This review may contain spoilers
Talented cast and production team makes for one unexpectedly mesmerizing drama
Conventional wisdom of C-dramas dictates that such a title, poster, and cast for this drama would all point to a fluffy romance we all flock to and then leave without another thought after finishing or dropping it. How wrong I was. There is nothing forgettable about this drama. In fact, I enjoyed this drama so much that I’d been rewatching as if I’m in a loop and spending hours writing down my feelings. I wanted to also make a note before I proceed that I wrote a rushed review immediately after I finished it. But after several rewatch, I felt it deserved a more detailed review, and I wanted to express more love for the drama, so I decided to write an updated review.One would think as a 36 episode Xianxia drama it will take some time before things start to get exciting. That's not the case, however, as it doesn't take long before we get to the meat of the story. So from episode 1, it easily pulls you in. The first thing I noticed was how visually stunning the drama is. It's obvious there was much thought and effort applied by the production team to create such an eye pleasing drama. In the first episode, we’re introduced to our leading lady, a young, low-rank flower fairy named Orchid (Esther Yu) from Shuiyuntian, who ends up unwittingly awakening and entangling herself with our leading man, Dongfang Qingcang (Dylan Wang), the demon lord of Changyan Sea who’d been locked up in Haotian Tower for the past 30,000 years. I still can’t move past Orchid and Dongfang Qingcang's first encounter. How stunningly colorful the galaxy like atmosphere is, the way Orchid at first panics, then freezes as if time stopped, fearful but mesmerized by the sight of the chained and unconscious Dongfang Qingcang. The way she inadvertently revives him, the involuntary kiss that completes the process as they're bonded as the music crescendos. What a spectacular start to their epic romance. I went diving into this drama without learning anything about it beforehand so the unexpected hilarity that ensues next with the temporary body swapping, we-are-one premise had me thoroughly entertained.
Dongfang Qingcang learns very quickly that he and Orchid are physically and emotionally attached to each other somehow by a seemingly unbreakable curse; so in other words, this little fairy is now his Archille's heel, much to his annoyance. For instance, every time Orchid starts bawling, Dongfang Qingcang reluctantly cries too, haha. For someone who literally has not been feeling emotions, these new out of control emotions are quite challenging for Dongfang Qingcang to manage. Orchid is unaware of the real identity of Dongfang Qingcang so she treats him like an equal, which just adds to the hilarity as they spend time together at Arbiter Hall, Orchid’s home in the fairy realm. All the chaos that results from their cursed connection and how it reduces this great lord's ego to the size of a peanut cracks me up endlessly. Esther and Dylan are fantastic together here that I couldn’t help liking both the actors and their characters immediately.
When the Immortal Emperor of the fairy realm finds out that Orchid is connected to Dongfang Qingcang, she’s tortured for information. It’s at this point that both Orchid and us bear witness to the immense power and position of Dongfang Qingcang in the three realm, as he appears from fire and smoke to rescue Orchid and then proceeds to almost annihilate the whole fairy realm before taking Orchid to Changyan Sea, his kingdom. This part was one of my absolute favorites and a highlight of the show. I also loved watching the way he is received by the people of Changyan Sea; this scene felt like the personification of the words feared and revered. Simply awe-inspiring.
For me, Changyan Sea felt like a medieval kingdom, with its darkened colors, lush velvety robes, middle eastern interior design, and the shadows and rays of lights through the windowpanes in the rooms, which all comes together to cast an aura of mystique and grandeur to this realm. Again, props to the production team for excellent set designs here. Each world is unique in its settings, colors, costumes, and background music, that there is clear distinction as to where we are in the story and these attributes lend a hand in helping you immerse yourself in the story.
At this point in the story, it's apparent that the deep impact of Orchid’s emotions on Dongfang Qingcang is no longer because of the connection from the curse, though he would not admit it himself. He has turned from figuring out ways to break the curse to ruminating about how to make Orchid happy. So he surprises her with a replica of Arbiter Hall, but that ends up exposing the chasm between them instead, namely how they’re from two different worlds; worlds that have viewed each other as enemies for hundreds of thousands of years. He seethes with anger; how he's hurt that she still wants to leave (him) to go "home." It's incredible how much he cares already; his "wei she ma" gets me every time.
