The Demon Hunter's Romance (2025)

An epic and entertaining tales of demon hunting with intelligent script that trust the audiences.

Everyone must question how on earth a drama written about demon hunting can be so engaging and compelling? Then give this drama a try. Everything about it will defy what would you might have an impression of the genre. While the story is about Xuanye, the Demon Hunter and Banxia, a girl who happen to have the ability to see demons, what spiral from this story goes beyond layers and depth and in the end gave us an epic love story that defy destruction, fate and destiny.

THE ACTING

One of the strongest aspects of this drama is the stellar acting from the casts. Ren Jialun impressed me so much with his portrayal of Xuanye, a demon hunter with a tragic past. The way he dressed down for the role, you can’t see him but his character. His dedication to be the character is simply amazing – his mannerisms, his sarcastic smiles, or his soft way of talking totally sold us as a demon hunter with a heart of gold -- ferocious against his enemies but delicate towards his love ones. Then we have Song Zu’er as Banxia. I personally think this is Song Zu’er best role to date -- she is beyond amazing in this drama. She got to play 3 different characters here and she played every one of them perfectly. And those never-ending tears? How can one person has so much tears?

THE DIRECTING

Since this drama is directed by the famous female director Lin Yu Fen, you can see how the directing really elevates the whole storytelling. The effective use of camera frame & angles, with clear artistic vision and adding a lot of originality and imagination to tell a story that is not only well written but very entertaining as well. For an example the whole Painting Demon arc in the drama -- when everyone entered the painting with different personalities, is an effective way of telling a story that highlight the abilities and range that the actors’ possessed without relying on the usual ‘amnesia’ plot. While delivering an out of the box storytelling in the same arc, the Director deep understanding of the narrative structure (repeated day), character developments (even when the characters are not themselves), pacing (linking each day to another), and how to evoke emotions through visual language are used effectively to the fullest. And the way she captured all the emotional scenes, she knows what to emphasize, what to highlight, and how to build tension and create impact. A lot of highly emotional scene in the drama wouldn’t be as impactful as we felt if is being shot from another director’s lens.

Also, worth to point out how detail she made the drama’s overall world-building. When they entered the Mirror Demon's world, the sky is the reflection (mirror) of the town. And when they entered the Painting Demon's world, the sky is a painting. I love how the nature of the demon reflected in the sky -- they cant really create a completely real world so the flaws can be seen in the sky. Or how she shot the underground city where it seemed like the characters are really underground was shot stunningly. Or the bustling town of Guanping, it was such a beautiful sight to behold and the colors and different architecture of the houses made the whole town colorful and very lively.

THE WRITING

As someone who is after good writing in dramas, this drama meant a world, A WORLD for me. The writing has been really fantastic with intricate details and planning that you can see how it spanned over several episodes before the event actually happened. The characters were written with their own personalities and motives that you can basically predict what are they going to do with how well written they were. I find the script to be one of the strongest reasons for the drama's popularity. Instead of aiming to shock in the first few episodes, it actually took time to take off. But while doing it that way, they properly wrote the introduction and set the stage and later you can see how one case and another case woven together beautifully like a flowing water.

I love like how the demons who masked their true forms to fool and mingling with human, the leads as well started with a different presentation of their true self. Xuanye looks like an earnest demon hunter initially during his first introduction to us until when we reached the next arc of the story when we finally figure out that he is actually nonchalant and pretty apathetic due to his past. Then we have Banxia, which seemed a little slow and dim-witted until she stopped taking the calm medicine then we started to see the colorful girl that she actually is -- brave, kind and adorably naïve and lovable. Its the same with the demons -- with each case, we supposed to see these different perspectives of them -- are they all bad or there are some that are good? And while the first case seemed to gloss over the demon, we got more of them in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th case. Each one of these cases started to give us different narrative of their true self and nature.

Script that ‘show’ than ‘tell’ - The writer also using some interesting writing choice to present us the plot without appearing that they are spoon feeding us the information which I enjoy. For an example, we didn’t know some information about these demons and their power but the characters do, so what the writer did is having one of the characters reading the book loudly to us to give us the plan and information then later having Xuanye getting annoyed on why they read it loudly -- thus passing it as quirks of the characters.

