Sword and Beloved

The lovesick dog stole the show

I had high expectations for this because of Love in Pavilion, but this did not do justice to its predecessor. I did like all of the flashbacks and tributes to LIP though and I got teary eyed every time we saw the brotherhood again. But this story was all over the place and poorly executed. I never made it through the first installment, Red Moon Pact, and I fast-forwarded/dozed off a lot with this one too. So it seems LIP will be my favorite drama in the series.

The drama started out interesting though. The first 3 eps when the FL is still a spider were very cute and I kept thinking I can't wait for her to become human and for them to fall in love. Then she did and it was fun for like 2 eps. I'm not saying that I didn't like their relationship by the end. For me, their relationship was better appreciated as platonic than romantic. He saved her and gave her a chance at being human, seeing the world, and making a difference. She provided the pure love needed to finally defeat their enemy. Wangquan Fu Gui never knew happiness or companionship and she opened up his world to those things as well. So in terms of love, there was tremendous, heartwarming love between them. But it just didn't feel romantic to me and that's okay.

The romance that did steal the spotlight was the one between the little lovesick puppy and his general. Fan Yun Fei was the cutest thing and the chemistry between him and Li Xue Yang was a treat to watch. Hands down, best CP in the show. They could even rival some of the CPs from LIP.

Ru Mu and Wei Yun were technically the 2nd CP but their romance did nothing for me. I liked them separately as characters but there was zero investment in their relationship for me.

The villains were all silly and terrible. Wangquan Hong Ye's character was butchered by both the actor and the writing, as well as the rest of the Alliance. The epic battles between our heroes and their enemies were pretty satisfying though. And the OST was great. Overall, a lot here could have been done better and I will probably never watch this again. Now on to Cheng Yi's 3rd drama of the year where he plays a white-haired and a black-haired version of himself XD. Hoping Vendetta of An is better.

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Beware of spoilers!!

Well I just finished the last episode of sword and beloved.

Afterall it's such a ride with lots of combined emotions. Like I went through different stages of emotions just to finish this one.
Maybe some agree with my opinion and some might be not but it just my on opinion.

This will be my review on this drama solely based on my opinion only.

the reason i started this of course because of cheng yi. as a longtime fan of his work since love and redemption, then going through with stand by me , immortal samsara and mysterious lotus casebook i somehow know how this one will turned out.
but still i'm going through it since it's chengyi and he never disappoint.

since i've been anticipating this one ever since i watched love in pavilion i have high expectation on how they're going to turned out. and something that i loved they kept the original cast and bits of memories from love in pavilion. therefore im really going through all sort of emotions even the opening with hongye and huaizhu memories broke my heart onto pieces and they really insert that ost from love in pavilion. it seems like i'm digging the sad memories from watching love in my pavilion.

now going through the storyline, i actually loving the pace of the storytelling from the start up until ep 20. but somehow chengyi even as main lead never even appeared as many times as he should until around ep 28 -29. the story between qintong and qincheng was necessary however it becomes too draggy and chengyi screen time becoming more and more less that usual.
honestly i think they need that plot for qintong breakthrough but no need to drag on too much until it become unnecessary to the plot. i even dropped half - way and wait until it end today.

and actually it was worth the wait just from episode 28 or 29 i think story actually getting better without the unnecessary part. but the 10 episode from 20 - 29 should be there for the story to unfold. and i actually love the western region arc a lot and i think that makes me able to pick it up again.

now getting into the real review
the last 6 episode break my heart and i have been crying a lot since i watched hongye story first, i understand the struggle and the grief therefore i cannot bring myself to hate him instead i pity him a lot. i understand the outcomes of all sort of thing that happen until he becomes like this. but still my heart break a lot for fugui. he really loves and understand hongye a lot and im giving the credit to him.

the final 3 episode on dual character chengyi once again making another breakthrough. the acting?! and the execution of every bit of it? excellent!! i am even almost fall into his trap at the last demonic arc hahahaha. but its fugui and we know fugui doesnt waver!

even the last battle with black fox, i realised he is going to sacrificed himself for the sake of the peace but at what cost? fortunately my yunfei and xueyang have their on happy ending. but my rumu and weiyun. i cried a lot during their last moment. saddest wedding scene after hongye and huaizhu wedding scene huhuhu.

and the last bits where they show mask group alongside fugui omg my eyes so blurry i even need to take a break but still i went through it.

actually the ending is so much better than i thought. i though i might be sad by the ending but after seeing what they have through just to get the ending i think it was good enough.

overall thats all i think this is actually not a real review just a rant i guess.

if anyone reading this,
does it worth it? yes, but you need to go through ep 20 - 29 then it will be okay. its not that bad but it just too draggy at some part. after all it was good. maybe you will dislike the ending but it's chengyi after all hahahhahaah

anyways happy watching!!!

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Highly recommended drama

“Sword and Beloved” is such a beautiful drama.
The chemistry between the leads is wonderful — sincere, gentle, and beautifully unspoken.
Cheng Yi is phenomenal. His acting, presence, and emotional depth are simply unmatched. I especially loved the fighting scenes — Wang Quan Fu Gui is so powerful, yet carries a calm, peaceful aura that makes every moment memorable.
The cinematography is pure art from the first episode to the last. Although the Western Region arc felt a bit stretched, the overall journey remains emotional, immersive, and visually stunning.
Every actor delivered their role beautifully, and the ending left me with a sense of peace.

Highly recommend.

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Second Half is a Train Wreck

First half is okay, it's to build the story. However not even in second half but everything start to fall apart.
There's sooo much filler and unnecessary scenes. Even 2nd and 3rd couple got much more romance than the main couple. Sword is literally there but there's no Beloved when the main leads are rarely in the same frame together. There's build up to romance but then the romance is nowhere to be found, but the drama wants to convince us that there's such a deep bond between ML and FL in the end.