Though having the freedom to roam around Changyan Sea but unable to leave, Orchid learns more about Dongfang Qingcang and the people of Changyan Sea, and it clears away misconceptions about the people and the lord himself. What stood out for me in these parts was in the way Orchid helps Dongfang Qingcang reconcile with his father and by extension, his humanity. How gentle she is as she hugs him as he breaks down. How he tries to hold it together on his own, then opens to her support and cries into her shoulder as he confronts his heartbreak of losing the father he loved.
As both Orchid and Dongfang Qingcang try to make sense of the happenings around them, they are led to the mortal realm, which covers the third act of the drama. Upon their return to Changyan Sea, it’s quite clear they’re both deeply in love and acknowledges their feelings. Each is willing to go through pain and suffering to keep the other safe, which showcases to outsiders that they truly love and deserve each other. It’s here I believe that their romance turns epic. A rush of emotions came my way as I watched these parts; how hauntingly beautiful and melancholic for these two lovebirds. As to how it all comes to an end, let’s just say I’m grateful for the short but happy ending.
I have to say I'm absolutely blown away by Dylan Wang's portrayal of Dongfang Qingcang. The assured authority, the majestic presence he carries with him held my attention at every moment. He looks MAGNIFICENT. What a grand performance as the most formidable, all powerful being in the realm. There isn't much change in his stoic expression and yet you see it, you feel it, this imposing character with complicated emotions come to life. It is evident in the way he's in complete control as he showcases his powers, or in the way he endures the burden of responsibility that comes with that power and position, or when he's seething with anger out of love. It is simply so satisfying to watch.
Then we have our adorable leading lady, Esther Yu. At first glance, her character fits the bill of female leads prevalent in C-dramas that we all hate: young, cutesy damsel in distress with high pitch baby voice. The only difference is that she's actually lovable even with all these attributes. I found her charming, genuinely cute, delicate and strong; the perfect opposite of Dylan's character, complementing him well.
I have seen Zhang Ling He as a lead in another drama that I was surprised to see him in the second lead role here. But he is perfectly cast here as the angelic Changheng. I also thought the actors who play the other major male characters like Xun Feng, Rong Hao, and Shangque did amazing.
I found the drama moves at a balanced pace. I never felt like there were fillers. Each scene has a purpose and contributes to the cohesiveness of the plot. We’re entertained by the complicated connection between Orchid and Dongfang Qingcang in the beginning. Then the story turns epic and heart tugging as it progresses. I swooned every time each saves the other. The dynamic story also allows the three talented young actors to flex their acting chops and further entertained us. As mentioned earlier, the CGI, the costumes, the set designs, and the background music all blends seamlessly together to create a truly magical world. Farewell Love by Faye Chan OST, in particular, perfectly captures the poignancy of this epic love story.
I acknowledge this is a long review but I think it just speaks to how good the drama is that it elicited such a flood of response from me as a viewer. And I'm no novice; I've been a seasoned watcher of C-dramas, and dramas in general, for years. And yet, this drama stood out as one of the best. I don't think I need to convince you to watch the drama considering the rating and the popularity it is receiving. I'm merely here to say unlike some other popular dramas, it's true what they say and the rating truly reflects the quality of this drama. Get on that bandwagon and embrace the hype; you won't be disappointed.
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Zhang Linghe Heaven Official's Blessing!!!!!!!!!
I started watching this drama because of Zhang Linghe. I haven't seen a drama with him in it so far and had to because he is going to be Hua Cheng is the Heaven Official's Blessing live action that is going to be coming out in the very distant future. What made this drama even more appealing is that I saw he plays the second male lead in this drama and Mr. Luo Yunxi (aka Chu Wanning aka Immortality when) played the second male lead in one of my favorite Chinese dramas "Ashes of Love".I have fallen in love with the story, the characters, just everything about this drama I love so far.
I was skeptical at first after hearing a few things about this drama; I was not expecting it to be so good.
