Love Never Fails

A beautiful and lovely Xianxia drama

My first impression about this drama is that the setting, costumes and the cast are all beautiful, which I enjoyed watching very much because I love flowers and fairy stories. My second impression is Liu Xue Yi who portrayed his character perfectly. After knowing him from Love And Redemption, I wished to see him in a role of a great God and my dream has come true. In my point of view, Liu Xue Yi is the best actor for the God role. Other actors and actresses also played their characters well. If the story was well written and the drama was not re-made, this could be a hit. My rating is mainly for the acting of the cast and their effort to remake this beautiful and lovely drama.

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Is it Love or my fast forward button that never fails?

I'm still deciding if i hate or love this drama ... I did sit through all 40 + extra episodes. There are huge chunks of episodes that were not needed, you'll see if you watch. The constant montages over music got a bit old and the lead actress completely lost me by the end, no character development or range of acting or chemistry ... not good at all.
Now I LOVED the 2 male leads and the 2nd FL. LXY is a favorite, and has been in most of the dramas I've seen this year, so kudos to him. But I think I fell for Ao in this one, though I've seen him in other dramas, this is the one I finally connected with him as an Actor. I really really liked his character. I liked their brother hood and the 2nd leads chemistry was great, wanted to see more of Kunlu & Luyao.
Overall an average watch, skip a lot of the middle section, but the last 5-6 episodes made it not a total failure for me!

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Love may not fail but this story is an F

I agree with others that it had a strong compelling start as replacement actress I think fit the role with her kind of beauty, petiteness and acting style= a pixie and ML's stoicism worked but the story utterly went downhill and the ending is not even a head scratcher, it was downright slopped together 'gosh we need to wrap this up'. Watch this at 1.25X or even 1.5X and you'll get through it as the dialogue is not interesting, Second leads story is hammy, and a third lead and villan characterizations are like pouting children who behave as bullies because it turns out they have power (which also makes no sense even in fantasy as to how they got that much power),
Watch the ML in A Moment But Forever, and FL in Sleepless Princess to enjoy their portrayals of similar characters in far more 'I want to watch the next episode" stories.

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Boring and Incoherent

The drama starts with potential but very quickly unravels into a confusing, repetitive and emotionally flat story. The plot is filled with inconsistencies and a lack of depth. The ending feels rushed and disappointing.

The main romance lacks chemistry. The male and female leads feel more like siblings than lovers. The male lead actor is more suited for stoic, evil, tragic or gray roles than romantic ones. He was perfect in "A Moment but Forever" or in "Love and Redemption". The female lead, while decent in delivery, doesn’t convey enough depth through her expressions, making the character feel incomplete.

In contrast, the second male lead shines. His acting brought more emotional weight and interest. His storyline was more engaging, and his relationship with Lu Yao had better development and intensity than the main couple. The only passionate kiss we get is from the second leads.

Dialogue often felt like filler, music was dull and unmemorable, and while the visuals and costumes were fine, they didn’t stand out.

A drama with weak romance, bland storytelling, and very little payoff, watchable only for the second lead’s arc if at all.

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Good

I think this is the first xianxia for LXY as a lead bcz this was suppose to be release in 2020. FL lead is innocent childish at first life ( not like esteryu annoying character) and after she played her dark cold character which is absolutely great.she is very beautiful in simple hairstyles 30-40 episodes.

This has first life ,second life, third life......come on.. I felt bored on some episodes this should be finished in ep 32 .this is combo of immortal samsara and love u seven times.bcz jinxu was child of demon and goddess born as divine later turned as demon king which is same as yinguan in Immortal samsara, but he didn't leave his love for a sake of his position in divine realm and they both have flower as a FL . eventhough FL has misunderstanding she loved him till last episodes. Some of them didn't watch special eps 41,42 and think this as bad ending. But it's not.
Finally not too bad but I watched this in 2x speed.. thankyou

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In my opinion, this drama is quite good. In terms of plot and acting, the actors are very good. I really like the chemistry of the two main actors between Liu Xueyi and Hu Yixuan. They make this story so sad about how painful it is to live a love that is always hit by obstacles from all directions, the many conflicts they go through at first did make many mistakes on each of them..then they come back together and believe that if they are together it will end well for them. it turns out that their love struggle ends well and unites as a couple in general. I really like their story, if that happens I also really look forward to their new drama project in the modern version!

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My Take on Love Never Fails: A Drama That Redefines "Love"

If you’re craving a romance that feels raw, genuine, and far from clichéd, Love Never Fails is a must-watch—let me tell you why.