Interconnecting plot where everything seamlessly woven with each other, effortlessly - Everything, literally everything has reasons. And I love the fact that the writer always established the plot first in different stages before the revelation, so you can feel the gravity of the matters in hand when you remember when it all started. And instead of creating something new to move the romance, she always used these existing plot points to further it. For example, Banxia repeatedly walking in the forest alone (part of her personality which is brave and also to show her desperation and isolation for having that curse), well that lead to our leads' first romantic encounter with the firefly. Then the tied-up hands while sleeping, the first stage was established way before in Episode 1 on how the sword has different effects – when Xuanye ate 10 bowls of foods. So now, the writer used one of the effects (sleeping) as a reason for Xuanye to tie his hands with Banxia. Then comes to the white hair, which is also one of the effects of the sword which his life span will shorten everytime he used it. Then the writer used the same excuse of the white hair for the dyeing hair scene -- which another romantic moment for the couple. And what’s more amazing, we also established this fact that Banxia didn’t do that out of the blue but she offered it because she done it for her Dad's before so it wasn’t out of character but more like innocent take on that matter -- since she didn’t realize that she likes him too at that time. I love how everything seamlessly woven with each other, effortlessly. From the demon storyline (different take on themes, type of love and perspectives) to all the leads' interaction with each other to all the mysteries behind everything.

Script with nuance and subtext - This drama has a lot of subtext that you can only know the real layers of the script if you pay enough attention to it. For an example, the Cat Demon case. In this case, the Cat Demon which is called 'Nine Lives' is selling his lives so that he can gather enough money so that he can hire Xuanye's Demon Hunter fee. The script didn’t feed up and tell us this out loud but it is implied throughout the story on how he went everywhere selling his lives. The script did tell us on how desperate he is when he is saving Xuanye's constable friend life for $200 -- ''Traded his life for merely $200? Is it worth it?'' -- and we only get the heaviness of that sentence after his death. I also love when we dwell more on these demons and their back stories. Like the Mirror Demon, it is such a good revelation that he has been with the dancer probably hundreds of years which explain the love and obsession.

Effective use of red herrings - For a mysteries drama, the usage of red herring is an effective tool for excellent storytelling and this drama excelled in this tremendously. There are a lot of false clues to mislead us so it becomes a good guessing game while we are watching the drama. Like the Puppet Demon case, everything and everyone is suspicious in the early stage. The red herrings are effective as which you can feel everything is wrong in that place -- everything look suspicious yet you still have no idea who and what to point out since everything look right and normal at the same time.

Deceptive storytelling - In one of the case, which is Puppet Demon case, the writer opt to do deceptive storytelling with this case as this is all planned by Xuanye to lure the demon out. This is one of my favorite writing methods as the Director will show us one 'narrative' on screen in order to fool us BUT at the same time give us many hints on why we should not trust that 'narrative'. And what I find amazing is how effective is the directing & acting in this particular arc since I can catch something is wrong with some out-of-behavior things that Xuanye did. First, with the eyeballs, ever notice why he brings them everywhere without reasons? Then when consoling Banxia's cousin, he actually touch his hand which is such an out-of-character thing for him to do, then we know why later. 😉 Then, when he take Banxia hand and say thank you to her with that long smile and her awkward expression -- that again was weird and I was taken aback and I'm glad that there is actually explanation for it as there is no way both of the leads are doing bad acting for that scene. I love how effective those are since now everything I questioned in the plot actually have reasons and make sense.

Script that want the audiences to participate - One of the facets in the drama that I immensely enjoy is that it actively asking the audiences to participate when discovering the mysteries together with the characters. For an example, during the Painting Demon arc. It is indeed a good and unexpected revelation on who is the true mastermind. The whole writing in this arc had me in awe on how they asked us to guess together with Xuanye who is the real mastermind and lay all the clues for us to do it -- its not something that Xuanye pulling from his ass since he is the only genius one in the room.

Mindblown details in the script that traced back from the beginning – This is one of the detail in the script that completely will blow your mind over. Remember Xuanye draw the Cause-Effect Sword in order to save Banxia? The effect of the sword is that they totally erased Mr Cui (Xuanye's Dad worker) & Mrs Cui from their lives that is why Mr Cui missed the recruitment notice in front of Xuanye's Dad shop. And now, Mrs Cui doesn’t have any memories of Banxia saving her or memories of Xuanye as well since her husband didn’t work there. So, it meant that her husband is still alive and now a blacksmith and her, since Banxia didnt interfere with her fate in this new timeline, will probably die as no one going to save her this time around. And what makes the writing so amazing is that they have set up this Mrs Cui in earlier episodes when Xuanye visit her house when she's sick -- it wasn’t a filler scene but an important one to show us the severity of using this sword. So, the writer already planned for this arc to happen since early on and have set the stage for it. Also, point to notice how since Banxia will no longer have White Crow curse on her as Xuanye already killed it (the cause), so the Mirror Demon also didn’t exist and that’s why we can see Banxia dancer friend is eating a pear after that. Also, the night when Banxia forgave Xuanye when she's sleeping holding his hand and they made up -- it also didnt happen that is why when Chi Zhe asked them if they made up, she said 'No' and she is still grumpy a few days after that when the marriage date announced since technically, she and Xuanye never reconcile properly. So, the heartwarming proposal that Xuanye gave her is the point that they are together again.