Story:
pt 1: This is a xianxia drama and as far as I know about these types of dramas is that the tropes and the settings tend to be very similar to one another. Dramas have a hard time standing out and each can seem the same and that becomes bland. However, this drama really does stand out to me. The story is fairly easy to follow. I haven't been lost once watching it so far, which is a really good sign. It is as the title says "Love Between Fairy and Devil." I really love the concept of enemies to lovers and this drama really pulls it off nicely. It isn't a dumb coincidence that the characters have to be with each other all of the time. They are truly opposites of one another. Orchid is a beautiful fairy who lives up in some heaven scape; she is very innocent and has her head in the clouds 24/7, nonstop talking about her crush on the second male lead. On the other hand, Devil just got out of prison for 30,000 years. He is determined to reign over the world again and will do anything he can to get just that. It is told to us pretty early on that Orchid is the goddess who saves the Devil; they are intertwined with one another. He doesn't want to put up with her shenanigans, but has to otherwise his plans will be crushed. Devil has to look out for Orchid and protect her because if she dies he will literally die. I love the fact that we are going to get to see them fall in love!
pt 2: Things play out like most fantasy dramas do. They eventually end up going to the mortal realm, but that arc doesn't drag along like most do. They fall in love gradually, it is quite a slow burn, but so worth it. The climax of the show really hits hard because of this. It is tragic. They're love is tragic. Orchid sums is up perfectly. In short, she loves him, but will she give up her loyalty to the fairy realm and love for her people to love him? Devil loves her, but is he willing to let all of his hard work go to waste (ex: killing his dad and a couple of realms along the way). They love eachother, but to what extent... and seeing how much they love eachother is truly something... I was surprised to see who ended up sacrificing what at the climax of the show.
Acting:
pt 1: Ester Yu plays an innocent fairy called Orchid. She starts off as a clutz and very air-headed. Dylan Wang is the male lead who I will call Devil to keep things simple. He starts off as very cold and serious. Their chemistry is very good. They play very well off of each other and have great comedic moments between them. The bickering and teasing that goes on between them is enjoyable to see. It is especially fun to watch the moments where they switch into each other's bodies (seriously one of the best things about this drama is when they switch bodies, makes my heart skip a beat just thinking about it, sooo cute). However, the more sentimental grounded moments that they portray have been very touching too. They have moments together that have me tearing up. You empathize with both of the leads and learn why they act and feel the way they do. Also, this drama is aware of the character's flaws. The devil calls Orchid out for being an annoying idiot and Orchid calls him out for being heartless and coldblooded. I really appreciate this because I have seen too many dramas that are not aware and it just gets soo aggravating and makes some dramas unwatchable.
pt 2: The whole cast really surprised me with this one! First I'll talk about Zhang Linghe. His character is at its peak when they go to the mortal role. Seeing him play the playboy of the town and goof around is so much fun. He has great chemistry with Dylan and honestly, that whole arc was so much fun to watch. I have heard that in previous dramas they're acting is just decent, but in this show it is superb. It is so good! Dylan Wang portrays his character so well in this show. Devil is such a complex character and Dylan does such an amazing job at truly showing the complicated emotions that he feels. Esther Yu's acting really surprised me. She is such a beautiful crier. Every time she teared up, I couldn't help but do the same. The chemistry that they have with each other only gets better as the show goes on. The scenes that really hit hard leave such a big impact on you...
Lastly, not to spoil, but what I'm guessing is the climax of the show is acted out so well. Had me balling my eyes out and rewatching a couple of times.
Cast:
Ester Yu is perfect for her character. So many people found her voice to be annoying and babyish, but I think it suits her character. Plus her voice is only really like that at the beginning of the show and as she grows you can hear it in her voice that she matures. She really pulls off the innocent types and does a great job at playing the ruthless devil once they switch bodies. Dylan Wang is great as the devil. The facial expressions he makes and the way he carries himself as a ruthless overlord is so good. This man looks so good in a costume drama. He is shockingly good-looking and has strikingly good facial features. I love watching him when they switch bodies; watching him act all cute really is a treat, and it slept on. Zhang Linghe who plays the second male lead plays his role so well. The emotions this man shows because he loves Orchid, but can't have her are so authentic. I really believe that he loves her too and honestly it really gets to me that they both loved each other at the same time, but it won't work out. The second male lead syndrome in this drama is real. All in all, big round of applause to the cast so far, they are a huge reason as to why this show is so enjoyable so far, the chemistry is great amongst them all.