First off, the leads are phenomenal. Liu Xueyi and Hu Yixuan are fantastic actors.
Their on-screen chemistry (that “CP vibe” we all look for) is off the charts, and their take on the emotional scenes? So heartfelt it’ll stick with you. It’s been ages since a drama made me feel this invested in a couple’s journey. Sure, the plot has a few rough spots—you can tell it’s squeezed by limited episodes and a cast change—but the actors’ performances? They smooth over every flaw. Trust me, it’s worth your time.

What really sets this drama apart, though, is how it flips the script on love—especially when it comes to Jinxiu and Hongning. A lot of viewers scratch their heads at Jinxiu’s devotion to Hongning, saying it’s “too much” for a romantic relationship. But here’s my take: Jinxiu isn’t just a lover—he’s a metaphor for a mother who lost her child and got them back. Once you see that, everything clicks.

Think about it: Most romance fans (myself included, usually) lean into the female lead’s perspective. But with Love Never Fails? I catch myself relating to Jinxiu more. His obsession with Hongning? It feels like the protectiveness you’d have for your own kid—weirdly, deeply familiar. That’s never happened with other roles he’s played, even the ones I loved. This show isn’t told from a “male perspective”—it’s told from the perspective of that grieving, then rejoicing mother Jinxiu represents.

So many romances are about “finding a mother”—someone to give us love. But Love Never Fails is the opposite: it’s about “finding a child”—someone to give love to. Jinxiu used to be this suave, carefree guy, but life “shaped” him into someone gentle, patient, and selfless—like a mom. Hongning is quite literally part of him (she’s made from his essence), and he sees her as “the bone in his bones, the fate in his fate.” When they’re separated, it’s agony. When he finds her? He’s all-in: naming her, teaching her how to dress and act, keeping her safe—exactly what a mom would do.

Love, to me, is about giving what you never had. Jinxiu never got maternal love, but he gives Hongning that kind of selfless, unconditional love. That’s the only way to explain why a sharp, dignified Divine Lord would promise a tiny red camellia goblin he’d make her his queen. To outsiders, it’s naive—even reckless. But when he says, “I’ll marry you when the flowers fall”? His eyes are so soft, so sure—this isn’t a throwaway line.

He knows Hongning isn’t “qualified” to be a queen. He knows agreeing to her might mean leaving the Heavenly Court, even giving up his spot as Emperor. But he doesn’t care. And Hongning? She takes all of it—the love, the care, the devotion—and gives it back tenfold. She’s his courage to break free from the rules that chained him. Because of her, he finally figures out what he really wants—and fights for it.

Their love isn’t just romantic. It’s pure, fiery, and beyond gender or desire. Jinxiu is one of a kind: he checks two boxes in what we (as women) often look for in relationships. He’s the attractive partner we crave, but also the gentle, nurturing “mother figure” that makes us feel safe—the two key roles in that “triangular internal object structure” psychologists talk about.

The accompaniment of the theme song 落花时分 is truly excellent as BGM; it always deeply stirs my emotions whenever it plays in key emotional scenes.

I don’t think I’ll ever find another male lead as special as Jinxiu. If you’re tired of the same old romance, give Love Never Fails a shot—it’ll change how you think about love.

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Manic Pixie Girl with a self Sacrificial Streak

The story started out good, but then the finish... I disliked how it finished.

First off, I have to say, I don't fall for the whole he's or she's so hot, OMG, I'm going to ignore the flaws of the drama. Not that sort I try to be fair and assess things in each category.

By far, the writing was probably the weakest, with the directing choices next, then the rest of it being stellar, but if you've read my reviews before, you can have the best costumes, the best set dressings, the best lighting, and the best actors, but the script falling short will always get to people.

In this case, I loved the premise, I loved the first part of the premise, but then the later execution failed to deliver on the first half. The female main character (who has several names) ended up sacrificing herself for the male's main interest in a "And they all die" motif.

She basically is boiled down to a literal pixie girl and a manic one that teaches him what the real world looks like, but there isn't an equal exchange, which made me feel sour about the ending.

Yes, yes, he goes and eventually sacrifices himself, too, and all of that, but I still felt like everything was rushed at the end and not enough detail was put in and mostly this was because of the excessive flashbacks, which could have been used to fill out the missing story more, because the story jumped around so much towards the end, I thought I had missed entire episodes.

I'm not quite sure if it was 100% a directing choice, or because they lost their lead actress and had to replace her suddenly, but I thought all the flashbacks made the drama suffer.

The story I was hoping for never really panned out, and I felt a little sour about the twist.

