cute.
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★★★★★ Acting:
--> Actors are great, very talented. I particularly loved the job Dylan Wang made in playing the naïve Orchid in the body-swap parts.
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★★★★☆ Annoyance level:
--> Annoyed by some side characters, particularly the heavenly lord and his brother god of war. The heavenly lord should have been a strong and wise leader, but he has zero personality, just forcing his narrow-minded opinions on others.


Background: 10
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★★★★★ Soundtrack:
--> Absolutely loved it.
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★★★★☆ Visuals (camera, scenery, visual effects, ...):
--> Really liked it.
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★★★★★ Wardrobe (costumes, hairstyles, makeup, ...):
--> Absolutely loved it.


Rewatch value: 7,5
I assess this value based on impression, skip rate, annoyance level and overall preference.


Final verdict: 8,5
I really liked the chemistry between the leads. I loved their evolvement and the funny little plots between them. Some of the episodes by the end were a bit boring, since there was an uninteresting plot dragged for too long and the ending was a bit sheepish, but it’s still definitely a drama worth watching.

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i survived.

this drama was such a rocky road for me.

let's start with the positives:
-beautiful visuals
so many scenes in this drama were worth a screenshot. i loved the costume designs and how the production team made amazing efforts in setting the mood for either an emotional scene or a romantic one.

-good chemistry
esther yu and dylan wang did so well with their characters and i can't picture anyone else playing as the ear-piercing fairy and the hot emo lord. all jokes aside, the emotions were delivered nicely and i have no complaints.

-addictive ost
listen. the intro, the outro or whatever is in the soundtrack... they're all so dang stunning!!! i can imagine myself coming back to them now and then.

what's my issue with this drama?
i have two main issues that affected my enjoyment of this drama:
-the female lead
besides the high pitched voice and how childish her character was, orchid's backstory didn't hit me that hard. i had to wait for 20 or 30 episodes to wait for her to sort of grow as a character and whew, why did i have to wait so long? i didn’t even feel the character development because of how much the story was stalling.

-the mortal realm
yoooooo this part was so dragged. idk how long i stayed here to the point that it almost felt like a fever dream. i just wanted the writer to cut to the chase and get it over with.

do i hate this drama?
no but i'm sad. i wanted to love this so bad because there was potential for this to be really good. it sucks that only the ml's backstory was interesting enough to get me hooked but it all fell flat in the end.

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This show had the potential to be so much better.

The initial episodes of this show held great promise, and I was genuinely excited. Finally, a Xianxia series that seemed like it could be a real delight. However, my enthusiasm started to wane as the story progressed towards the middle and end. Like many other Xianxia dramas, it suffered from the same major issues. The plotlines became increasingly nonsensical, conflicts with potential were abandoned, and the narrative took a frustrating turn with unnecessary and ridiculous storylines. The exaggerated drama and soap opera-like moments became eye-rolling. Unfortunately, as the story became more convoluted, it fell apart, losing the coherence it initially had.

On a positive note, the production quality was impressive. The landscapes, costumes, and overall scenery were visually appealing, which is what one would expect from this genre.

However, I found myself growing annoyed with the excessive focus on the guard and the bandit girl's love story, which didn't captivate me. I would have preferred more scenes featuring the main leads together. Additionally, the setup for a second lead syndrome seemed promising, but it was poorly executed and left unexplored. The inclusion of certain irrelevant storylines felt forced and added nothing meaningful to the overall narrative. Some of the plot developments were so disappointing that they significantly detracted from my enjoyment of the show. Notably, the writing for the Orchid Fairy (FL) character was a letdown. She came across as excessively dumb, whiney, and ignorant, lacking the depth of naivety or innocence. It's unclear whether this was due to the actress's portrayal or the directing. The show also fell into the trappings of typical tropes and clichés that plague the fantasy drama genre. The involvement of the 2nd couple (Jie Li and Shang Que) felt unnecessary, and the ending was underwhelming. Moreover, except for Dongfang Qing Cang and his brother, the other characters showed no significant growth or development.