The only good arc is the Peach Village arc. And after all of those things Wangquan Fugui deserve to be happy!

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Sword & Beloved a drama that will make you rewatch many times

From the story to the costumes, everything was delivered with utmost care, The performances of all the actors are impeccable, the magnificence of ChengYi in getting completely into this drama , makes it spectacular, CY never disappoints in a drama, his way of fighting in each scene makes it fall into reality, he doesn't use doubles and that gives more realism and appreciation to all the scenes. CP has chemistry, they make a Match together, one will lead the other to know the world and love and the other will lead him to improvement and confidence, that type of couple is more real, Here we will not see the weak FL who is always waiting to be rescued, plus, her tender heart will make us discover in FuGui things that are already in his genes, love like that of his perseverance of his father and their love for humanity and justice. A drama you won't be able to stop watching.

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Just Wow!!

visual effects are breathtaking, costumes, story, and of course acting! Fugui is powerful & smart. His relation with father is heartbreaking. He was born to be a weapon but he is not cold blooded. I adore that he understands what is wrong or right and dont agree for everything he is ordered to do.
Qingtong is adorable, not pitiful damsel in distress. She tries to help Fugui as much as she can + become better and stronger version of herself.
Chemistry between leads is so good. They understand and care about each others. No stupid misunderstanding.
Fugui is stunning, Qingtong sweet❤️❤️
Fighting scenes are on fire🔥🔥
Should I mention Epic scene with 1000 swords? This is rare scene in cdrama world which will be remembered!!

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Must watch drama

First of all, this is the first drama of Cheng Yi that I have ever watched, and I have already become a die-hard fan. As for the drama itself, I 100% recommend it. The story is excellent, the costumes are beautiful, and the editing is very well done. All the actors delivered great performances, the sets are extraordinary, and every character has their own story and importance.

A great villain always makes the hero even more compelling, and in this drama, the Black Fox is definitely no ordinary villain. He is complex and powerful, which makes the whole story even more engaging.

The only slightly disappointing part was that the male lead (ML) and female lead (FL) did not have much screen time together. There was also very little intimacy between them. That said, I understand this, especially since Cheng Yi is known for not doing many kissing scenes in his dramas. However, another issue was that their relationship felt more like master and disciple rather than lovers. The strong emotional connection that should exist between two people in love was not fully conveyed.

Because the drama is titled Sword and Beloved, I was expecting a stronger love story—more moments where they are together, showing deep emotions and expressing their feelings for each other. Unfortunately, that didn’t really happen. Still, this does not take away from the overall quality of the drama.

Despite these minor flaws, it will always remain one of my favorite and most memorable dramas. A high-quality production like this comes along only once in a while, and I truly appreciate it.

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Recalculated my assumption of this drama

This has so many great actors in it, but like the other two series, just not that great. The script is what is killing this series. Love in Pavilion is the best of the 3 series. The script is like a teenager with no experience embarked on script writing. It's so kiddish it makes me cringe. I'm only on the 10th episode, but am hoping it gets better as it goes on. I'm not sure if I will be able to finish this one, but watching one episode a day is doable.

ADD ON: The script has gotten better. There have been many funny scenes that started once Chang Hua Sen (Fox puppy) and his lady of interest entered the script. I must say Chang Hua Sen is ON FIRE these days. He's in Blood River and Whispers of Fate. His role as the fox is so darn cute that I have giggled my way through his appearances. He holds true to the character he's playing.

Another actor I have to shout out to in this drama is the mean little spider brother, played by Wang Hong Yi. His eyes are killing me. 😂 He is portraying his character very well. The scene where him and the Fox puppy happen had me in stitches. You will know it when it happens.

Cheng Yi and his female lead may be listed as the main actor and actress, but I have to say they are not the only glue holding this drama together. The whole cast are funny or good or evil in the best possible way. I have recalculated my review above.

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PERFECT MIX OF WUXIA / XIANXIA FANTASY, MARTIAL ARTS AND ROMANCE

• The drama stars Cheng Yi as Wangquan Fu Gui, who has been trained from childhood as a “military weapon”, destined to slay demons.
• The female lead is Li Yitong as Qing Tong, a spirit (specifically a very cute spider-spirit) who infiltrates Wangquan Manor.
• The story revolves around Fu Gui’s rigid worldview (everyone is demon or threat) being challenged and questioned by Qing Tong’s presence, leading to growth, self-discovery and a romance layered with conflict.
• It is set in the wuxia / xianxia fantasy spectrum: martial arts, demons/spirits, inner transformation, duty vs freedom.

Visuals

• Visuals & setting: High end the production values: the costumes, the fantasy-landscapes, the use of spirit/demon mythos give it a lush, immersive feel.
• Cheng Yi’s performance: Cheng Yi absolutely perfectly captures the cold heartedness and aloofness of the soldier, he brings an authenticity to the character. His character’s arc (from weapon to person) gives him scope to show both stoicism and emotional depth.
• The chemistry between the leads: Li Yitong brings a softness which contrast to Fu Gui’s seriousness; their pairing is truly engaging, even as a spider spirit.
• A mix of steady, familiar tropes and a twist: How can soldiers trained to fight demons - meets demon/spy and begins to question everything, this is well-worn in the genre but in this drama done with enough style and narrative interest.

My thoughts
From the first 5 episodes this is very much worth a look if you enjoy and are into fantasy dramas with romantic arcs, visual grandeur, and a bit of internal transformation (rather than just external action).
So far this drama delivers: beauty, elegance, and emotional resonance, not just sword-chopping for its own sake.

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