That said, the acting was really good and almost, almost pulled up the full-of-gaps storyline. But as the script couldn't quite pull out what it needed to get the arcs to complete, I felt a bit robbed about the female storyline arc. In the end it was all about the man and propping up the man, rather than them working together for a better future, which felt sour. If it had been more balanced, then I could have bought the storyline better.

That said, the costumes were gorgeous, and I was admiring them throughout—that was really good eye candy. The music was catchy in places... and if they had a better script, I would have been fully in. Not sure how much of it could be helped given what happened originally.

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Strong Start, Dragged Middle, Emotional End

Stay tuned after the ending song—there’s a surprise finale waiting.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama, though it could have been trimmed down. Instead of 40 episodes, a strong 25 would’ve been enough. Still, the title does not disappoint—it truly is “Love Never Fails.”

From episodes 1 through 15, the story was deeply touching, moving at a steady pace that kept me hooked. Both the ML and FL shined in their roles. Despite the ML’s many titles and hardships, his love for the FL never wavered. Meanwhile, the FL was endearing, passionate, and full of charm.

From episodes 16 to 28, however, the story began to drag with the repeated rebirth cycles. Each round gave the ML and 2ML experience, helping prepare them for the role of Heavenly Emperor—but it stretched longer than necessary. Interestingly, the FL never experienced rebirth until the very end. That raises one lingering question for me: Magpie told her, “You have no soul.” If that’s the case, how was she able to be reborn at all—and only once?

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A series that gives the feeling of watching an old series

The series started well. It attracted me. I watched 10 episodes. Then I started to get bored. It gave me the impression that they gave a new presentation to an old series. Because I saw Liu Xue Yi young. I saw her a little stiff. I said I am watching the 2025 series but what happened to this one. It looked very slow. On the contrary, the female actress was very lively. It seemed like there was a mismatch. But what impressed me the most was that it was like a presentation of an old series with a new date. Ao Rui Peng seemed like he had just started acting. Even he was very young and at the beginning of his career. Of course, I am not Chinese. I do not follow from there. I am far from the events. We watch whatever is shown to us. I am only a close follower of Chinese Dramas. I watch it with pleasure. That's all. But especially the names are effective in the series we watch. I started watching the series because Liu Xue Yi and Ao Rui Peng were there. I thought such a series would be great with these actors. However, I was disappointed. Although the actors adapted to their jobs, the plot got heavier and more meaningless. Acting was not enough. Romance started, progressed, went well. As I said, it stopped after the 10th episode. There was no progress. It was like a series going back and forth. They became a fairy, an immortal, a demon, a mortal, and I got confused while watching. There was a coldness in a series that already gave the impression of being old. As a result, I couldn't stand it and stopped watching after 22 episodes.

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Cute, funny, philosophical and aesthetic fairytale

This is a charming fairytale — unusual, uneven, philosophical, sometimes funny (even hilarious), sometimes sad, and aesthetically beautiful.

The real kicker here isn't dizzying plot twists, action, or steamy scenes, but psychology. Which, honestly, is quite typical for Xianxia with Liu Xue Yi. Specifically, we’re dealing with family relationships + the results of toxic parenting on all sides. There are even a couple of scenes where the royal parents realize what foolish things they have done and finally have to face the consequences. I haven't watched that many dramas, but this is the first time I've seen something like this. And honestly? Watching them eat dirt gave me way more twisted satisfaction than just seeing a hated emperor get killed.

Family dynamics here are just as interesting as the romance. The Emperor and Empress break all records for being trash. Few candidates for “Father of the Year” make me want to strangle them as much as Yao Tian. And his wife is responsible for one of the heaviest scenes in the entire drama — when she explains to Jin Xiu why she despises him. Right when he was already on the verge of a breakdown!

On the flip side, I absolutely loved the relationship between the brothers. Usually, princes fight for the throne or just quietly hate each other, but here we have a healthy, wholesome bond. Jin Xiu and Kun Lun have each other's backs, despite being total opposites. The older brother was raised like a soldier (no emotions allowed), while the younger one did whatever he wanted because his big bro always covered for him.

The love story is childishly sweet and naive. At first, it seems a bit unhinged because of Hong Ning's obsessive desire to marry Jin Xiu. But in the final episodes, we learn why the FL is so obsessed with the ML, and everything clicks.

Overall, the drama is emotionally uneven, but that’s fine. The first half is hilarious and naive. Then comes the drama and angst. The last two episodes are filled with light sadness and hope. And as a bonus, the three special episodes are pure fluff that absolutely broke my cute meter.