Setting:
It just looks so great. Everything in this drama looks so good. The costumes are really pretty and yes, I even think the second male leads costume is good. The set design and makeup are 10/10 so far. And lastly, the setting is so beautiful. I would watch this drama for the beautiful scenery alone. The CGI is the best I've seen in any period/costume/fantasy Chinese drama so far. I am seriously blown away by how good everything looks. The sky, especially at Orchid's home, is a prize to look at. You can tell great detail went into the backgrounds. It isn't obvious the green screens are being used, nothing like that stands out. The people behind the scenes did an amazing job creating a fantasy world that actually looks believable.
Music: The music used helps tell the story being told. Certain songs are played at the right time. I wouldn't say any of the main osts are bad, actually, I wish that some were on Spotify so I could add them to my sad playlist.
In conclusion:
pt 1: What I love the most about this so far is how fun it is. Yeah, this show probably isn't perfect but lemme just say I laugh out loud at the outlandish moments and over-the-top scenarios and actions that occur. This drama is aware of how bizarre it can be at the time and it plays it up at times. On the contrast, there is also time for deeper moments. Nearing the second half of the show I can see that it is going to switch from less of a comedy and more to an emotional, plot-driven show. Characters are self-aware of their own flaws. Everyone in this drama is beautiful. They all look too good to be real. The setting is amazing, the script is funny, and the chemistry among the leads is adorable and hilarious. The touching moments really hit hard. The costumes, hair and makeup compliment the actors. The osts need to be released on streaming platforms (especially the one played during their underwater kiss/ air transfer moment!!!!). Orchid is adorable. Devil is also adorably handsome.
pt 2: This drama only gets more beautiful in the second half. The osts get better. The story progresses very fluently. Everything just makes sense. I never once got bored watching this drama, which says a lot, trust me. Seeing them fall in love was such a treat. It happened so naturally. You really root for them as a couple. They are hilariously cute at times, but then at others, they love each other to the point where they would die for each other.
Chu Wanning is no where to be found....
Lastly:
No, this drama does not quench my thirst for Immortality. Nothing will. Seeing Chu Wanning on screen in pain and agony is something that you just can't replace or even try to with these other dramas. Everything reminds me of him. I started watching this drama because Immortality seems to not be airing any time soon Zhang Linghe is in this drama and he reminds me of Chu Wanning because he plays a character that is in Eternal Faith. It all is just one big giant circle that is inescapable. Whatever you do, do not get into Immortality. I am not kidding you when I say I think about this show every day and it has shaped me as a person. That is crazy because the show has not even come out yet and has shown no sign of doing so in 2 and a half years. To those who are reading this IMMORTALITY TOMORROW!!!!!!
that is all I am going to say for now....
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Absolutely amazing
An amazing watch! The story ties everything together seamlessly, with every detail connected to the main plot, yet it never feels overwhelming or overly complex. Character development makes perfect sense, and nothing feels abrupt or out of place. Usually, when the FL is portrayed as strong, they turn her into someone remarkable, a genius scholar or martial artist —nothing wrong with that, but it's not the only way. This FL is naive, feminine, and sometimes powerless, but still strong in her own way. The fairy makes pivotal decisions on her own, not "strong" in the conventional sense, but certainly not your typical pure-hearted damsel in distress either. It's so refreshing to see a female lead who is both influential and strong without losing her pure, angelic vibe. If you're looking for a story with love, family bonds, friendships, and a gripping mix of war and politics, all with a dash of humor, don't miss this one!Was this review helpful to you?
Dylan Wang is versatile as Dongfang Qing Cang, the supposedly supreme evil who terrorized the world to gain ultimate power, that even the God of War could not defeat him. Yu Shu Xin is lovely as Orchid, the free-spirited fairy who sees the good in everybody, so she does not equate that a person being imprisoned in a tower could be the same evil that she has been hearing about. The two are sweet and lovely together. The scenes where the oblivious Orchid befuddles the emotionless Dongfang are adorable and funny.
The relationships in this drama are also deep and meaningful, such as the bromance between Dongfang and his henchman Shang Que, or the bro-buddyship between Chang Heng and Rong Hao, the sismance between Orchid and Jie Li. Speaking of which, characters here are multi-dimensional, for example Jie Li, who is as complex as she is simple, neither black or white, and it is indicative of how the realms actually are, rather than what they should be. We learn that not one person is all good, or all bad, be it if they are fairies or demons.