Despite its flaws, I appreciate that the character of Fairy Dan Yin was redeemable and didn't fall into the stereotype of a manipulative and scheming female driven by love.

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Must watch of 2022

OMG. The show that catapulted my obsession to Cdrama. Where do I begin. I absolutely LOVED every aspect of the show, from CGI graphics, the actors, the OST, character development... im obsessed. Esther Yu and Dylan Wang are just amazing young professionals who performed like a couple of veterans. The movements, expressions and gazes of Dongfang Qingcang were just spot on and took the drama to the next level. He must have improved a lot as many netizens had complained about his acting in previous dramas. The chemistry between esther and dylan was off the charts, and i really enjoyed watching the double dates with supporting leads too. Its another emotional rollercoaster and the script has you caught in the middle between love and service of the greater good. Absolute classic xianxia, best of 2022.

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Love between one trope and another trope (but with some nice scenery).

Using my personal rating system of "loved," "liked," "meh," & "nah," this was a “liked”.

What I liked:
I usually do not watch ‘soul switch’ dramas—just don’t like the concept in the same way I typically do not like ‘time travel’ dramas (“Lost love in times” excepted), but I gave this one a shot. If they had done more with the concept, I think I would have liked it a lot more since it was an out-of-the-box way to do both soul-switching and xianxia. Dylan Wang is developing some serious acting chops and did a really good job portraying two different personalities (the only thing they did not do a great job of was playing each other—in that it was clear they were able to play different people, but they should have paid more attention to how they played the roles and then imitated that more). He also did a good job of portraying someone increasingly experience emotions. I also liked the fact that the set and costume designers went a little bit more outside the box than usual. Design was very cohesive in the different settings.

What I did not like so much:
Okay, I’m done with the stoic, emotionally unavailable, brilliant male vs bright & bubbly but dumb female trope. Can’t we think of something else? It’s such an unhealthy way to portray relationships. For example, at one point when FL was reminiscing about her burgeoning love for ML, it included a scene when he called her stupid or foolish. *slaps forehead* And the whole “she’s mine!” nonsense. *sigh* I’m also tired of male leads and female leads sacrificing themselves for the greater good or each other while lying through their teeth to the love of their life about it. And resurrection at the end… *snore*. I get that that there are only so many ways to write a drama, but one of the things that makes a drama great is when it can be impressive all without using tropes (though, to be fair, it is also risky since tropes are comforting and often watchers are displeased when they’re discomfited). Plus, when it’s a xianxia or xuanyuan, you get so much more freedom to play around! There’s no excuse to get all tropey on us! :)

Watch it if you like xianxia & to see DW growing as an actor and for some neat costumes and scenery. Just don't expect a masterpiece.

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I definitely have many opinions about this drama

There are certain dramas that seem to be a simple must watch. Usually it’s that drama that everyone talks about in a good light, is portrayed as one of the best of the genre and is just, overall, surrounded by a lot of praise. LBFAD has emerged as one such drama in the xianxia genre. Despite being released less than a year ago, it has generated so much buzz and discussion that it almost feels like a classic.

However, upon watching the trailer, I found myself doubting whether I would enjoy it. The first thing that greatly bothered me was the FL. In less than two minutes, the trailer gave me the impression that her attitude was annoying and excessively childish for my taste. Regrettably, my fears were confirmed when I began watching the drama. The FL, Xiao Lanhua, proved to be excessively childish, which was just the tip of the iceberg regarding the numerous issues I had with her character. This happens to be my primary criticism of the drama, so let's start with that.

First and foremost, Xiao Lanhua is not your typical innocent xianxia FL. She is actually stupid. Throughout a significant portion of the drama, she seems to lack any coherent thought process, only to suddenly have moments of brilliance where she makes discoveries that eluded everyone else. These moments feel contrived and overly convenient for the plot, making it hard to believe that she is genuinely intelligent, considering her usual behavior. Even when given simple instructions (I'm looking at you, body-swapping arc), she fails miserably to follow them, no matter how critical the situation.