No plot armors or holes - I also love how everytime you question something and point out plot armors or holes, the drama will address it later. Like the conversation Xuanye had with Banxia to keep pretending to be a married couple and then Wunniang knocks the door right after that -- she must have heard the conversation? But it soon revealed that you can barely hear from outside since even when Banxia is saying something alone in her room, Xuanye can’t hear what she said as well.

Thought-provoking script with lessons – Since this drama handles with different demons, themes and situations, it comes with heavy lesson in each arc stories. I also love the question that they posed on whether to leave the junior monk keeps living in this painting or bring him out where he will be an old man with no youth left in him -- there is no right or wrong answer for this question. Also the part of living each day happily without having to worry about anything – only to discover the day keeps repeating itself would you consider it as heaven or is it hell on earth?

THE ROMANCE

What always gets me about how the romance is filmed in this drama is how it’s the perfect mix of actors' chemistry, acting and writing. Especially the writing which sets up why they would be so drawn to one another since their relationship started with trust and understanding and how the depth of their feelings impacted them and their actions throughout the drama without having to rely on many kissing scenes or anything overtly sexual. And they also have these dynamics of Poor ML and Rich FL which one of the rare combinations in Cdramas. And it makes them so refreshing to watch.

Both of the leads are also really convincing in portraying a couple in love with all those expressions, tiny gentle gestures and their concern with each other. It’s the combination of acting as well as writing on how their love story, despite being brief in each episode, yet so unforgettable. Notice how the writer always interlaced their interactions with funny moments? That light, tender and funny moments add depth into their relationship and you can see the progression of their attraction to each other. And when Banxia explained to her friend why she loves Xuanye, it is because he makes her feel safe, you totally get it too since thats how he always been with her, even when they are strangers.

Plus, the lead has this calm chemistry that I really dig. He hesitates in confessing his feelings due to their status yet you can see how much he loves her in everything that he did. It’s in the little details on how he recognized it is not her with just one sentence when a puppet demon took her face and he also recognized her by touching her tiny lil hands even when her face is covered -- these little details that speaks thousands of words. She is demure and gentle yet she is assertive when it comes to him. She didn't hide her feelings and wore her feelings on sleeve that everyone can see them clearly.

And one of the aspects that I love about this drama is that they are written as pillars to each other. She is written as someone actively helping him and not someone that he constantly need to save or protect -- they are not written as weakness but strength to each other. When this kind of writing happen, you know you are watching a good story.

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Love, Fate, and Irony

A Demon Hunter’s Romance is not just a story about love or a hero vanquishing evil. While the romance between the leads is central and wonderful to watch, and the action scenes delivered all the magic and mayhem you'd expect, the heart of the drama lay deeper — in a poignant exploration of identity, fate, and the acceptance of who we are and how we’re ultimately meant to fulfill our destinies.

Ren Jia Lun, the male lead, played Xuan Ye — a stoic and formidable demon hunter raised by a family of physicians who also hunted demons. Haunted by a past tragedy, he carried on the family legacy not out of blind duty, but with a deep sense of compassion shaped by his father's teachings. His father often emphasized that just as humans can choose between good and evil, so too can demons. Little did anyone know that this belief stemmed from a reason far more surprising than simple moral philosophy. Guided by these principles, Xuan Ye approached his duty with careful judgment rather than vengeance. There was no clear line between what was considered good and evil — and it’s in this gray space that the drama found its emotional depth. Told through four main arcs, the series unfolded as a meditation on what it truly means to be good, and whether our lives are shaped more by the species we belong to or by the choices we make.

Ban Xia, portrayed by Song Zu Er, was Xuan Ye’s love interest, and her character growth was one of the most satisfying arcs in the drama. Initially timid, naive, and soft-spoken, Ban Xia nevertheless proved herself to be a strong-willed young woman who refused to let others dictate her life. Despite operating within the constraints of her society, she made her own choices and forged her own path. In the earlier episodes, she was often overshadowed by the chaos and stronger personalities around her. That changed after a pivotal story arc — one of the highlights of the series — where Ban Xia proved herself truly "a strong female lead". From that point on, she found her voice and strength. Her optimism and confidence never faded, but they evolved into a fierce, unwavering determination. She became a woman who knew what she wanted and was unafraid to fight for it — especially when it came to standing by Xuan Ye’s side no matter the cost. Her love for him was powerful not because it was blind, but because it was a choice made with clarity and courage.

There was a shared past between them, and through a twist of fate, their paths crossed once again. Their slow-burn romance was not just sweet — it was healing. It reflected a bond forged through trust, shared struggles, and the belief that people — or demons — are more than what the world labels them to be. The progression of their relationship felt natural and unforced, with scenes turning mundane activities into romantic moments.