The ML is the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Realm (strict rules, harsh hierarchy). The FL is a camellia spirit from the Demon Realm (fun, equality, total idyll — basically hippies in the best sense). The comedy starts when the naive Camellia lands in the dogmatic Heavenly Kingdom and breaks every rule in the book. What sets this apart is that the ML doesn't try to act like a "cold CEO" or evil overlord, even though he is the Punisher. We immediately see that Jin Xiu is actually a softie, and I loved that. Then comes the classic Xianxia trope — mortal trials. Each new life brought something fresh.
The respected Taoist sect leader chasing ducks for betrothal gifts (hilarious).
The demon-Hong Ning tying up and seducing Jin Xiu (the only "hot" scene in this innocent drama).

The show hooks you with individual scenes, humor, and aesthetics. The humor mostly comes from the contrast between the ML's high status and the mess FL drags him into. Liu Xue Yi is a comedic genius. His helpless, indignant face whenever Camellia did something crazy was gold. Kun Lun and Chrysanthemum (the Historian) also carry the comedy — these two just don't care about the strict rules, which leads to great dialogue.

The moral didn't feel preachy: "The short, intense life of a mortal is more valuable than the long, boring life of a god." Love it.

Visually, it captivated me. The Heavenly Realm is magnificent! Majestic halls, pastel flowers, waterfalls, layered costumes with long trains... I enjoyed every frame. Yes, I know it's a lot of green screens, but the creative vision is impressive. I also liked the costumes: heavy in Heaven, airy on Earth. And the hairpins/accessories are masterpieces!

The Cast is the biggest plus.

Hu Yi Xuan (replaced Yuan Bing Yan) was great. Her Camellia was so silly and straightforward that it was endearing rather than annoying. She nailed the "innocent plant spirit raised by hippies" vibe. In her mortal lives, she showed great range — totally different body language.

Liu Xue Yi played a sweet, bullied, slightly naive prince perfectly. I wanted to hug and protect this cinnamon roll the whole time. I admit, for half the drama I was waiting for Jin Xiu to grow some balls and fight back instead of just admitting guilt. But the finale finally gave him psychological maturity, which was satisfying.

Ao Rui Peng fits the "cheerful goofball" role perfectly. He balances out the ML's angst.

Zhao Zheng Yang (Chrysanthemum) stole the show every time he appeared. The MVP of the Heavenly Realm.

Yang Lin (Villain): At first, I thought he was weak because of his constant "resting aggrieved face." But later, his arrogant glares were top-tier villain material.

It’s not Xianxia without suffering. Jin Xiu gets struck by lightning, loses consciousness — the works. But the focus is on psychology. His mom never loved him, his dad tried to make him a robot, and the result is a sweet guy who blames himself for everything. The scene where he is stripped of his divinity actually upset me — you shouldn't humiliate such cute characters like that!

In general, love, care, and the lack thereof are one of the main themes of “Love Never Fails”.
There is a stunning visual image in one of the last episodes. In the world of dreams, young Jing Xiu covers the camellia from the rain, and adult Jing Xiu covers him. I forgot how to breathe during this scene. Isn't that what a lot of modern trendy training courses are about? About taking care of your inner child and accepting the choices you've made. In one shot, we are shown the connection between time and the essence of the hero's love: he is protecting not just a flower, but the very memory of the birth of this feeling. It is a moment of absolute acceptance of one's fate and infinite tenderness.

The OST
Music is excellent. It doesn't draw attention to itself; it just emphasizes the mood without drowning out the dialogue. And thank god, no silly cartoonish sound effects during the funny scenes. The opening song is gentle and sweet, perfectly reflecting the overall vibe of the drama.

Best Visual Metaphor:
In the dream world, young Jin Xiu shields the camellia from the rain, and adult Jin Xiu holds an umbrella over his younger self. I held my breath during this scene. It’s exactly what modern therapy teaches: taking care of your inner child and accepting your choices. He protects the memory of how his love began. Pure tenderness.

Cons
The Fights: Zero choreography. Characters just stand there shooting energy beams. Given the actors' talent, it's a disappointment. (Though Kun Lun just straight-up punching a guy in the face was funny).
The Pacing/Editing: You can tell it’s an adaptation. Some motives are explained poorly or too fast. A couple of times I felt lost, wondering if I missed a scene or if it was just bad editing.

Verdict
An unusual drama. Too little epic action, too much talking at the end. It feels like they had budget cuts, but it works as a storytelling style if you get used to it. It's very watchable if you don't expect crazy martial arts, smut, or for characters to immediately "use their words" to solve problems.

Worth watching for the acting, the visuals, and to smile.

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