I also loved this drama because the characters go through gradual development, and the plot, though intriguing, is not too intricate to follow. Though there are a lot of fantastical elements, they are believable and logical within its context. The transitions between scenes are also seamless, without jarring flashbacks that are out of place. The CGI is breath-taking and not laughable as in some other dramas I have watched. The production team really outdid themselves with this one. But most of all, LBFAD proves that you do not need over 50 episodes to tell a compelling story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Best C-drama of the year!
This drama was outstanding! Never once did I get bored; I watched every scene without fast forwarding – every detail is important, and there’s a lot of detail, which makes rewatching a must. The storyline was gripping and engaging even though it’s the old star-crossed lovers’ plot; only instead of warring families, it’s warring tribes. Most of all, the acting was top-notch, especially by Dylan Wang. This ML shot to the top of my ML Hall of Fame to share top honors with Ah Min-Hyuk of ‘Strong Woman Do Bong Soon’ and Grand Tutor of ‘Be My Princess’. Additionally, the OST was emotionally powerful and the special effects/idyllic setting visually beautiful. Although I didn’t understand a lot about what they were saying – I’m not into primordial spirts, etc. – I was still engaged and understood the basic plot. There were a lot of great messages too about how love overcomes hatred as well as other sins. So, let’s get started on the characters themselves.ML (Dongfang Qing Cang) – he was just badass cool, especially in the earlier episodes as he’s kicking butt with his hellfire. It’s amazing how Dylan Wang could look supremely cold yet dangerously intense at the same time. When he rescued FL from the fairy interrogation in ep 9, all I can say is ‘WOW’! He kicked butt, both old nastypants, the High Wizard or whatever he was, and Changheng’s. Then when he took the rest of the lightning bolts for that bratty brother, another ‘WOW’! I did enjoy him lightening up a bit when he was playing Orchid, but he was best as the badass Supreme Moon. His dream scene in ep 31 was beautiful yet tear-jerking at the same time. He also managed to provide a bit of comedy/cuteness with his grumpiness – especially when they were in the mortal world. I liked how he softened after FL restored his love tree, but he was better as the badass, and the badass returned as he's preparing for his final battle with the evil god.
FL (Orchid) – she was naïve and sweet yet smart and courageous at the same time. Nobody else dared talk back to the Supreme Moon like she did, and I loved when she stood up to Danyin and the other fairies who tried to bully her. I especially loved how ML secretly helped her throw them on their butts during the exam. I literally cheered. I get so tired of seeing FLs just accept the bullying. She was the perfect FL to warm up ML’s love tree. That being said, I didn’t care for her as the Goddess in the last few episodes. Like ML and Changheng (he didn’t seem particularly happy with the change either), I wanted my sweet, bubbly Orchid back. I’m glad at the end, the Orchid we all fell in love with returned to greet ML home.
Second couple: it’s rare for me to be interested in SCs, but I was interested in the Black Dragon and Jieli’s relationship. My only complaint is I wish we’d seen Shang Que in his dragon form more often. It was nice to see the female bestie as a deceitful character needing redemption rather than the typical dingbat.
Changheng was the perfect SML, but at no time did I ever prefer him over ML. I’m glad that he didn’t accept Danyin’s feelings in the end. I’m glad they became friends instead. Not everyone needs romantic love for a happy ending.
The characters I disliked the most: 1) ML’s bratty brother. He was never happy; he was continually whining and causing problems; 2) those Moon people wailing on and on about those 100,000 soldiers instead of considering the burden it placed on ML; and 3) – that hypocritical and merciless brother of Changheng. He was always saying how bad the Moon people were, but he wasn’t much better in terms of behavior/character. He was just as hateful as the Moon tribe.
I liked how the screenwriter avoided a lot of the typical plot devices such as an obsessed female love rival and control freak parents. Yeah, there was a lot of unrequited love going around, and big brother Fairy was an asshole, but this mostly affected secondary characters not our main couple. But, of course, we had to have the noble idiot thing starting with ML and ending with FL. Ok, I can accept sacrificing for someone you love (like ML at the end), but I personally don’t think a leader needs to make such a sacrifice for ‘the people’, especially when most of them are ingrates. The drama managed to only be angsty in the final few episodes, which is a welcome relief.