Since this was a Ren Jia Lun drama, anyone familiar with his work knew not to expect a lot of skinship — but they also knew to expect emotional depth in every scene, including the romantic ones. As expected, RJL delivered once again. Through his expressions, body language, and excellent delivery, he conveyed a remarkable range of emotions with nuance and sincerity. (Side note and minor spoiler: the show did surprise us with a couple of kisses — or more like sweet pecks! 😄) Song Zu Er paired beautifully with him. While their chemistry wasn’t the fiery, sizzling type, it felt warm and genuine. Together, they made an endearing couple that had viewers rooting for them from beginning to end. While not as seasoned as RJL, Song Zu Er held her own in the emotional scenes. There were moments where her crying felt slightly overacted, and others where her facial expressions needed refinement — but overall, her performance was engaging and enjoyable to watch.

There was also a secondary couple in the drama, but I wasn’t as drawn to them. I liked both characters individually, but together, they just didn’t click for me. Their relationship felt more like a plot checkbox than a natural progression. In general, the supporting cast added some nice variety and helped move the story along. While none of them stood out in a major way, a few definitely grew on me — especially Chi Xue, Xuan Ye’s loyal and often amusing sidekick. And of course, some of the supporting characters were downright easy on the eyes, which certainly added to the entertainment factor.

Another highlight of the show was the soundtrack. The OST really elevated the emotional scenes, with standout tracks including 予你人间 (To Gift You This World) performed by Song Zu Er herself. I was hoping Ren Jia Lun would lend his voice to the soundtrack, as he has done in other dramas, but sadly, we didn’t get to enjoy his lovely vocals this time around.

The fourth and final arc brought the story full circle, returning to its central theme as the happy world Xuan Ye and Ban Xia built together slowly began to unravel. As Xuan Ye delved deeper into the mystery of his past and began to uncover the truth about his real identity, the lovely future our couple had imagined together seemed less and less likely. Throughout the drama, the show dropped hints, allowing viewers to piece together fragments of his origin — enough to sense where the story was headed, even if we weren’t ready to accept it. Many of us saw the inevitable coming, but we still held onto hope that the show would find a way to give Xuan Ye and Ban Xia their happy ending. Like Ban Xia, I earnestly believed that if they tried hard enough, they could make it work.

At the end of it all, while I had hoped for a more satisfying happy ending, I could accept the one we got. It was fitting and beautifully bittersweet. This was, after all, a love story between two people from entirely different worlds — a human and a demon — and one that was never meant to be in the conventional sense. Xuan Ye couldn’t turn his back on his people or his responsibilities, not even for love. With his world in turmoil, it was up to him to bring order and hope back to it. I was disappointed, though, that the writer didn’t leave us with at least an open ending. When even Ban Xia herself gave up, and neither of them asked if she could go with him, along with the other scenes with no other promises, it felt like the writer firmly closed the door on any future for them — a real missed opportunity.

Overall, A Demon Hunter’s Romance was a wonderful journey, and my rating reflects just how much I enjoyed the show as a whole. Even though the ending wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for, it still felt ok for the story. At the very least, it stayed true to the characters and avoided the kind of senseless twist with death thrown in just for the sake of drama.

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Fast Moving Action Packed with Tons of Romance and Humor

When the drama concluded, I was very pleased with the ending. I thought all the beloved characters were safe and sound despite everything they had endured. But then, I started hearing complaints that the ending was AI-generated and completely altered the original story’s conclusion. This is unfortunate because the more I read about the original version, the more I prefer it. I wish the production team hadn’t made such dramatic changes to such an intriguing and lovely story.

This is a tale about demons and humans coexisting. Though it’s an action-packed adventure, it’s infused with humor and romance. I loved everything about this drama—the characters, the acting, the setting, and the cinematography. Even the CGIs were very well done and believable. The storytelling is impeccable, with intricate details and revelations that respect the audience’s intelligence.

The story unfolds in four main arcs: the Mirror Demon arc, the Puppet Demon arc, the Painting Demon arc, and finally, the "Who Am I" arc. Each arc is richly detailed, blending humor, Chinese folklore, and cultural elements. Most importantly, through these arcs, we see the romance between the main leads blossom and the characters grow. Each arc also explores a universal human fear and the lessons learned from it.

In the first arc, Banxia (played by Song Zu’er) is timid and unsure of herself. But by the final arc, she becomes strong and courageous. Though initially easily frightened due to her traumatic childhood, she’s never an annoying weakling—she stands up against injustice and helps the vulnerable. The Mirror Demon arc also delves into the fear of losing beauty with age, driving people to seek eternal youth—a deeply relatable human concern.

The second arc takes our characters to a scenic resort where everything is so tranquil that one could lose themselves in its lifestyle forever. It also explores society’s obsession with perfection, as the antagonist seeks the ideal human features—eventually fixating on Banxia. This arc exposes how the pursuit of perfection can lead to immorality and crime.