Xiao Lanhua's actions lack forethought, and even when she does think, she struggles to form rational ideas. And don't even get me started on her gaslighting everyone during the mortal realm arc into a wrong interpretation of Xie Wanqing's book of life (which, by the way, might win the prize for the dumbest moment contest, given that she managed to convince three other characters to be equally foolish).

Towards the end, her character does become more intelligent, and I was actually enjoying her development when she returned from the mortal realm. Unfortunately, it was abruptly rushed in the final few episodes with the introduction of the goddess plot. While I understand what they were trying to achieve, I didn't think it was executed in the best possible manner.

Moving on from the FL, the side characters were a mixed bag for me. Some I liked, while others I strongly disliked. Changheng, for instance, is a classic case of "I swear, bro, just believe me." He is the god of war, said to be the only one capable of potentially defeating Dongfang Qingcang in battle. However, we never actually witness this immense power. In fact, I don't think he wins a single battle throughout the 36 episodes of this drama.

Shangque, although endearing, is incredibly foolish (putting up a tough competition against Xiao Lanhua in that regard). What frustrated me the most about his character is that he is a dragon, a legendary creature, but his strength is never adequately showcased. He only has a couple of dragon scenes in the first few episodes, and that's it.

Jieli, when initially introduced, was highly unlikable. To be completely honest, I never grew to like her; I simply became accustomed to her presence and gained a better understanding of her character.

Together, Jieli and Shangque formed a disastrous side couple. I am someone who generally dislikes side couples since they often seem unnecessary and take up too much screen time, but, oh boy, do Jieli and Shangque get the prize for this one. Their scenes were unbearable, to the point where I found myself skipping a significant portion of them, particularly towards the end when I had become thoroughly fed up. Overall, the romance was dull and difficult to watch.

These were not the only scenes I skipped. The final few episodes had certain scenes that were excessively long, particularly the battle between the fairies and the moon tribe. The scenes from the moment Xunfeng brought Xiao Lanhua to Chidi’s sword until the resolution of that ordeal could have been significantly shorter.

As for the OST, it didn't particularly stand out. The songs complemented the scenes adequately, but I didn't love any of them. They were merely okay.

I realize that it may seem like I only have criticisms to offer. However, there were aspects of this drama that I genuinely enjoyed. First, it’s safe to say that LBFAD is addictive. It is probably the fastest I’ve ever watched c-drama, providing immense entertainment value.

The romance in the drama was well-executed. Despite Xiao Lanhua's numerous flaws, she had great chemistry with Dongfang Qingcang. Watching their relationship develop was a pleasure, and it definitely stood out as the highlight of this drama. I couldn't help but smirk at the "I can change him" plotline, because it actually worked (one of those things that only happen in fantasy fiction).

Wang Hedi's acting was superb. His portrayal of Dongfang Qingcang was on point, capturing the different stages of his character's transformation, from the initially cold and emotionless man to the deeply enamored one in the end (the last few episodes got him acting like rent was DUE). Even his portrayal of Xiao Lanhua was commendable. On the other hand, Yu Shuxin failed to leave a lasting impression. Her character was annoying, and I'm uncertain whether it was solely a writing problem or if her acting also contributed to it. Nevertheless, she did a decent job overall, considering the circumstances.

The main conflict of the drama was solid. There was a primary antagonist, as well as a more powerful and malevolent antagonist. While this wasn't particularly groundbreaking or innovative, it was executed well.

Danyin was a pleasant surprise. When I first encountered her character, I was scared for my LIFE, expecting her to be annoying and obstructive to the story. However, she turned out to be the complete opposite, and I was happily surprised by her character arc. Additionally, her storyline with Jieli towards the end was intriguing, albeit rushed.

Xunfeng and Dongfang Qingcang were fortunate enough to receive the best character developments in this drama. The arc involving their father, Dongfang Qingcang's realization of the truth, and Xunfeng's growing understanding of his older brother were introduced and resolved masterfully, tied up neatly with a shiny red ribbon.

Overall, LBFAD is a solid drama. It possesses a well-defined beginning, middle, and end, with a good conflict and a satisfying romance. However, the numerous problems I had with it marred the experience in many instances. Despite its flaws, I believe it is still worth watching.

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