Although I loved this drama, I have to admit that there were a few unanswered questions like 1) what happened to the spikes that ML had to endure at night? Were they removed after FL withstood the cave?; and 2) how exactly did ML return from the dead? I'm glad he did - don't get me wrong - but they kept saying how if you kill FL, you'll kill ML so apparently killing him was something that could happen yet here he is, alive and well, at the end. So, I wish the drama would have given us a few more minutes at the end to explain and show our MC marrying, etc.
UPDATE: YAY! IQIYI has a special episode (36+) in which ML is talking about his married life with FL. So, so cute and wonderful! Thank you to IQIYI or whoever decided to have mercy on us fans!!!!
There’s so much more I could say, but let me stop here. It was an awesome drama. WATCH IT! YOU'LL LOVE IT! Read less
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Peak Xianxia Romance
This was such a surprise — I didn’t expect it to be this good 😭 Would definitely recommend this! The acting, plot, script, score, cinematography, everything was on point! A breath of fresh air from the usual xianxia we are used to seeing.I especially love how the show incorporates score and OSTs to highlight particular scenes. Absolutely broke my heart when the opening theme song started playing in the later episodes. I was always crying ><
Xiao Lan Hua, my baby!! She’s so so bubbly and cute, I want her to be my younger sister haha. Dongfang Qingcang is of course so cool. I like the way Fairy Danyin subverts the usual xianxia trope of bitchy villain who’s in love with the God. Fairy Danyin and Jieli scenes were very cute <3 I crud a little at the Rong Hao x Chidi Woman storyline, ngl 🥲
Overall, I greatly enjoyed the drama. Hope to rewatch in the future 🫶
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This review may contain spoilers
You will love it, but hate some basic aspects of it
Love between devil and fairyI know some are gonna hate me for saying this.
It’s not a review, just random thoughts:
- The intro and the outro are ethereally beautiful, telling the story in a symbolic way. Also, the scene where the 2 friends hang out inside a painting is mesmerizing.
- The CGI and special effect budget were like 3$ max and probably deducted from the costume budget!
- Rong Hao’s back story was very short and needed more details than that.
- Basically no one is evil, and no one is good too. Everyone has his ideology and noble purpose to fight for. Though a good conversation over a drink would've solved all their so-called hefty disagreements.
- Dylan and Xu Hai Qiao were the saving grace when it comes to acting. Can’t say the same about the others, they were below average, and FL was in a league of her own.
- The War Lord, and The Great Emperor of the Sea Salt left the battle and their people to save their love interest! Let’s talk about priorities here guys! (What a man does for love!!)
- The ruthless Demon who is fearful and magnificent, turns into cute little duckling runs after the FL quacking. 🙄 A rule that has never changed in fantasy series.
- As usual the FL has to be annoyingly stupid and cute. But MAN! She took it to the next level, her acting as cute little fairy is terrible, her voice made my ears bled, I hate dubbing, but that actress needs it the most, i understand that she is some sort of a singer, but she is definitely not any sort of an actress. (Sorry to her fans, I tried to like her, but she kept getting worst episode by another, and standing next to Dylan made her acting looks worst comparing to him)
- The twin story was abrupt and forced.
- The Great Emperor/ King of the Immortals celestial heavenly whatever kingdom acts like a 3rd world government employee who needs a signature and seal on every paperwork and stating that the rules and regulations can never be broken all the time. Chill man!
- Love the costumes except for the weird shields of war which don’t seem to protect anything at all. Dylan’s costumes were the most lavish and beautifully embroidered, fits his character very well.
I guess that’s most of what I want to say.
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This review may contain spoilers
Almost the best Xianxia i've ever seen (apart from The Untamed)
This is going to be a long review. There is just so much to say about this excellent drama!As a longtime big fan of Dylan Wang this was a mandatory watch for me and I could not be happier. Where his acting in Xianxia and Wuxia could use some work before, he's bringing it in this one. Where he could not muster a lot of emotion in his expression before, he is even doing micro-expressions this time and it is a joy to watch him exploring his range. He is regal, cold, majestic when we first meet Dong Fang Qing Cang, and we discover his soft, giddy and happy side when he meets the love of his life. We see his jealousy, anger, uncertainty and deep sadness as the story progresses.