The third arc is about the Painting Demon. It creates a "Groundhog Day" scenario where people inside the painting live the same day over and over—never aging, never dying. This reflects humanity’s quest for immortality, but when viewed from the outside, seeing each day repeat endlessly, eternal life somehow becomes meaningless. It’s eerily similar to how we sometimes live our own lives, stuck in monotonous routines—only this time, we see it reflected in a painting.

The final arc poses a question we often ask ourselves: "Who am I?" If given a choice, what would we choose? This is Xuanye’s dilemma: Should he choose duty over love, leaving his beloved to suffer, or choose love and let the world fall into ruin? In the AI-generated ending, he picks duty, but in the original version, he finds a way to have both—love and the world.

In every arc, I love how Xuanye’s intelligence allows him to piece things together before the truth is revealed. And when he misses something, Banxia fills in the gaps. Their romance is subtle yet unmistakable—there’s no ego or pride between them. They’re honest with each other, openly expressing their displeasure and communicating their thoughts and desires.

Both Ren Jialun and Song Zu’er are seasoned actors. Though there’s an age gap (Ren Jialun is 36, while Song Zu’er is 26), Ren Jialun looks youthful enough to match Song Zu’er perfectly. Most importantly, their chemistry is amazing—especially Song Zu’er’s unapologetically bold demeanor with her co-star.

Final Thoughts
Right after the finale, I applauded the ending. I thought it was satisfying that Xuanye rewrote the story, undoing the deaths of beloved characters. But after reading viewers’ insights about the original ending, I started having second thoughts. As much as I didn’t want those characters to die, having Xuanye reverse everything in less than half an episode—especially with an AI-generated conclusion—feels messy and emotionally hollow. Now, I agree with many viewers: the story should have stuck to the original ending, keeping the tragic deaths but giving Banxia and Xuanye a better life together.

Action-packed, infused with humor and romance, great CGI and cinematography, stellar acting, well-developed characters.

Despite my mixed feelings about the ending, I still love this drama and highly recommend it to everyone.

Two thumbs up. A must-watch!

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Monster's Ball

Demon Hunter's Romance or Wuyou Crossing(无忧渡) is a thrilling and chilling monster's ball where demons and humans collide, love defies fate, and morality blurs like ink in water. With its exquisite aesthetics, meticulous world-building, and haunting narrative, this drama revives the eerie charm of classical supernatural tales, blending Buddhist/Taoist philosophy with visceral emotion.

Since she was a child, Banxia had yin-yang eyes that gave her a weird ability to see yāo (妖)—demons hiding among humans. Her family dismisses these "delusions" and medicate her. When she confronts and enrages a demon who seduced her cousin, she is rescued by Xuanye, a demon hunter. After this encounter, she begins to accept that demons really exist. When her father disappears, she is convinced he is kidnapped by a demon and travels to Guangping City to enlist Xuanye's assistance in retrieving him. Together, they investigate six strange cases that explore complex entanglements between humans and demons. The cases dive into how humans and demons experience love, greed, anger, ignorance, emptiness, and transformation. The drama's core message is that both humans and demons can be monsters and they often feed upon each other's best and worst instincts. As for whether humans and demons can co-exist, viewers must decide for themselves.

The cases are engaging, thought provoking and leave a lingering impact as they escalate brilliantly into the a devastating and poignant finale. The narrative respects the audience's intelligence and is replete with enough clues and foreshadowing that the how-did-it at the end of each case is succinct as the mysteries largely reveal themselves. The first three cases are spooky in a Chinese horror kind of way, which is subtly hair raising rather than jump scares. The mirror demon case was the scariest and it ruined pears for me. I also enjoyed the creepy Reunion Inn aka Hotel California unit but the best case for me was the City of Illusions. It had the most cohesive sub-plot with multiple clues in plain sight and the humor and ironic role reversals were a welcome shift from the earlier spooky toned arcs. The narrative focus turns to the reveal of Xuanye's back story in the final two cases, which tie everything together into the final reveal and plot climax.

I picked this up mainly for the strange stories and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the romance. Ren Jialun and Song Zu'er look very cute and like they belong together. While the sparks didn't fly right away, the slow build in the romance better establishes a deep and abiding bond between Banxia and Xuanye. Song Zu’er shines brightest as the fierce He Quelian, overshadowing her initial portrayal of the timid Banxia. As for Ren Jialun, this is his career best to date. Though his early line readings falter, he improves markedly in the latter half with a moving delivery of the emotional moments. The cast delivered strong performances all around, with the demons outshining their human counterparts, as they should.

This drama is adapted from "Ban Xia" (半夏) by Ban Ming Ban Mei (半明半寐), which is a popular, unfinished supernatural romance. While the visual storytelling is captivating and immersive, the dialogue often drowns in verbose monologues. The biggest monsters in this story are human and they tend get off too lightly. Meanwhile good souls sacrifice and suffer unjust outcomes. While the intent may be to highlight the randomness of fate, the lack cosmic justice leaves a dissatisfying aftertaste.

There are many good villains in this drama but the final mastermind is too obvious early on and is the least interesting one with shallow and pedestrian motives. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the final two arcs as Zikong's (Cao Jun) adds layers of intrigue to Xuanye's origin story. There were moments the magnetic Cao Jun stole the limelight with his good looks and breathtaking fight scenes. The ending is profound and it makes sense in a way that respects the genre. The Changle (常乐) Sword or Sword of Lasting Wellbeing fulfils its legacy but extracts a high price. Something was lost but everything was gained and there remains a sliver of hope.This is a magical and poignant story about a demon who loved a human enough to set them free to be the person they were always meant to be. Flaws and all, Wuyou Crossing is a rare gem that will surely linger like a half-remembered dream. My rating 8.5/10.0.






SPOILER WARNING!







ENDING SPOILER COMMENTS

I know I belong to the minority, but I loved the ending tears and all. The production rightly overruled the screenwriter’s original plan—a hackneyed “half-demon compromise”—would have betrayed the story’s core: a taboo love between a human and a demon that defies fate.

The key to understanding the ending is that the Changle Sword can only be drawn to reverse cause and effect when there is a deviation from fate. Xuanye understood that when the sword beckoned him to use it and the way those fat silent tears rolled down his face is the drama's saddest moment. As it turns out, Banxia was never meant to wander into the Wuyou Realm or to meet Manying or to bring him into the human realm. The end effect of their ill-fated meeting was tragic for everyone from Xuanye's entire family to Chixue, Chu Youhuang, Sima Lingying and Banxia herself. The Changle Sword's intervention set everyone back on their rightful path but erases Xuanye's existence. Banxia should have forgotten Xuanye and gone on to live her best life as the brave and indomitable He Quelian. But the grateful butterfly demon stored Banxia's memories in the conch. And the universe threw them a lifeline by returning the conch to Banxia.

Thankfully the Changle Sword must have also muted the wordy screenwriter as the finale left so much unspoken because it did not need to be said. It trusts the audience to understand what is implied. Banxia and Manying don't belong to each other's world and Xuanye doesn't even exist anymore to anyone besides the two of them. In their new reality, they both have responsibilities and ties that bind in their own world. The Wuyou Realm is a magical and dangerous place for humans; even Shen Tunan dared not venture there without powering up. So I don't think it is realistic to expect Banxia to leave with Manying. The snow was Manying's promise to Banxia that they would grow old together. And by introducing him to all their old friends, Banxia is laying a path for Manying to find his way back into her world. So to me, this ending is a not yet happy ending; there are many challenges ahead but I daresay that it will be.

The only thing I truly hate about the ending is that the bigot Shen Tunan and that utterly selfish and whiny Xingxian get a do-over. That's just not right.



Footnote: Interestingly Li Xian doesn't pop up again in their new reality. Maybe he really is the runaway puppet Qingshan.









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Xuan ye banxia protector

Sooo good Soo interesting. Banxia who can see demons and Xuan ye the demon hunter who can actually be a demon also? Yeah doing fabulous job . Banxia is not weak she's just scared because her family doesn't believe her that she can see demons they thought she's crazy and make her feel like she's just assuming it that's why she just got scared but Xuan ye is the one who give her courage and make her strong she not weak she's strong when she face danger .
Allen fight scenes are absolutely amazing best fight scene. Their chemistry is chemistrying . Absolutely loving it
Don't see mdl rating they have Soo many haters . Some people didn't even watch and come to rate . So shameful

It's an open ending he can comeback at least she remember him if she doesn't remember him in the end will break our heart but glad everyone was alive and it's actually a worth watching masterpiece.
Give us season 2 or special ep

Banxia what an amazing character you are ❤️both are green forest.
Xuan ye always protect her but now it's her turn to protect him and she nailed it .
Xuan ye transform in that panther demon is Soo cool 🔥❤️

but if banxia forget Xuan ye at the end will break our heart more I'm glad she remember him ❤️

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How Do You Say Unforgettable in Chinese??

I waited quite a while for this drama.. Due to several delays, it kept getting pushed back.. But it was finally released.. When you see Allen Ren in the cast, you know you are in for a performance that's worth the wait.. The Demon Hunter’s Romance also marks the return of Song Zu Er.. Her drama Legally Romance is one of my favorites.. I am glad to see her back..

The drama’s strength lies in the chemistry between the leads.. You can feel it right from episode 1.. The first few episodes really set a high benchmark with the music and visuals.. And just like that it became twice as interesting.. The world building was done exceptionally well.. The cinematography, costumes and CGI were all solid..

The Mirror Demon arc was good.. I really liked how it explored themes of obsession with beauty and immortality..