Esther Yu, the Female lead is equally impressive portraying both the child like and happy fairy Orchid (Xiao Lan Hua) and the Goddess Xi Yui, who is much more serious and has a very different demeanor than the fairy, mainly because she needs to act like she does not remember DFQC at all.
The other main roles, as Orchids initial love interest Changheng, Fairy Danyin, Rong Hao, Shangque and Jieli really give the story its cohesiveness and have their own interesting stories and tragedies. I would have liked to see more of the Black Dragon Shangque, but I am certainly not complaining about the visuals of this drama.
The story is told in a direct and dynamic way. Between following the storyline, watching the stunning visuals and admiring the actors, there is no getting bored with this drama. Although riddled with tropes, it never feels copied or easy. Not with the visit to the mortal world, or the body-swaps, or the dying for each other.
Apart from the stunningly beautiful cast, the backdrop of the different realms, with its colored skies, ice, lakes, forests and flowers are breathtaking. Every detail has been considered, everything looks heavenly, ethereal and divine as it should since these are heavenly realms after all. All realms have their own distinct aesthetic, even the mortal realm looks colorful and fantastic
The costumes in this drama are in a league of their own. They are perfection, especially those made for Dong Fang Qing Cang. They start off as mainly black, but gradually more color is added. Blues, Greens, Gold, Brown. All stunningly embroidered and fitted. I found myself distracted by them more than once.
Special attention also went into the soundtrack. Aside from the fantastic theme songs, the score and sounds throughout are perfect. Birds chirping, (cloud)whales singing, minimal music, the beautiful flute sounds of Rong Hao. The story is, although mostly a standard dramatic and partly tragic Xianxia, very well-paced and with hardly any plot holes, loose ends or rogue characters. It all fits neatly together, has a start, middle and finish. There's (of course) a lot of death and destruction, but also a lot of hope and actual sense made out of the messes made.
There was not a detail that was overlooked in this drama, everything was done with so much care and attention, it is almost unbelievable. I would like to believe this will set a new standard for the genre.
Well, was there anything I did not like? Why yes, yes there was. Dylan still needs kissing lessons....
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This drama is simply the best
This drama is very touching as the anime of the same title and story was very funy made the drama is made to be very dramatic abd tragic and I love the ending of this drama alot...the drama does have some funny moments as well as it also makes you very sad and to cry at some moments and also the reason I value this sad drama ending is partly because I love sad moments in dramas for some odd reason and also because that kind of ending fit perfectly to the drama but also I love how in the end it all ended up that both main male character ended up having favor beyond just mere friendship by a female main character but both were actually at positive success and that is something its never seen in any other drama I have ever watchedWas this review helpful to you?
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Surprisingly AMAZING
A taste of a little bit of everything you want and still leaving you wanting more.CHEMISTRY BURNING LIKE HELLFIRE!
Romance ✔️
Comedy ✔️
Action ✔️
Fantasy ✔️
Drama ✔️
I had no expectations for this drama whatsoever but
all it took for me was to take one look on the 1st trailer that turned into why not try one episode,into okay maybe two, then three wouldn't hurt and the rest was history. I was hooked to the point of counting minutes excited to click the play button whenever a new episode comes out.
Yeah it was those freaking blue eyes in Episode 9 that sealed my faith to continue watching this drama.
To those who havent started watching yet BE READY TO FALL INLOVE with that devilishly charming Moon Supreme from start to finish.
If anybody has ever doubted Dylan Wangs acting skills then this is definitely the drama to watch, it showed versatility and a different range in his acting skills
This dude broke my heart in episode 35 and made me cry a river. DFQCs character is definately one to remember and will linger in memory for a long while
[Wei wuxian level from UNTAMED]
Although there were a few negative comments at the start about Esthers acting, I felt she was perfectly cast as Orchid the fairy, cute and charming at first but can also portray serious acting. I've seen a few of her dramas and here you can see how her range had improved, her best by far.
A SECOND LEAD YOU WOULDN'T DARE TO HATE
yup, Didn't hurt that SML is an eye candy to begin with.