The Puppet Demon arc was my favorite.. I absolutely loved episode 15.. Especially the first time we see him use the fire sword.. It was intense and thrilling.. I just wish the final fight scene had been a bit longer because it was really good..

The Puppet Demon Feng Wu Niang was eerie and special appreciation to Zhang Zi Xin who played that role to perfection.. Her performance was downright chilling.. This arc sort of amplifies XuanYe and BanXia's chemistry and highlights their unspoken feelings.. The whole resort setting was gorgeous, all shadowy and haunting.. And the music for this whole arc was just too good.. This arc has everything that makes the drama addictive.. For me Its the moment the show truly hits its stride..

The Painting Demon Arc was equally good even though it didnt have the same intensity like the previous arcs.. I think this arc was more about the emotional depth and strengthening the main couple's feelings for each other.. As she falls for him again and again even without her memories.. The twist about the demon and actual creator of the painting being right beside them was a nice touch..

This arc poses an interesting question.. Is a perfect, repeating moment heaven or hell??

The final arc, Who am I?? was good until the last 15 mins.. The whole arc screamed tragedy and pain.. Honestly there were lot of dumb things done by both the main leads.. She should have told him about his demon identity sooner.. And he for God's sake should have talked to her and his friends before rushing off to the underground city to confront his uncle.. That was stupid.. I understand he wanted everyone to be safe but what did he think?? They will just let him go die alone.. They could have made a proper plan and defeated his uncle together instead of going in blindly.. And that to me, is what led to their deaths..

Now.. The ending.. This drama had no right to be a sad ending.. None at all.. It deserved a happy ending.. He literally said
" No matter what plans i make, I will always include you in them" in ep 32..
And..
" Dont worry.. no matter what happens.. I will always be with you.. " in Ep 33..

And he just goes off after that perfect reunion?? Honestly no way this was supposed to be a sad ending.. And that Mr. Fu telling her to Go after him after she regains her memories.. What was the need for that then?? It was setup to be a completely satisfying happy ending.. They knew the audience wouldn’t be okay with this but they just didn’t care.. There were so many ways to write a better ending.. I heard its iQIYI who forced the change from a happy ending to a sad one.. Well, iQIYI can go to hell..

There are rumors about a second season but nothing has been confirmed yet.. Fingers crossed for a direct sequel.. We definitely need one after that ending..

Overall it was a banger of a drama.. Flaws and all, I absolutely loved it.. The firefly scene was beautiful.. Reminded me of Alchemy of Souls Season 2.. Her little nod acknowledging his help was a really nice moment.. Their romance progress felt so natural and their chemistry was exceptional.. Now give us that season 2..

P.S.. I don’t know if its just me but the drama had an uncanny resemblance to Tale of the Nine Tailed..

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An ode to the old xianxia dramas!

The Demon Hunter's Romance is very reminiscent of old xianxia that focused a lot on fighting demons and traveling all over the place. This is a breath of fresh air from the endless recycled xianxia rebirth plots for the past 3-5 years. Definitely recommend if you want something different from the almighty gods and goddesses rebirth plotlines.

I've been a fan of both Ren Jia Lun and Song Zu Er for many years so there's really nothing to nitpick as they both played their part well. Even the supporting characters acted really well!

Ren Jia Lun's character, Xuanye, is a very caring, intuitive, and goal focused demon hunter. But when it comes to love, he's the ultimate green flag. He cares deeply for Banxia, and would do anything in his power to keep her from harm. I loved that he cares very much for those around him, he tries to protect them in a way that he thinks would work. It's somewhat bittersweet because he's selfless, he doesn't care if he's hurt - as long as everyone one else is safe. Very heroic! The martial choreography in this drama was amazing, the amount of times I had to repeat a fight scene was endless. lol

Song Zu Er comeback role after her hiatus, Banxia, feels like your typical damsel in distress - always running after her crush kind of gal. She does, however, have the ability to hold her own and fight back with a sharp tongue coming out of her mouth. LOL As for damsel in distress, she does need protection since she's unable to defend herself. Sometimes I wonder why she would run after Xuanye knowing full well she's not gonna be able to help him. That said, her character isn't annoying imo, I quite like her love for Xuanye, or maybe I'm just biased and love Song Zu Er's acting in this drama. LOL I love that she's first to accept Xuanye as who he truly is before anyone else and still love him despite of it. IT TUGGED ON MY HEARTSTRINGS!

Anyhow, I do quite enjoy some of the humor in this drama as well as the little niche acting for example. When Chi Xue used both his legs to knock someone back, it totally felt like a rabbit using its hind legs! When the panthers were in their human form, they also kind of fight like panthers - it's a given in any xianxia drama but I liked it regardless!
Wuniang the puppet lady was AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG!!! She definitely creeped me out a few times, especially the way she moved her head very much like a puppet. The usage of marionette & puppets isn't new to Cdramas but I like the way it was displayed in this drama. Definitely by far my favorite fight scene in TDHR.
The CGI felt realistic, although some parts I can tell its fake but most of the CGI animation in this drama was very convincing. :)

Was it worth watching? Definitely.
Overall, 10 out 10 and would definitely watch again when I'm bored.