The writers did a very good job in making a character shine in his own rights. You'll find yourself wanting a good love story for him (insert shoutout to all those waiting for Eternal Faith to come out where he will play Crimson Rain sought flower)
The CGI was great but the OST was just Superb that brings out the emotions in each scene that will immerse its viewers to a plasant journey of experiencing Love amids all conflict.
Everyone and I mean everyone I've watched this with agreed 100% on a few things.
1st -It should have been a tad bit longer including but not limited to poignant scenes between leads.
2nd - this deserves a part 2 (since spoiler alert, its a little bit open ended leaving the last scene for interpretation)
3rd but not the least - BEST CDRAMA by far for 2022
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This review may contain spoilers
This Is Your Sign to Watch This Masterpiece!
This is literally my first and only review, i'm sorry if i have poor vocab and descriptive words to serve this drama justice so bear with meThis was my first xianxia drama. I am not the biggest fan of historical dramas, I definitely prefer modern romance dramas, but I love dylan and esther so I decided to give this a chance, especially after I finished alchemy of souls which I absolutely loved.
I am so glad I decided to watch this show, honestly I binged LBFAD in three days. I was absolutely stunned by the everything. If you are hesistant to start bc you aren't the biggest fan this is your SIGN!!!!!!! Give this drama a try!!!
Esther and Dylan have improved their acting and perfectly executed so many different emotions for this drama. Their chemistry together is just through the roof
The OST is beautifully made and fits each scene wonderfully. It gave an extra emotional impact to each scene!
The side cast were very likeable and added to the show and all had very crucial parts to the main overlying story.
The CGI was definitely CGI lol but it was well crafted and I applaud the team for making it look modern.
The only personal thing of why I did not give this 10 stars was because
(spoiler ahead) episode 35 in which half the episode was focused on a certain character's arc that wasnt the main lead causing the finale to feel rushed and no room for emotional closure for the main leads!
overall this drama may be one of the best I have watched in 2022 and will be missed 💖💖 i will forever remember this drama as the one that got me into historical cdramas!
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It's neither a good xianxia or a good romance drama.
(Disclaimer: I have read countless xianxia novels & I like the romance genre)This is quite possibly the most overrated cdrama I have ever watched. Love Between Fairy and Devil is -unfortunately- neither a good xianxia story or an entertaining romantic comedy.
Xianxias typically have various elements that I like, for example cultivation, action scenes & a large number of bads either dying or getting some serious face slapping etc etc.
Here most of that is not really there. The character I hated the most is basically not dealt with (Heavenly Emperor? guy) at all. The strong ML is also getting constantly nerfed for really stupid reasons. The xianxia main plot is a watered down version of other stories i've seen/read before, It's really not very good, though there is very little of it overall. Had the romance been better on the account of the plot being so string thin, then I could have still enjoyed the drama..
..However the romance doesn't work very well for me at all. The whole thing makes no sense. Forbidden love is a popular topic in fiction, but it's really hard to justify it here for a number of reasons. We could talk about how Orchid is basically a baby in immortal realm terms, or how from her perspective ML is not only ancient, but also the manifestation of pure evil, also openly plotting to destroy her home, but ultimately I don't care all that much about these. The main problems are the following, the progress is super slow & jittery, there is very little excitement in their relationship and the show is lacking in comedy as well.
To add insult to injury we barely had any happy fluff content in the 36 episodes.
For example "Eternal Love - Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms" has a similarly uninteresting Xianxia plot, but oh my gawd it's like 30 times funnier & there is so much more emotional impact overall. I could only describe the romance in this drama as lukewarm.
There are more genre independent script-writing problems. For starters the whole drama feels rather boring, because the storytelling is not only excruciatingly slow, but also the presentation is too juvenile for adults to really immerse themselves. Furthermore there are a very large number of insane plotholes & contradictions. As often is the case the writer is counting on her audience forgetting the minutiae of what has happened 2-4-6-10 episodes ago. Disrespecting the audience like this is not cool! There is also the ending, if I had to rate the final 2 episodes I think I would go with 2/10. It's not the worst ending I have ever seen, but it's in the bottom 10.
To talk about some positive things too, I think the drama had superb visuals in this genre. Also the acting is wonderful. It's annoying how much talent & effort went into creating a grand production from a script like this, it's a tremendous waste that's what it is.
As for Esther's baby voice? Well, this is what the production team wanted & she did a great job.
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