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It is an incredible series that scores a solid 10/10 for its seamless blend of romance, action, and character development. Ren Jialun, as the male lead, delivers a standout performance, bringing both strength and vulnerability to his role as a skilled demon hunter. His chemistry with the female lead, Song Zuer, is undeniable, with their heartfelt interactions driving the emotional core of the story. The martial arts scenes are expertly executed, offering breathtaking action sequences that perfectly complement the intense narrative. The plot is well-balanced, weaving together thrilling battles with moments of tenderness and growth, particularly in the relationship between the leads. The world-building is rich, drawing viewers into a captivating universe filled with danger and mysticism. With strong supporting characters, beautiful cinematography, and a well-paced story, "Demon Hunter's Romance" is a must-watch for fans of action-packed romances.

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An epic tale of love of a demon and a human through demon hunting!!

The demon Hunter's romance is a winner in all the aspects.Be it emotions, action, suspense, mystery,friendship, love, family, betrayal, angst, it is a perfect mix of all the factors.
The story is about Jiu Xuanye and Duan Banxia, who by chance meet iver a demon hunting case and fall in love gradually, experiencing life and death together, unraveling identities and conspiracies, along with their friends.
Ren Jialun, as usual, excels in his role of Xuanye, who is calm, reserved and a justice driven demon hunter.
Song Zu'er as Duan Banxia is the stealer of the drama. She is cute, expressive, kind, emotional, loving, helping, smart and a but innocent too. She was just tailor made for her, imo. 💯😍
I also enjoyes the story of Sima Lingying and Chu Youhuang.
Also, the friendship between the five of them is very good to watch. They were very loyal to one another and always stood for the other in tough times.
All the actors were perfect💯
What i liked the most is the way each case was handled with good investigative narratives and clue finding processes. And the cases were interesting too to watch.
Overall a perfect and engaging drama to watch . Imo, A MUST WATCH DRAMA👌😍
I loved it💯

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There are moments of mystery, suspense, thrill and usual good guys vs bad guys. The special effects in this drama are top notch and not burdensome, and really brought a magical vibe to this world. Music is good and the action scenes are tastefully done. The ending, especially the last 3 episodes brought it an overall calm tone to it. Worth checking out this drama.



I like how the drama spent the last 2 episodes to help viewers emotionally prepare to what was to come. The ending was what you could say is a a realistic conclusion of a "demon hunter's" romance with a human. Still you couldn't help but root for the characters, Banxia and Xuanye, to be together knowing how much they like each other. Xuanye as a character is so sincere and respectable, no wonder Banxia would fall for him. And Banxia being earnestness and caring, and being the first girl to give attention to Xuanye, no wonder Xuanye falls for her too.
( To be honest, I thought there'd be an epilogue, like 12 years later seeing Banxia, Xuanye, and their child or something. But I guess this would've been cliché and the drama rather took an alternative route).

In a way, how their relationship presents in the final episode is the trade off for saving the lives of many of the characters that were killed while fighting against the "bad". Though the time reversal thing Xuanye uses to bring things back to "normal" can be seen as an action done in line with his character, it can also be seen as a device needed to be done otherwise the storyline would've become more of a tragedy.

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The Demon Hunter’s Romance (that was let go due to differing circumstances)

Amazing, but be warned your heart will be healed, torn, healed, and be broken again. I was stuck in a drama slump until this aired. I throughly enjoyed every episode, every moment from the beginning to end. Every detail, turn of plot, twists, connections—everything was painfully perfected. Every character, even smaller roles, were fleshed out and intriguing.

I especially appreciated how the love between Banxia and Xuanye developed. Thank goodness it was not a love at first sight or love without reasoning. Song Zuer and Allen Ren had overflowing chemistry in addition to the top notch storytelling. Gotta give a shout out to Chi Xue, Youhuang, Wen Jian, Lingying, and Xuanye’s father (the most amazing, understanding, and kind father—their reunion was beyond touching and made me teared up).

Alas, the divided ending… it was painful, but beautifully so—a perfect example of “it’s better to have loved and lost, than to not have loved at all.” I’m glad both remembered their last memories together, it would’ve been too much if only Xuanye remembered.

When the ending came and they ultimately, quietly made the best decision for their circumstances, I found it understandable. Xuanye’s people needed him, and so did Banxia’s family. They each had things to take care of, and respected the other person’s decision. For me, this was the ultimate act of love.

In my heart, I’ll imagine that they do indeed meet again after things have settled down in Carefree Land and resume living out their days together.

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